Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a game you can have a tough time with, partly because of its difficult approach to “realism”, partly because it’s a very busted video game. As of today, anyone looking to make the former even tougher can play through a new “hardcore” mode.
It does all of these very fun and enjoyable sounding things:
North, South, East, and West will no longer be visible on the compass, so be sure to check the time of day and where the sun is located (rises in the East, sets in the West).
Waypoints are shown only when you get close to them.
Fast travel isn’t possible in Hardcore Mode.
There is no autosaving. The game can only be saved by drinking Saviour Schnapps, sleeping in your own bed, paying for a bathhouse full service, or exiting the game (deletes once the game is started up again).
You can’t rely on eating from the cooking pots. The best way to regenerate health is to sleep. Food and healing potions take quite a while to kick in.
You’re only alerted to your current health and stamina levels by means of in-game visual effects.
Combat is more realistic in Hardcore Mode. Strikes have a more realistic impact, and engaging in combat with an experienced warrior without wearing quality armor is very deadly.
Traders pay less for goods and rewards are lower overall. Repairing items are even costlier.
Cool, cool. You also have to equip two negative perks, which include stuff like waking from sleep with nightmares, Hemophilia and Claustrophobia. Which also sounds like loads of fun.
In less punishing news, the game’s first proper expansion was announced today, and it’s a lot more interesting than I was expecting. Instead of simply adding more quests to the game, it returns to a major scene from the story and tasks you with rebuilding a ruined township, giving you oversight over both the buildings and the people working on them.
Called From The Ashes, it’s out next month.