It’s not uncommon for video games to be inspired by films, just as it has become increasingly common for films to be inspired by video games. Warhorse Studios’Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2is one such video game, which happens to draw inspiration from two iconicmovies that have had considerable influenceon the film industry.
Game Rant recently had the opportunity to chat with Warhorse Studios about its upcoming medieval RPGKingdom Come: Deliverance 2. While the interview was primarily about the game’s recreation of Kuttenberg and the impact its history will have on story and gameplay, Warhorse’s PR manager, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, disclosed a unique detail aboutKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s story and the films it can most closely be compared to, giving way to some rather weighty implications.
KCD2’s Film Inspirations Carry Some Weighty Implications About Its Story
KCD2’s Story Is a Blend of Inglourious Basterds and Ocean’s Eleven
Even without knowing explicit details aboutKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s narrative, what is already certain is that it will continue Henry’s story, despite being labeled a standalone game meant to welcome newcomers to the franchise. This is largely due toKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s unofficial remake status, as it will essentially be the same game as the first but with refined gameplay, increased accessibility, and a new story — similar toDragon’s Dogma 2.
RegardingKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s new story, Stolz-Zwilling had a fascinating comment about some similarities it shares to two very influential blockbuster films. Whether these films were inspirations forKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s story is unknown, but Stolz-Zwilling’s comment could pique anyone’s curiosity. When asked about how Kuttenberg’s historical context influences the story and character development inKingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Stolz-Zwilling replied,
Kuttenberg and the events that took place there are an integral part of the story inKingdom Come: Deliverance 2. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I sometimes compareKCD2to movies likeInglourious BasterdsorOcean’s Eleven.
It’s impossible to know precisely howKCD2’s story is comparable tomovies likeInglourious BasterdsorOcean’s Eleven. However, this subtle detail suggests some things about the narrative’s themes, pacing, and setup, as both of these films are very distinct in their storytelling approach.
What KCD2’s Inglourious Basterds and Ocean’s Eleven Similarities Could Mean for Its Story
One of the defining characteristics ofInglourious Basterds(and almost anyQuentin Tarantino film, for that matter) is its ability to maintain palpable tension, where every scene feels like everything could go wrong at any moment. Whether it’s an interrogation over a glass of milk or a covert operation when the enemy is just inches away, the film effortlessly balances dramatic tension with sudden, violent action. In the same way,Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2could lean heavily on high-stakes scenarios where things could explode—either literally or figuratively—at any moment.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s similarities toOcean’s Eleven, on the other hand, is an entirely different ballgame.Ocean’s Elevenrelies less on the dramatic explosions that prolonged tension can create and instead revolves around a team of specialists who construct multi-layered plans to pull off major heists. It could be that a part ofKingdom Come: Deliverance 2involves a heist of some kind, but that might be too specific. Instead, it’s more likely thatKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’ssimilarities toOcean’s Elevenmight show themselves in a story surrounding Henry and his friends going behind enemy lines to sabotage Sigismund’s forces or steal an item they might need to further guarantee their success.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s emphasis on stealth gameplay would come into handy here, especially if it is more pronounced in the sequel.
WithKingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s commitment to historical authenticityand the similarities it bears to two distinct cinematic masterpieces, the sequel is clearly taking a unique approach to storytelling. Blending Tarantino’s iconic tension found inInglourious Basterdsand the heist excitement ofOcean’s Eleven,KCD2is primed to deliver a memorable story, all while staying true to the grounded realism that defined the first game.
