Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 “Brushes With Death” DLC Review – Splash of Pain

It’s time to take up arms again as you journey back into Trosky for a new adventure. That’s right, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s first story DLC is now available, and though it doesn’t set out to continue the grand story of the base game, it does offer a gripping tale of intrigue, loyalty, and bloodshed—one that stands on its own, yet echoes with the weight of everything that came before.

If you’re looking for more of what the original release had to offer, then look no further, as Brushes With Death delivers just that.

Steel Yourself, Warrior—Fate Calls You Back to Trosky.

The tale of Brushes With Death begins with Voyta, a painter who is strapped to a pole, left for death, that Henry happens to stumble upon in his journey. After a brief skirmish against a pack of hungry wolves, Henry saves Voyta, who is forever in his debt. 

However, after rescuing Vojta and spending more time with him, Henry notices troubling signs—Vojta frequently speaks to himself, or worse, holds conversations with a painted human skull. In an era where the lines between faith, madness, and superstition are blurred, it becomes increasingly clear to the player that this story delves into the fragile realm of mental illness.

Vojta openly admits to hearing voices and seeing things that aren’t there—symptoms suggestive of conditions like schizophrenia. Yet within the context of the medieval world, these experiences are interpreted not as medical afflictions, but as divine or demonic encounters, leaving both Henry and the player questioning whether Vojta is touched by madness or something far more mystical.

The story of the DLC, which was well over eight hours for me, is excellently written, full of fun twists, humor, and emotions. Vojta, as a character, is an excellent addition to the game, well-liked, and his tale of dealing with a mental disorder during a time when these things were chalked up to demonism is actually told very well. Especially from Henry’s point of view, who actually aids Vojta in his journey to complete his magnum opus. Overall, it’s a solid piece of content, even if some parts feel like a long, drawn-out fetch quest. 

Elsewhere, the DLC also introduces a new shield painting mechanic that allows players to customize their shields with unique colors and designs. I’m always all for more options, but it’s not a feature that I used much personally. Additionally, a free update also launched with this paid DLC, adding more horse races and new archery activities, giving players even more to do in the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Overall, as a whole, this Brushes With Death and the free update that came with it, are spectacular additions to what I already considered to be one of the best games ever created.

That said, there’s one point I feel compelled to bring up, and it has more to do with how this DLC fits into the experience for players who’ve already completed the main story.

See, the challenge with reviewing content like this lies in the context. I’ve already played the original game, I even reviewed it here and praised it to the skies. It remains my top game of the year, so naturally, my expectations for any DLC are sky-high. That’s not to say that Brushes With Death is bad. It’s a fantastic piece of content that further adds to the world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, but it’s also content that would have been better suited to play back then, and experience it while playing through the base game. With DLC, you often expect it to either continue the main story or spin off entirely into its solo adventure. Don’t get me wrong, Brushes With Death could be a standalone if we were talking specifically about length, which lasted me over 8 hours of playtime, but at the end of the day, it feels more like a sidequest, a very long one, rather than a whole new experience building upon what you played already. 

Again, I want to stress that the content itself isn’t bad, but it feels like something that would have been much more enjoyable if you were playing the game for the first time. So, for those who beat the game, don’t expect anything game-changing with this quest. In all fairness, the DLC itself costs $6, and being over 8 hours long, that’s some insane value right there, and the content itself is pretty enjoyable, and well worth the purchase.

That said, if you’ve already finished the game, you might want to wait. With more DLC on the way, it may be more satisfying to return when multiple expansions are available, giving you a fuller experience in one go.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Brushes With Death is now available on all platforms Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is on. 

Score: 8/10

Pros:

• Excellent writing with emotional depth and engaging twists.
• Vojta is a compelling, well-developed character.
• Thoughtful depiction of mental illness within a historical context.
• Over 8 hours of content for only $6—great value.
• More of what we loved from the original game.

Cons:

• Feels more like a lengthy sidequest than a major standalone story.
• Best experienced during the base game, not after completing it.
• Some quest segments feel padded or overly fetch-heavy.

The publisher provided a Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Brushes With Death review code. The platform played on was PC. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.

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