Quick Verdict: Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is the better pick if you want open sandbox freedom with massive, near-unmatched tactical battles. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is the better pick if you want a deeply scripted, historically authentic narrative RPG with the stronger critical reception. Bannerlord costs $49.99 on Steam, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II costs $59.99, and both already have their own “how to get it free” guide linked below.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are both grounded medieval RPGs, but they approach the setting from opposite directions. Bannerlord hands you an open sandbox and lets you build your own path through Calradia. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II tells a tightly scripted, historically authentic story through Henry’s eyes in 15th-century Bohemia. This guide breaks down where each one wins.
Bannerlord vs Kingdom Come: Deliverance II at a Glance
| Category | Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord | Kingdom Come: Deliverance II |
| Release Date | October 25, 2022 (1.0 release) | February 4, 2025 |
| Price on Steam | $49.99 | $59.99 |
| Developer | TaleWorlds Entertainment | Warhorse Studios |
| Publisher | TaleWorlds Entertainment (self-published) | Deep Silver |
| Critic Score | 77 Metacritic, OpenCritic “Strong” at 76 (top 33 percent) | 88 Metacritic, “Generally Favorable”; 97 percent of OpenCritic critics recommend it |
| Steam Reviews | 88 percent positive, “Very Positive” (270,000+ reviews) | 92 percent positive, “Very Positive” (62,000+ reviews) |
| Best For | Players who want open sandbox freedom with massive battles | Players who want a deeply scripted, narrative-driven medieval RPG |
Story and Structure
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has no fixed protagonist story, dropping you into an open sandbox where you build your own path across Calradia as a warrior, trader, or eventual king. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II follows a tightly scripted narrative through Henry’s eyes amid a civil war in 15th-century Bohemia, backed by a script running into the millions of words and over five hours of cinematics. Edge: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, for a far more ambitious, deeply scripted narrative.
Combat and Scale
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord lets you command hundreds of troops directly in real-time sieges and field battles, a scale of tactical combat critics have consistently praised as nearly justifying the price on its own. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II uses grounded, skill-based directional swordplay expanded with crossbows and early firearms, focused on smaller-scale personal combat rather than mass battles. Edge: Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, for genuinely unmatched large-scale battle and siege combat.
Simulation Depth
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II leans hard into systems-driven simulation, with Henry needing to eat, sleep, and maintain his gear across a world that reacts to his reputation and choices with real historical authenticity. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord’s campaign layer has been noted by critics as comparatively underdeveloped next to the freedom of its sandbox mode. Edge: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, for considerably deeper personal simulation and historical authenticity.
Critical and Community Reception
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord holds a 77 Metacritic score and an OpenCritic “Strong” rating in the top 33 percent of games reviewed, alongside an 88 percent positive Steam rating from over 270,000 reviews. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II holds a meaningfully stronger 88 Metacritic score with 97 percent of OpenCritic critics recommending it, plus a 92 percent positive Steam rating from over 62,000 reviews. Edge: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, for a stronger and more consistent critical reception.
Commercial Performance
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord has built up over 270,000 Steam reviews across years of sustained sales since its 2020 Early Access debut. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II crossed a million copies sold and drew over 159,000 concurrent players before its launch day was even finished, becoming the highest-grossing premium title on Steam that week behind only Counter-Strike 2. Edge: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, for an extraordinary launch performance, even accounting for Bannerlord’s longer sales history.
Access and Price
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord costs $49.99 and is included with Xbox Game Pass, which also grants a standing 20 percent discount for subscribers who want to buy it outright. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II costs $59.99 and joined Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Premium in March 2026. Edge: Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, for the lower price plus a standing buy-in discount for Game Pass subscribers.
Which One Should You Play First?
- Want open sandbox freedom and the best large-scale medieval battles available: start with Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.
- Want the most ambitious, deeply scripted historical RPG story: start with Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
- Working with a tighter budget: start with Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, which costs $10 less.
- Want the strongest, most consistent critical reception: start with Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
Overall Verdict
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord remains the pick for players who want genuine sandbox freedom and battle scale no other medieval RPG matches, at a lower price with a standing Game Pass discount. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II costs more but delivers a far more ambitious scripted narrative, deeper simulation, and a meaningfully stronger critical reception backed by an extraordinary launch. If you want to build your own story through massive battles, start with Bannerlord. If you want the most acclaimed, historically authentic RPG story available, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is worth the extra cost.
Get Both For Less
Both games already have their own dedicated guide on this site covering legitimate ways to get them below full Steam price. Read How To Get Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Free and How To Get Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Free for the full breakdown of both routes.
FAQ
Which is better, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord or Kingdom Come: Deliverance II?
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is the better pick for narrative depth, simulation, and critical reception. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is the better pick for open sandbox freedom and massive-scale battles, at a lower price. Neither is objectively better, they take medieval RPGs in different directions.
Are both games on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is currently included on Xbox and PC, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II joined Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Premium in March 2026.
Which is cheaper, Bannerlord or Kingdom Come: Deliverance II?
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is cheaper at $49.99 compared to Kingdom Come: Deliverance II’s $59.99.
Does Bannerlord have a scripted main story like Kingdom Come: Deliverance II?
No. Bannerlord is an open sandbox with no fixed protagonist story, while Kingdom Come: Deliverance II follows a tightly scripted narrative through Henry’s journey across 15th-century Bohemia.
Which game has the stronger critic reception?
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II holds the stronger reception, with an 88 Metacritic score and 97 percent of OpenCritic critics recommending it, compared to Bannerlord’s 77 Metacritic score and “Strong” OpenCritic rating.
