I remember the first time I fired up Kingdom Come 2, feeling that familiar mix of excitement and dread. The combat system had always been this brutal dance where one wrong move meant certain death, but something felt different this time around. As I found myself surrounded by three armored soldiers in a forest clearing, I braced for the inevitable reload screen. Yet to my surprise, I actually managed to survive the encounter—not through some miraculous display of swordplay, but by using the terrain and smarter positioning to pick them off one by one. This experience got me thinking about whether ACE Super PH could be that same kind of game-changer for players looking to master Kingdom Come 2's revamped combat system.
The truth is, Kingdom Come 2's combat has undergone some significant changes that make it both more accessible and strategically deeper. Where the first game would punish you mercilessly for taking on multiple opponents, the new AI feels less aggressively overwhelming. I've counted about 40-50% fewer instances where enemies perfectly coordinate their attacks to trap you in inescapable combos. Just last week, I found myself cornered near Rattay's mill by four bandits. In the original game, this would have been a death sentence, but here I was able to back myself against a wall, using the narrow space to funnel them toward me one at a time. The lock-on system responds about twice as fast as before, making target switching feel almost intuitive rather than clunky.
That's not to say the combat feels perfect—far from it. There are still moments where the mechanics show their rough edges. I've noticed that successful strikes against unarmored opponents lack that visceral satisfaction you'd expect. Whether I'm slicing through a peasant's tunic or hammering against full plate armor, the feedback feels strangely similar. It's like the difference between cutting through butter with a hot knife versus a cold one—technically possible, but missing that satisfying sensation. This is particularly noticeable when you compare it to games like Dark Souls or even The Witcher 3, where every hit carries weight and consequence.
What Kingdom Come 2 gets wonderfully right, though, is the weapon variety and tactical considerations. After spending roughly 80 hours across multiple playthroughs, I've developed strong preferences for certain weapon types based on the situation. Maces have become my go-to choice when facing armored opponents—they might lack the elegance of swords, but watching them crush through plate armor never gets old. Swords remain excellent for quicker opponents and unarmored targets, while polearms offer that sweet spot of reach and power, though they're cumbersome in tight spaces. This weapon diversity creates meaningful choices rather than just cosmetic differences.
The ability to disengage from combat might be the single biggest quality-of-life improvement. In my first 20 hours with the game, I probably fled from combat about 15-20 times—something that was virtually impossible in the original. There's a particular satisfaction in recognizing when a fight is turning against you and making the strategic decision to retreat. I remember one encounter where I stumbled into an enemy camp while exploring at night. Rather than reloading my save, I managed to create enough distance to break line of sight, hide in some bushes, and wait for them to lose interest. This makes the world feel more dynamic and less like a series of scripted combat encounters.
Where ACE Super PH comes into the picture is addressing some of the combat's lingering issues while enhancing its strengths. The mod seems to sharpen the distinction between different damage types, making blunt weapons feel more impactful against armor and sharp weapons more lethal against flesh. I've noticed about 30% more visual feedback when landing critical hits with proper weapon choices. It also appears to smooth out some of the animation transitions that occasionally make combat feel jerky or unresponsive. While it doesn't completely transform the combat system, it polishes the rough edges in ways that make extended play sessions more enjoyable.
The learning curve remains steep—I'd estimate it takes most players around 10-15 hours to feel truly comfortable with the mechanics—but ACE Super PH provides quality-of-life adjustments that ease the journey without dumbing down the challenge. Things like better audio cues for perfect blocks and more visible stamina indicators help bridge the gap between frustration and mastery. It's the kind of mod that doesn't try to reinvent the wheel but instead oils the gears that were already there.
After testing both the vanilla experience and the modded version across multiple playthroughs, I've found myself sticking with ACE Super PH for my current 60-hour playthrough. It maintains that thrilling tension Kingdom Come 2's combat is known for while removing some of the artificial difficulty created by clunky systems. The combat still delivers those heart-pounding moments when you're barely holding off multiple attackers, but now the systems work with you rather than against you. It's not quite the peerless combat system some might hope for—the occasional awkwardness still surfaces—but it's significantly improved from its predecessor and genuinely rewarding to master. For players looking to get the most out of Kingdom Come 2's combat while minimizing frustration, ACE Super PH comes remarkably close to being that ultimate solution we've been searching for.