Deliverance 2, Features Popular Expedition 33 Actor

It’s not often that new, exciting medieval games rear their heads on Steam, and seeing how popular and well-received Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was just last year, the bar is even higher now. However, Steam has a new gem you can wishlist right now, coming out in March 2026, that goes by the name of 1348 Ex Voto. If you’re not familiar with its viral status on social media, Ex Voto was announced just this week and managed to take the internet by storm thanks to its historically accurate characters and settings, while also featuring a woman knight as a protagonist and a multi-award-winning actor from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

1348 Ex Voto is an action-adventure game with emphasis on swordplay, a deep narrative featuring 14th-century Italy, and a noble knight trying to find and save her “closest one,” a nun by the name of Bianca. The protagonist, Aeta, is not explicitly confirmed to be lesbian, but very much implied to be romantically attracted to or involved with Bianca, which is a bold choice that very much reads as a statement, considering the socio-political climate of the time and the fact that religion condemned such relationships extremely harshly. The game is very close to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in terms of style and setting, but it’s heavily imbued with LGBTQIA+ themes, especially evident in Aeta’s nonbinary actor (Alby Baldwin) and Jennifer English as Bianca.

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How 1348 Ex Voto Compares to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

1348 Ex Voto transports players to the tumultuous world of medieval Europe during the Black Death, a time of immense suffering, fear, and superstition. The game’s world is steeped in the atmosphere of plague-ravaged villages that are authentic to the inner parts of medieval Italy, where survival and faith intertwine in a desperate fight against an invisible, deadly force. Speaking of, Aeta can use two different stances that change how swordplay pans out, with them being one-handed and two-handed, while also giving you the option to change things with sword parts you can find, alongside books that teach you new combos. The game doesn’t seem to have a heavy focus on RPG features like KCD2, but it embraces its setting and narrative as key parts of the experience.

On the flip side, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is set in the 15th century in medieval Bohemia, after the events of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The game leans heavily into political intrigue, war, and the struggle for power as it portrays a more expansive world with a focus on kingdoms, knights, and the fallout of conflict. The grimness of the previous game is amplified with new areas to explore and new threats to face, but this time, the emphasis is placed on battles, territorial control, and the aftermath of war. It’s a game where choices matter, and you can truly do as you please, whether it’s stacking bodies outside a village or becoming an honorable knight.

1348 Ex Voto is Already Labeled as ‘The Lesbian Knight Game,’ and It Matters More Than You Think

One of the most striking and progressive aspects of 1348 Ex Voto is its female knight protagonist in a medieval setting, especially one steeped in the societal norms and gender roles of the 14th century. As a player, you step into the shoes of a woman who seemingly has her romantic and emotional connection to a nun—a relationship that directly challenges both the era’s rigid religious doctrines and its views on women’s roles. In a time when women were expected to conform to certain roles (either as dutiful wives, nuns, or mothers), the game takes a brave step by portraying an intimate story between them, instead. Knight video games don’t always do something as bold, but it’s a refreshing value in the case of Ex Voto.

Aeta’s love for Bianca, whether platonic or romantic, serves as a powerful counterpoint to the overarching themes of faith, survival, and personal identity in both 14th-century Italy and 1348 Ex Voto itself. Their relationship isn’t just a side element, but rather a central part of the emotional core of the game, as Aeta tries to find her loved one. As the protagonist faces the horrors of the plague and the moral dilemmas of survival, her love for Bianca can become a way for the game to explore themes of forbidden love, religious conflict, and the personal sacrifices made for those we care about in such dire times. The emotional stakes are high here, as the protagonist may have to reconcile her love for a woman in a society that condemns such relationships, all while grappling with the overarching devastation of the Black Death. Some of the best LGBTQIA+ games managed to achieve something similar, and hopefully, Ex Voto thrives on its story and characters.

Why Expedition 33’s Jennifer English is Perfect For 1348 Ex Voto

While the game does not confirm whether the relationship between Aeta and Bianca is purely platonic, 1348 Ex Voto has already amassed a huge fanbase on social media, praising it for lesbian representation. Clair Obscur‘s Jennifer English is the perfect choice for this game, even if she is not voicing the protagonist, and her speech for accepting the Best Performance Award at The Game Awards 2025 proves it. Her presence alone gives the game’s story and characters more relevance than ever, and with an incredible performance as Maelle in Expedition 33 or Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3, Ex Voto is already well-equipped to become a hit.

Released

February 4, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity

Developer(s)

Warhorse Studios