Kingdom Come: Deliverance - A Woman's Lot Review (Syrrah)
Women's Lot is the final and in my opinion best DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It is also a lot longer than the rest, expect 4 to 10 hours if you are prepared to go flower-sniffing.
However, and this is a very strong however, make sure you realise what you are getting because this is by no means something that will appeal to all!
Contrary to the other DLC, that focus on economy (From The Ashes), puzzles (Amorous Adventures) or combat (Band Of Bastards), Women's Lot focuses on role-playing.
The DLC follows the stories of 2 women, independently of each other: Theresa and Johanka. The purpose of both stories is to have you experience what it must have been like to be a woman in the middle-ages and - I can guarantee you - it will not be a pleasant experience. However brilliant this DLC may be, it is depressing, it is boring and it is brutal. And that is exactly what makes it brilliant. If this is not something you can live with, I strongly advise you not to buy this DLC because you will be disappointed. Even the name of the DLC is a dead giveaway ...
Theresa's story in particular has you play *as* Theresa before, during and right after the Skalitz raid. You get to see Henry's story from another perspective, but also given some background info on for example Johanka and what exactly happened to Theresa.
Like you'll read in many other reviews, you mostly get some menial tasks. Fetch-quests; boring, stupid and totally un-epic do-this-do-that stuff. And that is exactly the point. You are not a glorious knight, you aren't even the son of the town's blacksmith, you are a nobody and your personal value is not much higher than that of a farm animal. You can't fight, you're always the weakest, you can't do anything. You must do what others tell you, how annoying or horrid it may be.
You'll be suffering, you'll be miserable, you'll constantly feel that the game is unfair to you. And just when you think that you're done with the dreadful quest you've been given and expect that the worst is over, the game throws an even harder or horrible task at you. "You want me to do what??? You've got to be kidding right?"
Nevertheless there are some lights in the darkness: just talking to other villagers for example, about other menial things, or seeing Johanka smile when you did her a favour, ... It are those small things that make it all worth it. I literally spent over an hour talking to every NPC in and around Skalitz and was surprised by the effort that the developers must have put in what is, in the grand scope of things, a completely irrelevant part of the DLC.
That small-chat with other nobodies - before any Cumans are introduced even - for me alone was worth playing Theresa's story. Like I said this is a role-players DLC and you should only get it if you want to actually role-play.
The second story is a set of more traditional quests, where you - as Henry this time - help Johanka. But the theme remains the same and don't go expecting a happy little story about Snow White singing peaceful songs in the company of rabbits and deer and riding off in the sunset with a handsome prince ... Be prepared to have your face pressed down in the mud and to be trodden on once again. One of the possible outcomes of that second story is without any doubt the most brutal scene in the entire game.
Other than the awesome thematic stories and a sinking feeling in your stomach, you'll not complete this DLC with much to show for it. There is no great loot, you'll not get rich (or more rich than you already were), you'll not earn a great title, ...
However, the DLC gives you access to your own dog with a special skilltree.
The dog is nice to have during combat or hunting, or just to keep around you for company. Again, this DLC is role-players territory and having your own dog is part of that.
For me, this DLC is pure gold. For you? Perhaps.