Ever since I was young, I was fascinated by the Arthurian mythos and later on, wider Welsh / Brythonic legends. The Arthurian mythose have helped make Welsh mythology some of the most widely known mythos in the world and have long been a great source for pop culture adaptations going back centuries. Tainted Grail is a recent adaptation that began as a tabletop game and then received a deck builder roguelike video game, and now has been given a Scrolls-like video game adaptation.
When I first played Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, I was interested in the game as a Skyrim-like adventure to keep me happy while waiting for Elder Scrolls VI, but the final result has left a different feeling within me. Maybe it is because Bethesda RPGs have increasingly played things safe, but Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon just feels so fresh. Having played the Oblivion Remaster recently, I found elements of both that classic game and Skyrim within Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, but also a game with its own identity as well.
If I can compare Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon to anything, it would be a mix of the aforementioned two Elder Scrolls titles with more traditional RPG aspects, and elements of Elden Ring as well. The combat feels far more satisfying here, with a good variety to it, including dodges, blocks, and parries, as well as a great set up for mage builds to use. In fact, the spells feel much more satisfying than most action RPGs and less cumbersome to use.
There is a third person mode as well, and while it is better than in Skyrim, it is still not particularly great, though more updates have been promised to make it better. I will also note that the visuals in Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon are not particularly spectacular, and in some ways make the game feel very dated. There are also some issues with the inventory system that feels like Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon did not learn from mistakes of past games.
Still, despite the jank, and there is a lot of jank and bugginess in Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, I loved the experience overall. This feels like a heavily modded Skyrim, and I say that as a compliment. This is a proper RPG and the music is excellent, and I honestly feel Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon has surpassed the current state of The Elder Scrolls.
I have not talked about the story, and I should, because this is an interesting dark fantasy take on Arthurian mythos that sees the return of an evil force called the Wyrdness that Arthur once defeated. The spirit of Arthur is guiding you on your journey and you must confront the Wyrdness, but there is more to the story than meets the eye and things are not what they seem. The resulting story is a unique take on Arthurian legend and one that devotees may find interesting.
Like with any good RPG, stats make a difference here, and the skill tree actually matters. Your build will impact how you encounter things in the world and there are some interesting things to find. You won’t see the same massive amount of villages and cities like in Skyrim or Oblivion, but what you will find will have a lot more heart to it, and a world that feels like a character in its own right.
It is amazing what AA teams can do lately, and to see a AA team show up Bethesda Game Studios is very impressive indeed. It may not have the polish of a big budget AAA game, but what is here is mostly fine with a few bugs and hiccups, and some things to work on. It is my hope that the third person mode is improved more in future updates, and hopefully many of the glitches are fixed. It is neat that there is an option to report glitches and bugs directly to the devs, and this shows they are taking this game very seriously.
The voice acting in Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is well done, and the sounds from combat and spells give that aspect of the game a unique feel. It would be easy to call this a standard scrolls-like, something that is quickly becoming its own genre, but it goes above and beyond to engage you as a player. With the wide variety of combat and exploration options, and loads to collect along with NPCs to interact with, this just feels like a bigger game than it is.
Hopefully, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a hit, because I love what the developers have done and want to see more of it. There is potential for DLC and future games here, and the developers’ take on Arthurian legend, combined with elements of wider Welsh / Brythonic legend was handled great. Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon may not be the most refined and polished experience, but it does not need to be. It is just a good game, with excellent combat and is a proper RPG that stands proud as a game. If you are a fan of Arthurian mythology or just want a more old school RPG with modern ideas, then Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon will be a must play for you. Just keep in mind that some things are still getting touched up.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
