Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon review in progress — Things are getting really Wyrd

Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres, particularly stories surrounding King Arthur’s time.  Arthurian legends have been told and retold again, each time with a new twist or perspective to keep the tales fresh and unique. Polish indie studio Questline are the masterminds behind Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, a new Arthurian dark fantasy roleplaying game that boasts 50-70 hours of exploration. I’ve been playing through a copy for review, but there’s so much to dive into that we’re making this a review-in-progress. 

Tainted Grail is a first person action-fantasy adventure, similar to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It takes place hundreds of years after the passing of King Arthur, who led his people to safety from the wicked Red Death, settling in the land of Avalon. Unfortunately, the Red Death is returning, and the realm is slowly sinking back into chaos. 

Initial impressions are positive so far. Of course, the setting intrigues me as well as the story concept. You can explore the setting at your own pace, including the many dungeons, 200 side quests, and dozens of possible endings, likely making that 50-70 hour estimate a speed run time and not a completionist expectation. Only time will tell, and we’ll let you know what we find out.

There are a variety of weapons, abilities, items, and more at your disposal, as you would expect from a medieval dark fantasy. There are plenty of options to choose from so you can play your way, whether you want to go in stealthily or go in swinging. Playstyles can also be changed on the go, especially as you find new gear along the way. 

This is just a snippet of the overall picture of Tainted Grail. So far, the package we have been presented with feels familiar but also fresh and exciting, and I can’t wait to give you all a more in-depth breakdown. We have the first hour of gameplay on our YouTube channel for your viewing pleasure, and we’ll have more to come in the next few days.