Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Review – A Wyrd World

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In today’s gaming landscape, it’s hardly ever the case for mid-budget AA games to stand out and generate buzz within the industry. Even more unusual is finding one that skillfully imitates a prestigious series like The Elder Scrolls. However, the game Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon, developed by Questline, has managed to create an engrossing experience reminiscent of The Elder Scrolls, set within the dark fantasy world of Avalon, making it feel authentically “Scrolls-like”.

Despite occasionally being tethered to its inspirations and grappling with technical problems in various sizes that sometimes disrupted my immersion, The Fall of Avalon skillfully breathes life into a perilous realm, delivering a compelling narrative and an extensive open world that hints at great possibilities for this universe and the genre.

The primary campaign encompasses around a dozen tasks, however, it also invites you to venture out and enhance your abilities independently during these gaps, either directly or subtly, as you might find yourself overwhelmed by the initial adversary in the subsequent mission.

Although this game franchise is fresh in the gaming realm, its mechanics draw heavily from established, thriving games, making it evidently reminiscent of them. The most conspicuous similarity is with “The Elder Scrolls,” as the opening scene could easily have been lifted straight from one of their games. In this instance, you start off waking up as an unnamed prisoner in a jail cell, where you encounter a mysterious figure who assists you in escaping. As it turns out, you’re a chosen one, harboring a part of the deceased King Arthur’s soul within you. Your mission is to recover the rest of his soul scattered across Avalon. This sets you free to traverse the open world and progress with your quest while tackling numerous side missions, bounties, and tasks along the way.

In a nutshell, the primary appeal of “The Fall of Avalon” lies in its engaging characters. Each character is skillfully written and performed, offering a fresh perspective on King Arthur’s story. Interacting with King Arthur provides an intriguing twist to a tale that many are familiar with. Even minor characters like Merlin or a common shopkeeper leave lasting impressions through their witty one-liners or captivating stories. The cast immerses you in the world, sparking curiosity about what’s familiar and what’s different in this rendition of the story. Although these non-player characters (NPCs) may give traditional stoic expressions, they breathe life into crucial moments. However, the visuals might seem less appealing due to their dated look, but the cutscenes still manage to hold your interest.

In terms of gameplay, The Fall of Avalon is a wildly open-ended role-playing game that shares many similarities with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

In the game, there were instances where my choices led to surprising consequences. It’s evident that decisions made by players can significantly shape the course of events, including scenarios like whether or not to undertake an assassination mission. While the overall campaign may not be groundbreaking within this genre, it offers thrilling moments and a high level of replay value, which I look forward to delving into further.

As a gamer, stepping into The Fall of Avalon feels like embarking on an epic journey reminiscent of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. In this open-world RPG, I shape my character by assigning points to attributes such as Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity, which in turn influence how I perform with one-handed and two-handed weapons, light and heavy armor, and agility. The vast landscapes are filled with hidden treasures, caves, and dungeons that reward me with improved weaponry, enchanting magic, and fresh quests.

In this game, you’re equipped with an extensive collection of swords, bows, armor, magic, and various other tools, all reminiscent of King Arthur’s arsenal. The game allows for a good balance in making each weapon feel gratifying to use, and presents a variety of foes that challenge your skills in diverse ways, whether in the narrative or during gameplay. It also includes a day-night cycle, with certain nights transforming into what’s known as Wyrdnight. During these times, a hazardous fog called the Wyrd descends upon the town, summoning powerful demons. You have the option to either engage in combat with them or find ways to avoid them.

Fighting in this game generally feels gratifying, yet occasionally figuring out how to defeat specific foes can be tricky. There are instances when the game’s quirks make it challenging to discern when an enemy is attacking. However, I was always incentivized to explore or veer off the main path, and the game’s flexible inventory system and economy ensured that I always felt capable of acquiring better equipment.

This game frequently has a vibe that resembles a condensed version of a role-playing game set in the West, yet it draws inspiration from various sources too. Notably, “The Fall of Avalon” isn’t unbearably long with a playtime of approximately 25 hours, but its design allows for greater flexibility in your advancement.

The primary gameplay involves multiple missions, yet it promotes independent exploration and growth between these missions by suggesting and implying that you may face tough opponents in the next mission without warning. The sudden increase in difficulty is a common occurrence, but since there aren’t many main quests, you are given the freedom to explore the world at your own speed and level up through side quests or dungeons. As you progress towards the end, the overall challenge intensifies, but I never felt that any part of the gameplay was unjust.

Unfortunately, a series of technical problems that I faced while playing on PS5 somewhat spoiled my overall experience, and it felt consistent with the traditional challenges often found in “The Elder Scrolls” games.

From the get-go, it seems a day-one update has allegedly addressed some problems, but it’s disheartening to find a game in Early Access for such a prolonged period still experiencing these issues. Overlooking technical glitches, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon infuses an indie aesthetic into the time-honored formula of The Elder Scrolls, incorporating its own innovations and distinct features. The vast expanse of Avalon invites exploration, shedding light on King Arthur’s grim past and the individuals associated with him. Remarkably captivating, the storyline offers an engaging take on this setting. The gameplay offers freedom to traverse and delve into the world, encountering formidable adversaries along the way. Despite technical difficulties hampering the experience, the core of the game reveals a highly ambitious project skillfully executed, marking a promising step forward for the Tainted Grail franchise. It’s an enticing glimpse into what this series and genre might achieve in the future.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2025-05-23 11:41