Tried out the complimentary trial of the fresh, dark fantasy RPG, The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail, and I must say, it seems to be teaching Bethesda a thing or two.
In a world where the latest Bethesda RPG, Starfield, left me unimpressed, I stumbled upon a breath of fresh air in The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail, a dark, new fantasy RPG that feels like a heartfelt tribute to the Bethesda RPG classics of yore, such as Morrowind and Oblivion. And it nails what I thought Starfield had lost – both the weirdness and the immersive, old-school charm.
Playing Tainted Grail's demo brought back some nostalgic vibes. It all starts with you as a captive in a fortress prison, reminiscent of the opening in Oblivion. But unlike that opening, Tainted Grail immediately hooks you with its unique aesthetic blend of traditional dark fantasy medieval and HR Giger's eerie organic darkness. It's like a nightmarish, corrupted version of Oblivion's Shivering Isles. The permeating mystical Grimdark vibes, combined with the fusion of stone, metal, bone, and strange, anatomical oddities, really grabs your attention and keeps you engaged.
Choosing your character's specializations offers flexibility, though the demo doesn't let you level up excessively. Even so, there's plenty of room for customization in the full game, with detailed roles like an 'alchemist-berserker' and 'mystical blacksmith-mage' available. I opted for a stealthy, sneaky character with enhanced lockpicking and archery skills. With multiple customizable weapon loadouts at my disposal, the gameplay felt satisfying and smooth, with one-button presses making it easy to switch between dagger, shield, bow, and arrow.
The graphics, powered by an older DirectX 11 engine, may seem dated compared to the latest Unreal Engine 5 games, such as Avowed. However, the low system requirements to run Tainted Grail (recommended system spec includes an RTX 2070 Super, 16GB of RAM, and a 13th gen Intel Core i7 CPU) make it accessible to a wide range of players. My RTX 3090 Ti system ran the game smoothly with a locked 60fps and 4K resolution, demonstrating the game's impressive performance and the art team's dedication to visual detail.
So, if you're yearning for a more traditional Bethesda-style fantasy RPG, head over to Steam and grab the free demo of The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail. It boasts a good hour or more of gameplay, including full character creation, allowing you to experience the game's world, mechanics, and potential for character customization. I found myself getting sucked into the world even during the demo; by its end, I knew it was a game I wanted to play more of.
- Reminiscent of professional RPG classics like Morrowind and Oblivion, The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail offers a refreshing season for those seeking a new fantasy role-playing game.
- In the digital environment of Tainted Grail, the dark and eerie aesthetic evokes memories of HR Giger's organic darkness, providing a unique spin on traditional dark fantasy medieval setting.
- Offering a variety of professional specializations like alchemist-berserker and mystical blacksmith-mage, Tainted Grail allows players to customize their characters extensively, especially in the full game.
- Despite using an older DirectX 11 engine, The Fall of Avalon: Tainted Grail offers smoother gameplay and impressive visuals compared to games like Avowed, with low system requirements that ensure the game is accessible to a wide range of players, even on high-end systems like an RTX 3090 Ti.
