In this Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon gameplay article, I’ll be diving into the second major update for the game’s early access: patch 0.7. We’ll cover all the new content, including new weapons, spells, armor, enemies, and a brand-new zone.

From Board Game to Video Game

Before we get into the details, let me give you a quick overview of the game in case you’re not familiar with it. Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a video game adaptation of the popular board game released by Awaken Realms in 2019.

I actually bought the board game after our last sponsored video because I’m a huge fan of board games and have been on a bit of a board game kick lately. This one came highly recommended online, and I can confirm it’s fantastic. If you’re into tabletop games, I highly recommend checking it out. But let’s shift our focus back to the video game.

We’re once again sponsored in this video, so a big shoutout to Questline and Awaken Realms, the game’s developer and publisher. Thanks for the support! If you like what you see and want to pick up the game, click the link here. Now, let’s jump into what’s new in patch 0.7!

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon has been in early access on Steam for a little over a year now, and it recently received a major update. This game is an open-world, dark fantasy reimagining of the King Arthur legend, set hundreds of years after his death. You’ll encounter familiar characters and storylines from the mythology, but with a much darker tone. This isn’t a light or high fantasy game; its dark, brooding atmosphere is immediately apparent when you start playing.

The gameplay mechanics will feel familiar if you’ve played games like Skyrim or Oblivion. Your skills, such as one-handed combat, heavy armor, archery, thieving, sneaking, and athletics, improve through use. For instance, wearing heavy armor and taking hits will gradually increase your heavy armor skill, offering better protection over time. Similarly, using one-handed weapons will make you more proficient with them, and the same goes for other weapon types.

Additionally, there’s an attribute point system where you can allocate points to various stats like health, mana, mana recovery, or attack speed. Each time you level up, you get an attribute point to distribute, enhancing your character’s abilities. Some weapons have attribute requirements, so you won’t be able to use every weapon you find unless you meet these requirements, similar to the system in Dark Souls. This means you’ll have to focus on certain attributes based on your play style, which can limit your access to specific weapons but also adds replayability, encouraging different approaches in future playthroughs.

The game also features a revamped perk system, now resembling a skill tree. This third iteration differs significantly from the original and second versions. Each attribute has its own skill tree, allowing you to choose perks and skills that complement your play style. These perks provide passive bonuses, affecting how you experience the game.

The game includes a main quest line and various side quests, with outcomes influenced by your choices. Deciding who to side with isn’t always clear-cut, adding complexity to your decisions. Unlike many modern open-world and role-playing games, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon takes a hands-off approach. It immerses you in its world without much guidance. You’ll need to read books, pay attention to lore notes, and solve puzzles to progress. Many elements in the game are cryptic, requiring careful observation to understand their significance.

Patch 0.7 – Cuanacht Rebellion

So, let’s focus on what’s new in update 0.7 for Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon. This is the biggest update yet, introducing a whole new section called Cuanacht Rebellion, essentially the second act of the game. If Act 1 offered 10 to 15 hours of gameplay, Act 2 adds another 10 to 15 hours, bringing the total to about 20 to 30 hours in Early Access.

Cuanacht Rebellion is packed with new content—there are new weapons, spells, armor, trinkets, and plenty of new enemies, including numerous mini-bosses. These mini-bosses often drop unique equipment that can significantly enhance your build. For instance, I found a Frost Blade early on, which allowed me to freeze enemies. I paired it with a new Frost Spell, making it possible to immobilize and defeat tough foes easily.

One aspect I really appreciate about this game is how it allows you to create overpowered builds and enjoy them. It reminds me of the old days when games didn’t try to balance everything to be perfectly equal. If you discovered a powerful combination, you could just run with it and have fun. This approach is similar to what Larian Studios does in their Divinity games, and it’s something I thoroughly enjoyed while playing the second act of Tainted Grail.

Exploration remains a key element in Act 2, just as it was in Act 1. The game’s world is filled with intriguing sights and mysteries to uncover, which makes wandering around and figuring out the game’s secrets incredibly rewarding.

The art direction and atmosphere of Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon are standout features. The dark, immersive environment gives you a sense of solitude but also a strong desire to explore. It has a vibe reminiscent of the old Witcher games, where everything feels messed up, yet you’re compelled to push through. This game captures a unique essence that recent Bethesda games have struggled to replicate. While Tainted Grail might lack the polish and budget of a large studio production, it possesses an intangible quality that makes it truly special.

If you’re on the hunt for a top-notch first-person open-world game, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon might just be what you’re looking for. Whether you jump in during early access or wait for the full release, this game offers something that many others miss, capturing that nostalgic essence we often long for in games.

Don’t just take my word for it—check out the Steam reviews. Tainted Grail is receiving high praise on a platform known for its critical community and review bombing tendencies. It’s clear that players are enjoying what the game has to offer, and I can only imagine the reviews will be even better once the game fully launches.

Update 0.7 has also introduced several new mechanics that enhance the gameplay experience. One notable addition is the Bonfire mechanic. You can now create fires at various locations on the map, allowing you to rest, change the time of day, level up, fast travel, cook food, and identify items. These Bonfires also provide a protective barrier against the dangers of the night.

Speaking of nighttime, the game has added a new layer of challenge and reward. When night falls, new enemies appear and existing ones become tougher, dropping new items and resources. This creates a risk-reward dynamic, where playing at night is more dangerous but offers greater rewards. Unidentified items and unique resources dropped by nighttime enemies can be identified at bonfires, potentially giving you valuable consumables, trinkets, or weapons.

Character Customization and Estimated Release

One of the things I truly love about Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is the character customization. As I mentioned before, you have the freedom to build your character in a way that suits your play style. While certain weapons might be locked based on your attribute choices, the game still offers a wide range of spells, weapons, armor, and tactics to experiment with.

Whether you prefer light, medium, or heavy armor, or different combat strategies, you can really see your character come together in a way that feels uniquely yours. For those who follow this channel, you know I’m a huge fan of games that offer extensive build variety, and Tainted Grail excels in this area, allowing for rich and diverse character customization.

To wrap up the article on the new update for Tainted Grail, I don’t have an exact timeline for the full launch, but it’s expected to stay in early access for about 9 to 16 months. We’re currently around the one-year mark, so we can likely expect the full release within the next 4 to 8 months. I can’t wait for this game to come out fully. It’s a passion project that, despite not having the budget of major titles, has that special quality that big studios often fail to capture, no matter how much money they spend.

I’m thrilled to be sponsored by a game I genuinely enjoy. I’ve already logged over 50 hours in early access, and I highly recommend it. This is our third sponsored article on Tainted Grail, which obviously speaks volumes about its quality. A huge shoutout to Awaken Realms for the sponsorship. If you prefer to wait for the full version, keep this game on your radar—it’s going to be a great one. As always, let us know about your thoughts in the comments below.