The very first item I stumbled upon in Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon that wasn’t a piece of armor or a tool of destruction was—surprisingly—some rather risqué reading material. To be clear, I wasn’t searching for it. I had just broken out of a dank prison cell and was cautiously exploring what looked like the guards’ common room when I found the book. Before I knew it, my eyes landed on a stylized drawing and a curious phrase involving “love apples,” and my brain momentarily short-circuited. That odd encounter became an unintentional but fitting introduction to a game that’s already shaping up to be strange, sprawling, and comfortably familiar.
This RPG reimagines the Arthurian legend, transporting players to a version of Avalon that’s been both sanctified and cursed over the course of centuries. Long ago, King Arthur led his people away from a crumbling homeland stricken by a deadly plague called the Red Death. Avalon, though tainted by a chaotic force known as the Wyrdness, became their sanctuary after Arthur, with the help of Merlin, managed to suppress the corruption. But 600 years have passed. The legends have faded into myth, the Wyrdness has reawakened, and the Red Death is once again sweeping across the land. Your role in this mess begins as a nameless prisoner held by the Red Priests, a desperate religious order trying to find a cure.
The game kicks off with a cinematic that outlines the mythos before ushering you into its character creation system. This part is relatively standard fare: a handful of presets, customization sliders, and a variety of hair choices—some of which look great, even if most of the skin textures resemble something a bit too sculpted, like colored modeling clay. That said, your character’s appearance becomes mostly irrelevant since the game plays out in first-person. There is a third-person mode tucked into the options, although it’s noted to be more of an accessibility feature than a polished way to experience the game.
After you finalize your character, you find yourself in a prison cell. If you’ve played The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the comparisons will be immediate—and fair. The influence is clear. However, Fall of Avalon doesn’t merely echo older RPGs; it brings its own flavor. A particularly clever touch is how your initial stats are determined. Instead of picking numbers from a menu, you answer questions during an interrogation. I said I’d been a hunter and stitched my own clothes from animal hides—voilà, a starting boost to my archery and crafting skills. It’s a small choice, but one that ties your background to your capabilities in a natural, immersive way.
Without spoiling too much, you eventually find your way out of that jail cell (thanks to your ingenuity or perhaps a bit of luck). One of the first lessons the game offers is how to parry—a warning that combat is coming. Fortunately, those early battles feel pretty solid. Hits have a satisfying crunch, blocks carry weight, and each weapon type has a distinct feel. The early-game club delivers bone-rattling smashes, while the first dagger I found introduced a quick, clean slicing mechanic. I haven’t quite mastered the parry mechanic yet—its timing seems pretty tight—but the backstep maneuver and blocking work just fine in most encounters. It’s not a revolutionary system, but it’s competent and enjoyable.
So far, I’ve spent a good chunk of my five hours in Fall of Avalon simply wandering around, talking to townsfolk, grabbing anything not nailed down, and yes, picking up more bizarre and sometimes hilarious books. The world encourages curiosity. It’s one of those games where you can walk into a stranger’s house and walk out with a pile of cheese wheels, a pair of boots, and someone’s journal. If that kind of thing appeals to you, this game will probably feel like a warm, medieval blanket.
It’s clear from the beginning that Fall of Avalon draws heavily from the well of beloved fantasy RPGs, but there are enough quirks and flourishes to make it stand on its own. The Arthurian mythos, though far removed from the grandeur of Arthur himself, adds a layer of depth for anyone with an interest in that kind of lore. It hasn’t blown me away with anything revolutionary yet, but the writing is clever, the world has promise, and the mechanics are grounded enough to keep me invested. I have a long road ahead before I can say whether the game delivers on all its potential, but so far, I’m intrigued.
And knowing this game, I wouldn’t be surprised if a killer rabbit actually does show up before the end.
