If you’re craving an open-world RPG with Skyrim-like depth—but prefer something outside Microsoft’s ecosystem—Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon may be the game for you. Released today from early access, this dark fantasy RPG has earned an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating from Steam users and builds on the universe of Questline’s 2021 sleeper hit, Tainted Grail: Conquest.
Set in a reimagined Arthurian world 600 years after King Arthur’s fall, the game offers a gritty and decaying landscape plagued by “unending strife” and disease. Divided into three major zones, Avalon is threatened by a returning force known as the Wryness—an ancient, chaotic power once defeated by Arthur himself.
Players can expect 50–70 hours of gameplay, including over 200 side quests and a wealth of activities like house decoration, farming, and sketchbook journaling. Combat and character builds are flexible, supporting everything from berserker alchemists to stealth archers and necromancer blacksmiths. 
The game includes a dynamic day-night cycle, where nights are more dangerous due to the emergence of Wryness. Enemies become tougher, the atmosphere darkens, and your survival skills are put to the test.
While the Steam page boasts of “limitless playstyles” and “meaningful choices,” some of the promotional language leans into genre clichés. Terms like “mature, morally grey story” may raise eyebrows, but the solid world-building and detailed environment design—evoking an “everlasting autumn” aesthetic with From Software-style decay—may still win over fans.
One unique plague, dubbed the Red Death, is central to the story. As it spreads across the land, desperate priests carry out torturous experiments on infected victims in a twisted quest for a cure. It’s not light fare, but it matches the dark tone of the game’s world.
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is shaping up to be a substantial, if not entirely groundbreaking, entry into the fantasy RPG genre. If you’ve been missing the immersive magic of Elder Scrolls-style adventures—or just want something new with a darker edge—this release might be worth exploring.
Let us know your thoughts if you’ve already played it!
