Info about Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon:

Official game description:
TAINTED GRAIL: THE FALL OF AVALON - EXCALIBUR EDITION
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The Excalibur Edition contains:
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*   Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon - **Base Game**
*   **Sanctuary of Sarras:** the first full-fledged expansion for the game, with 10-15 hours of new content.
*   **Official Soundtrack**: Enjoy an immersive OST featuring 16 tracks.
*   **Exclusive Artbook**: A beautifully crafted artbook with 104 pages showcasing the stunning visuals of Avalon.
*   **Golden Horse Armor**: Equip your steed with a majestic golden armor—meticulously crafted and one-of-a-kind! <wink wink> 
TAINTED GRAIL: THE FALL OF AVALON - ADVENTURE PACK
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The Adventure Pack contains:
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*   Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon - **Base Game**
*   **Sanctuary of Sarras:** the first full-fledged expansion for the game, with 10-15 hours of new content.
About the Game
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**Welcome to Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon**
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Step into the world of **Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon**, a mature, first-person perspective open-world RPG that immerses you in a dark fantasy realm inspired by Arthurian legends.
Uncover a complex and branching main storyline that lets you shape the legacy of King Arthur’s reign, 600 years after his fall amidst unending strife.
This game is a love letter to open-world FPP RPGs.
**Key features**
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*   **Massive gameplay experience**: Dive into 50-70 hours of rich content spanning three expansive zones.
*   **Branching narrative**: Engage with a complex main story and hundreds of side quests featuring remarkable, voiced characters.
*   **Limitless playstyles**: Customize your gameplay with countless builds—mix attributes, skills, and gear to create your favorite setup.
Every corner of Avalon is packed with discoveries—hidden items, story secrets, unique enemies, dungeons, quests, and fascinating NPCs. Freely explore at your own pace and forge your path in a truly open world.
Switch seamlessly between melee weapons, shields, bows, magic, throwables, mixtures, and more. Dodge, parry, and block to protect yourself from danger. Experiment to develop your ultimate combat style against a wide variety of challenging enemies.
With all the stats, perks, equipment, and crafting, you can shape your playstyle exactly how you wish.
Want to be a crazy alchemist-berserker punching enemies to death? Sure.  
A mystical blacksmith-mage summoning undead hordes? We’ve got you covered.  
A stealthy archer lurking in the shadows? Say less—this is the game for stealth archer enthusiasts.
Experience three distinct zones, each packed with quests, NPCs, items, and more:
*   Misty **Horns of the South**
*   Sunlit **Cuanacht Village**
*   Frozen peaks of the **Forlorn Swords**
Avalon is alive with various supporting activities that enrich your journey. Participate in sketchbook journaling, fishing, farming, blacksmithing, alchemy, cooking, mining, managing your house, and more.
At night, the Wyrdness—a chaotic primordial force—descends upon the land, altering reality and introducing survival challenges. Your foes become even fiercer, leaving no place for mistakes or hesitation. Kill or be killed.
Confront morally ambiguous choices that will test your character and shape Avalon’s future. Follow the dark legacy of King Arthur Pendragon while engaging with over 250 NPCs and tackling 200+ side quests.

Release date: May 23, 2025

Categories: First-Person Perspective, Open-World Exploration, Character Progression, Dark Fantasy, Choice-based Narrative, Multiple Endings, Crafting, Exploration

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 20; verdict: Fair Monetization; summary: The game and its DLC receive mixed feedback regarding the timing and quality of the DLC, with some users frustrated by the release of paid DLC while the base game still has issues. However, the developers are praised for their responsiveness to feedback and fair pricing, which is seen as good value for money. Overall, the sentiment leans towards a positive reception of the game's monetization strategy.
- Mods: score 40; verdict: Buggy but Playable; summary: The game has a notable reliance on community mods for quality of life improvements and performance fixes. While users frequently mention the need for mods to enhance the gaming experience, there is no widespread consensus on game-breaking issues that render the game unplayable without mods. The overall sentiment suggests that mods are highly preferred but not strictly necessary for basic functionality.
- Wiki: score 75; verdict: High Dependency on External Resources; summary: The user feedback highlights a significant reliance on external wikis and guides for various aspects of the game, including crafting, navigation, and understanding complex mechanics. While users appreciate the depth and complexity of the game, the need for external resources to fully enjoy and progress through the game is a common theme. Bugs and navigation issues also frequently require users to consult external sources for fixes and workarounds.
- Steam Deck: score 70; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals several key issues with the game's performance on the Steam Deck. The most significant problems include frequent verification of game files, performance issues such as inconsistent framerates and stuttering, and various gameplay and control problems. Users have also noted issues with graphics and settings, as well as the need for mods and workarounds to improve the gaming experience. These issues collectively indicate that the game is not well-optimized for the Steam Deck and requires additional tweaking and updates to run smoothly.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $35.00 - $45.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that users find the game worth its full price tag of $44.99, with some even suggesting it is a decent price point. The game is frequently mentioned as being worth the money, especially when on sale, but several reviews explicitly state that it is worth the full price as well. The positive sentiments and high ratings support the idea that the community considers the fair base-game price range to be around the current price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 150.0h
  - Story completion: 40.0h
  - Session length: 5.0h
  - Endgame: 50.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that players often compare the game to Skyrim and Oblivion, indicating similar playtime expectations. Players mention extensive playtimes, with one noting 1000-2000 hours for similar games, suggesting a high playtime for game completion. The game is described as immersive and engaging, with players spending significant time exploring and enjoying the world. Specific mentions of playtime include 40 hours for a recommendation and 5 hours for initial impressions, indicating varied session lengths and story completion times.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game generally becomes fun after players overcome the initial challenging combat and immerse themselves in the engaging story and world-building. The early hours can be punishing, but the game becomes more enjoyable as players progress and explore.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Overcoming initial combat challenges and immersing in the story and world-building.
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive combat; Technical issues and bugs; Confusing level design
  - Unlock drivers: Engaging story; Rewarding exploration; Sense of progression
  - Conditions: Immersive atmosphere; Challenging combat; Exploration and discovery
- Player Archetypes:
  - Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Exploration and immersion
    - Playstyle: Explores every corner of the game world, enjoys detailed environments and lore.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Explorer; Lore enthusiast
    - Reference games: Skyrim; The Witcher 3
  - Build-Crafter Grinder (buy)
    - Motivation: Character development and experimentation
    - Playstyle: Enjoys creating unique builds and experimenting with different playstyles.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Build-crafter; Grinder
    - Reference games: Path of Exile; Diablo
  - Freedom Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Freedom and role-playing
    - Playstyle: Enjoys freedom to play as they want, appreciates old-school RPG elements.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Role-player; Old-school gamer
    - Reference games: The Elder Scrolls series; Dark Souls
  - Cautious Gamer (sale)
    - Motivation: Game quality and stability
    - Playstyle: Prefers to wait for game improvements and stability.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Quality-conscious; Bug-averse
    - Reference games: Cyberpunk 2077; No Man's Sky


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Immersive and Atmospheric World (weight 0.38): The game world is detailed, immersive, and atmospheric, with a strong sense of atmosphere and lighting effects that draw players in.
- Engaging and Fluid Combat (weight 0.31): The combat system is praised for being fun, fluid, and engaging, with a variety of builds and playstyles that cater to different preferences.
- Compelling Storyline (weight 0.3): The game features a rich and deep story that is engaging and complex, with a strong main plot that keeps players invested.
- Diverse and Interesting Quests (weight 0.25): The game offers a variety of side quests that are unique, enjoyable, and well-described, providing valuable rewards and adding to the overall experience.
- Dark Arthurian Legend Retelling (weight 0.23): The game offers a unique and dark reimagining of Arthurian legends, combining elements from H.R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński to create a captivating and immersive atmosphere.
- Overall Enjoyable Experience (weight 0.2): Players find the game enjoyable and engaging, with a high level of quality and soul that makes it worth playing.
- Impactful Player Choices (weight 0.19): Players' choices have meaningful consequences, affecting the outcome of the story and the fates of characters, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Excellent Soundtrack and Music (weight 0.18): The game's soundtrack is highly praised for being excellent, immersive, and emotionally engaging, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
- Variety in Armor and Weapons (weight 0.16): The game offers a wide variety of armor sets, weapons, and builds, allowing for different combat styles and customization options.
- Rewarding Exploration (weight 0.11): Exploration is fun and rewarding, with every nook and cranny offering something worthwhile, encouraging players to explore the world thoroughly.
- Enjoyable Magic System (weight 0.11): The magic system is fun and enjoyable, with snappy and flashy spells that add to the overall gameplay experience.

Common complaints:
- Outdated and subpar graphics (weight 0.25): Many players noted that the graphics are outdated, blurry, and not up to current standards. The artwork is considered okay but not fully utilized due to an old engine.
- Performance and optimization issues (weight 0.18): The game suffers from poor performance, laggy gameplay, and optimization issues. Players report FPS dips, crashes, and stability problems.
- Poor enemy AI design (weight 0.16): Enemies are often described as having poor AI, being simplistic, or having design issues. Some enemies are noted as being too strong or unforgiving.
- Third act criticisms (weight 0.14): The third act is often criticized for feeling rushed, boring, or lacking challenging gameplay. Some players note that it feels thinner compared to the first two acts.
- Janky mechanics and bugs (weight 0.13): Players report janky combat physics, bugs, and issues with mechanics. Some players feel stuck due to these problems.
- Difficulty balance problems (weight 0.12): The game's difficulty balance is often described as off, too easy, or inconsistent. Players note unbalanced combat and strange difficulty levels.
- Texture and terrain issues (weight 0.12): There are frequent reports of buggy textures, texture loading issues, and terrain geometry problems.
- Minor bugs and issues (weight 0.11): Players report various minor bugs, including graphical issues, texture bugs, and minor translation errors.
- Poor animations (weight 0.09): Animations are often described as awful, ugly, or mediocre. Some animations are noted as being buggy or dead.
- Game feels unfinished (weight 0.06): Players report that the game feels unfinished, needs bug fixes, and has areas for improvement.
- Uninspired and generic art style (weight 0.06): The art style is often described as uninspired, generic, and lacking originality. Talent trees are also noted as uninspired.
- Third-person view issues (weight 0.06): The third-person perspective is criticized for not being enjoyable and having bugs. Character posture in this view is also noted as problematic.
- Poor voice acting (weight 0.06): Voice acting is criticized for being of low quality and having inconsistencies in audio production.
- Lackluster crafting system (weight 0.06): The crafting system is often described as not rewarding, not very useful, and lackluster.
- Audio mixing issues (weight 0.06): Audio levels are often poorly mixed, inconsistent, or weird.
- Inventory management problems (weight 0.06): Players report issues with inventory management, including errors and overburdened inventory.

Gameplay feedback:
- Enhanced combat mechanics (weight 0.17): The combat system includes parrying, dodging, and dashing, similar to Skyrim but with added depth. It also features weak spots, stunning, and stealth mechanics.
- Open-world exploration focus (weight 0.15): The game features a detailed open-world design with multiple areas and dungeons, emphasizing exploration and detailed locations. Players can expect a first-person semi-open world experience.
- Dark fantasy setting (weight 0.14): The game is set in a dark fantasy world with a rich story and immersive atmosphere. The world design includes detailed and visually appealing locations.
- Hybrid of Skyrim and Dark Souls (weight 0.11): Gameplay mixes elements from Skyrim and Dark Souls, creating a hybrid experience. Combat and exploration are influenced by both series.
- Classic RPG elements (weight 0.11): The game is a first-person, single-player RPG with an old-school style. It blends classic RPG genres with modern gameplay elements.
- Similar to Skyrim with improvements (weight 0.11): The game has a similar play style to Skyrim but with better writing, decisions, and added mechanics. It is often compared to Skyrim with mods.
- Engaging side quests (weight 0.1): The game features interesting and branching side quests that complement the main story. Quests are designed to be engaging and rewarding.
- Exploration and discovery (weight 0.09): Players are incentivized to explore the world through rewards and discovery-driven gameplay. The map is designed to encourage exploration and looting.
- Challenging combat system (weight 0.09): Combat is designed to be challenging and engaging, with a variety of mechanics including parrying and dodging. The difficulty is noted to be high.
- Artistic design and visuals (weight 0.09): The game has a strong artistic direction with impressive visuals and style. Music and sound effects enhance the overall experience.
- Character progression system (weight 0.09): The game features a character progression system based on actions and attributes. However, there are some criticisms regarding its flaws.
- Unique and interesting story (weight 0.08): The game features an interesting and unique main storyline with engaging quests. The narrative is designed to be rich and immersive.
- Skill development and progression (weight 0.08): Players can develop their skills through a flexible skill tree and progression system. Character building is a key aspect of gameplay.
- Magic and summoning systems (weight 0.08): The combat system includes magic and summons, with a variety of spells and status effects. Players can utilize these systems to enhance their combat strategies.
- Dialogue and conversation choices (weight 0.08): The game includes dialogue options and conversation choices that impact the story and quests. Dialogue is a significant part of the narrative.

Performance notes:
- FPS stuttering and drops (weight 0.18): A significant number of players have experienced stuttering and drops in FPS. These issues are noted across various system configurations, including lower-tier systems.
- Graphical glitches and issues (weight 0.15): Graphical issues such as texture glitches, popping textures, and strange graphical artifacts have been reported by players.
- Optimization issues reported (weight 0.14): Many players have reported optimization issues, particularly on high-end hardware. This includes general complaints about lack of optimization and specific mentions of problems even on capable systems.
- Smooth performance on Linux (weight 0.05): A subset of players reported that the game ran perfectly on Linux with no stutters or crashes, indicating good performance on this platform.
- Performance issues in fog (weight 0.03): Performance dips and issues have been reported in areas with thick fog, affecting visibility and gameplay.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for RPG fans (weight 0.19): The game is highly recommended for fans of RPGs, particularly those who enjoy open-world games, deep RPG mechanics, and classic RPGs. It is often compared to Skyrim and other popular RPGs.
- Engaging story and gameplay (weight 0.15): The game features an engaging story and gameplay, with compelling quests and characters that keep players invested.
- Worth the price (weight 0.11): Many reviews indicate that the game is worth its price, offering good value for money and supporting the developers for future projects.
- Elder Scrolls substitute (weight 0.1): The game is recommended as a substitute for Elder Scrolls fans, offering a similar experience to games like Oblivion and other Elder Scrolls titles.
- Unique atmosphere (weight 0.09): The game is noted for its unique and immersive atmosphere, which includes a melancholic tone and detailed worldbuilding.
- Detailed crafting and exploration (weight 0.06): The game is praised for its detailed crafting system and exploration mechanics, making it ideal for players who enjoy these aspects in RPGs.
- Dark fantasy appeal (weight 0.06): The game is a must-play for fans of dark fantasy, offering a unique and engaging experience within this genre.
- Interesting choices and factions (weight 0.04): The game offers interesting and ambiguous choices, along with diverse factions that add depth to the gameplay.
- Worth playing on sale (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for purchase, especially when on sale, offering good value for money.
- High content value (weight 0.02): The game is praised for its high content value, offering a substantial amount of gameplay and replayability.
- Variety of classes and playstyles (weight 0.02): The game offers a variety of classes and playstyles, catering to different player preferences and enhancing replayability.
- Character development and skill trees (weight 0.02): The game features robust character development and skill trees, allowing players to customize their characters and playstyles.
- Future DLCs anticipated (weight 0.02): Players are looking forward to future DLCs, indicating a strong interest in additional content and expansions.
- Combat issues noted (weight 0.02): Some reviews mention combat issues, which may affect the overall recommendation of the game.

Other player notes:
- Request for Ukrainian localization (weight 0.02): Players are requesting the addition of Ukrainian as a language option in the game. This suggests a desire for more inclusive language support to cater to a broader audience.
- Mention of Леди Алиса (weight 0.02): This cluster mentions 'Леди Алиса,' which could refer to a character or element within the game. Without additional context, it is unclear what specific aspect is being highlighted.
- Reference to Квашеная сельдь с сыром (weight 0.02): This cluster mentions 'Квашеная сельдь с сыром,' which translates to 'pickled herring with cheese.' It is unclear how this relates to the game, but it might be a reference to an in-game item or a cultural element.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.25): Players are frustrated due to a myriad of technical issues, including bugs, crashes, and performance problems that hinder gameplay. Additionally, combat mechanics, repetitive quests, and unbalanced difficulty contribute to the frustration, making the game feel unpolished and poorly optimized.
- Excitement (weight 0.14): Players are excited about the game's engaging story, immersive atmosphere, and unique mechanics that remind them of classic RPGs like Skyrim and Oblivion. The deep lore, character progression, and rewarding exploration also contribute to their enthusiasm.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game's combat, world-building, and emotionally weighty moments. Despite some flaws, the engaging plot, storytelling, and immersive atmosphere make the game fun to play.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Players feel disappointed due to the game's repetitive quests, unbalanced combat, and lack of innovation. Technical issues, bugs, and a decline in quality towards the endgame also contribute to their disappointment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Players are satisfied with the game's deep character progression, meaningful choices, and rewarding exploration. The variety of quests, locations, and the high level of quality make the game worth the price.
- Appreciation (weight 0.07): Players appreciate the game's unique atmosphere, rich lore, and engaging quests. The blend of different gameplay styles, beautiful visuals, and continuous updates also contribute to their appreciation.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Players find joy in the game's immersive atmosphere, detailed lore, and engaging gameplay. The beautiful graphics, interesting quests, and variety of builds make the game enjoyable.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Players admire the game's immersive world, unique atmosphere, and compelling art style. The game's ambition, graphics, and combat mechanics also contribute to their admiration.
- Positive (weight 0.02): Players have a positive experience with the game's style, inspiration, and atmosphere. The enjoyable combat system, quests, and overall gameplay mechanics contribute to their positive feelings.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Players hope for more engaging content and improvements in future updates. The game's unique atmosphere, engaging story, and immersive experience give them hope for its potential.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's old-school RPG elements and comparisons to classic games like Skyrim and Morrowind. The unique world design and reminiscent gameplay mechanics evoke a sense of returning to the roots of role-playing games.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players are angry about the game's persistent bugs, poor design choices, and the release of paid DLC while the game is still bugged. Updates breaking builds and changing core mechanics also contribute to their anger.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Players approve of the game's dark fantasy setting based on Arthurian Legends and its similarities to Skyrim. The rich lore and unique atmosphere make the game stand out.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's vast amount of content, varied builds, and excellent story. The immersive world and unique setting make them look forward to future releases from the developers.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Players are in awe of the game's fascinating world, immersive RPG elements, and unbelievably good soundtrack. The dark and mysterious world, rich story, and detailed environments contribute to their sense of awe.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by the game's uniqueness, engaging story, and unexpected enjoyment. The game's similarity to Skyrim and its engaging mechanics also contribute to their surprise.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the game's enjoyable gameplay, enemy designs, and deep lore. The unique quest endings and immersive world make the game exciting to play.
- Satisfied (weight 0.01): Players are satisfied with the game's interesting story, good exploration, and engaging side quests. The pleasant combat mechanics and unique places to visit make the game satisfying.
- Immersed (weight 0.01): Players feel immersed in the game's rich and atmospheric world, engaging combat mechanics, and variety of quests. The well-developed quests and detailed environments contribute to their immersion.}