Tainted Grail: Conquest
- May 27, 2021
- Questline
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Tainted Grail: Conquest" is a strategy role-playing game set in a dark, twisted version of Arthurian legends. Players must navigate through the island of Avalon, battling enemies and making story-altering decisions in this challenging and immersive world. This game is a part of the Tainted Grail franchise, which first gained popularity as a board game.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Engaging dark fantasy atmosphere with excellent voice acting and music.
- Variety of classes and cards that allow for diverse gameplay strategies.
- Persistent progression system that rewards players for each run, making it feel less punishing.
- Performance issues and optimization problems that can lead to lag and crashes.
- Some classes feel underpowered compared to others, leading to balance issues.
- Repetitive gameplay and encounters can become tedious over time.
- story1,162 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story in "Tainted Grail" is a significant draw for players, featuring a dark, immersive narrative that intertwines with gameplay mechanics, allowing for character development and quest progression across multiple runs. While some players appreciate the depth and voice acting, others find the story pacing uneven and occasionally bogged down by repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging storytelling with roguelite elements, making it appealing for fans of narrative-driven experiences in the genre.
“The story is captivating, filled with intriguing characters, moral choices, and multiple branching paths.”
“Tainted Grail presents a rich and immersive dark fantasy experience that captivates players with its atmospheric storytelling, strategic gameplay, and intricate world-building.”
“The story is dense and intense, and the quests are cool.”
“The story is ridiculously convoluted, irrational, implausible, and mundane.”
“The quest system also adds nothing because each run is random; there is no continuity or stakes because you might not see a character for a while, meaning it's just a bunch of fetch quests.”
“The story starts off strong but then basically becomes background noise to wandering around in the dark and dying to samey encounters.”
- gameplay909 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Tainted Grail: Conquest" is a blend of tactical roguelite mechanics and deep deckbuilding, reminiscent of titles like "Slay the Spire" and "Darkest Dungeon." Players appreciate the variety of classes and unique mechanics, which offer engaging and strategic gameplay, though some find the overall experience can become repetitive and tedious over time. While the game features a rich atmosphere and compelling story, it suffers from some unclear mechanics and balance issues that can detract from the enjoyment.
“Tainted Grail: Conquest is an incredible blend of tactical roguelite gameplay and deep deckbuilding mechanics.”
“It's a perfect mix for fans of card games and dark fantasy settings, providing hours of engaging gameplay with a compelling storyline.”
“The gameplay itself is very addictive, its music and art are mesmerizing.”
“The gameplay loop gets repetitive quickly, unlike Slay the Spire and some other games from the genre.”
“The gameplay feels so much worse than other roguelikes/lites.”
“The gameplay is repetitive yet addictive, because, in my opinion, it really is everything a good roguelite should be.”
- music658 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and atmospheric contribution, often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the dark, immersive soundtrack, which blends elements of Nordic and Celtic folk music, creating a haunting ambiance that complements the game's themes. However, some reviews note that the limited variety of tracks can lead to repetitiveness during extended play sessions, though the quality of the music remains consistently praised.
“The music is phenomenal and the gameplay is fun and thought-provoking.”
“The music is incredible, the combat is engaging, the voice acting is phenomenal, the story is captivating, the art style is unique, and the classes and their abilities are engaging and creative.”
“The music absolutely slaps and the gameplay loop is fun and engaging.”
“Poor music, sound effects, etc. seems unfinished in some places.”
“On the negatives, it's the grinding required to reach the 'true ending'; the OST, although having some nice tracks, gets repeated a lot and can turn tiring and boring quickly.”
“The thing that hurts this game the most is the music, especially the battle music; at the moment it is the same track for all regular enemies and it sounds very dull and monotone.”
- graphics593 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the dark and atmospheric art style that enhances the overall aesthetic, reminiscent of titles like Dark Souls and Diablo. While some players find the visuals stunning and immersive, others criticize them for being unoptimized, leading to performance issues and a lack of polish in certain areas. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a strong point for those who appreciate a gritty, dark fantasy aesthetic, though they may not meet the expectations of players seeking high-end graphical fidelity.
“The graphics are great, and it's really fun, and especially challenging at first.”
“Visually, the game is a masterpiece, with its dark and atmospheric art style bringing the world of Avalon to life.”
“The aesthetic is dark and creepy.”
“I read every report from others, tried a variety of graphic options, and it appears to be, in my opinion, unplayable.”
“The graphics are shit.”
“The graphics engine feels outdated, choppy, and unnecessary.”
- atmosphere333 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, immersive qualities, drawing comparisons to gothic and dark fantasy themes reminiscent of titles like Dark Souls and Diablo. Players appreciate the combination of stunning visuals, haunting music, and excellent voice acting, which together create a captivating and brooding world filled with rich lore and intriguing characters. However, some reviews note that occasional mismatches in voice acting can detract from the overall experience, though the game's atmospheric strengths generally overshadow these flaws.
“A captivating blend of deck-building and rogue-lite elements set in a dark, atmospheric world inspired by Arthurian legends.”
“The atmosphere is amazing, the story and characters are great; I would love a tabletop RPG book of the setting.”
“Tainted Grail presents a rich and immersive dark fantasy experience that captivates players with its atmospheric storytelling, strategic gameplay, and intricate world-building.”
“The very little atmosphere there is, is promptly ruined by the voice-over.”
“This game is supposed to be atmosphere but the graphics basically kill the atmosphere.”
“Gameplay seems like a solid deckbuilder, with a dark atmosphere but the writing is way too silly and without any passion.”
- replayability222 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, primarily due to its diverse selection of 9 classes, each with unique playstyles and progression systems that encourage multiple runs. Players appreciate the variety of challenges, unlockable content, and dynamic encounters, which contribute to a fresh experience with each playthrough. However, some users note that once the mechanics are mastered, the game can become easier, potentially diminishing replay value for certain players.
“Great game, lots of replayability without feeling endless!”
“Lots of replayability, with 3 'main' classes (fighter, archer, mage) each with 3 'sub' classes that all play completely differently.”
“The replayability is enormous here.”
“The only downside is that it seems to fall a bit shorter when it comes to replayability and gets a bit too easy once you know what you are doing.”
“Game is tedious, lacks gameplay variation and replayability.”
“I enjoyed most of the time I played, but right now I am at the point where I don't see any replay value anymore.”
- optimization138 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and high resource demands even on capable hardware. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay, the overall consensus indicates that the game is poorly optimized and requires further patches to improve stability and performance. Despite these issues, many players remain hopeful for future updates that could enhance the game's performance.
“A shining example of indie early access. I have a whole library of AAA games and yet this is the game I've just played for 10 hours straight. I haven't had any performance issues or crashes. Wish the devs the best of luck.”
“I will gladly give this game a positive review considering that this game will be polished a bit more performance-wise.”
“Got this game, played it every day for hours, and loved every second of it. I love the world and gameplay; it is amazingly fun. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes deck builders. It has some minor performance issues, but that is a minor issue compared to how amazingly fun the game has been.”
“That said, please note that this game has very bad / weird PC optimization - I had to choke all the settings to medium on a rig that runs most AAA games smoothly on ultra, just to set your expectations.”
“The second issue is performance; the game looks okay on higher settings but it just has no right to put so much stress on a high-end system as it does. The optimization was clearly not ironed out properly.”
“Unfortunately, still suffers from performance and optimization issues - stuttering and frame drops, even on lowest settings (but has not crashed once).”
- grinding102 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- -2 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the progression system overly tedious and slow, particularly regarding permanent upgrades and character unlocks. While some appreciate the strategic depth and fun mechanics, others criticize the repetitive nature of battles and the excessive time required to achieve meaningful progress, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable but marred by a grindy structure that can detract from the overall fun.
“The loading screens between runs and combat aren't tedious, and playing cards/chaining cards keeps up with how fast I want to play them.”
“Grinding feels rewarding because every session brings me closer to unlocking new abilities and upgrades.”
“The progression system makes grinding enjoyable, as I can see tangible improvements in my character with each effort.”
“The permanent upgrades (across playthroughs) are too grindy.”
“The grinding system is a bit overwhelming; there's an unlocking order that feels too slow.”
“The game does get repetitive and grindy pretty quickly.”
- stability47 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, such as pathfinding issues, controller support problems, and frequent crashes. While some users noted improvements after patches and found the game enjoyable despite its flaws, others described it as unpolished and not ready for release, often leading to frustrating experiences. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has potential, it suffers from stability issues that detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Very polished, has a lot of features, has a lot of content, and all of it seems planned out, bug-free, and is actually useful in the game.”
“A very enjoyable bug-free 20+ hours.”
“For being their first digital game, and being early access, outside of more options, more cards, and characters, it's surprisingly not buggy.”
“This game is pretty buggy, and the class designs kind of suck. I did not enjoy this game, and if you're a fan of roguelite deckbuilders, this is not Slay the Spire.”
“Game often crashes my PC with blue screens and freezes.”
“The game crashes and freezes an absurd amount for a game with the kind of reviews it has.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is predominantly dark and twisted, appealing to some players while leaving others unimpressed. Many reviews highlight the clever writing and voice acting, particularly praising the comedic elements brought by characters like the British-accented goat. However, opinions vary significantly, with some players finding the humor lacking or overshadowed by the game's grim themes.
“Very dark game with some twisted humor, but I generally like the deck-building roguelike loop.”
“The story is a little bit on the simple side, but thanks to the amazing writing and voice acting (I'm looking at you, Aussie goat), it becomes a dark and humorous tale that keeps you entertained along the way.”
“The goat with the British accent is especially hilarious.”
- character development13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, featuring morally ambiguous choices and engaging storytelling that keeps players invested. While some critiques mention subpar character models, the overall design and voice acting are highlighted as strong points, contributing to a rich and immersive experience. The combination of intricate narratives and well-crafted characters enhances the game's appeal, making it addictive and enjoyable.
“The game presents a sprawling and intricate story, filled with morally ambiguous choices, deep character development, and branching paths.”
“All characters I've met have been voice acted, and greatly so, bringing the characters to life. I really want to underline how much I'm enjoying the writing - in a lot of media it is so shallow that I'm just looking at it, seeing my own reflection and feeling my wrinkles grow; in Tainted Grail, the character design and dialogue is interesting and mature, and even the dialogue options given make it feel like the player/protagonist is naturally reacting to the situation and even putting some thought into it.”
“Deeper character development, more progression, an actual story.”
“The design of the character models looks amateurish, as if they were sourced from an asset marketplace. I could do better, and I have in the past. Character design is one of my specialties, and I can confidently say they delivered a subpar result.”
“Player character design is a bit lackluster.”
“Deeper character development, more progression, and an actual story are needed.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome yet dark aesthetic, engaging gameplay, and deeply touching narratives that resonate with players. Many reviewers appreciate the strong character relationships and the emotional weight of the side stories, which range from sad to uplifting. However, some feel that the lack of humor and certain voice acting choices detract from the overall emotional impact, though the developers' attention to detail and player feedback is seen as a positive and heartwarming effort.
“Simply a must play - the fact that there are still developers out there investing in and elevating the deckbuilding genre in the 2020s makes me emotional.”
“And most of all, some parts are so emotionally touching that I will probably never forget them.”
“The stories are very attractive and the relationships between characters are also very touching, especially when you listen to the conversations that are narrated with emotion.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's monetization is praised for being fair and not exploitative, contrasting sharply with many AAA titles that rely on aggressive monetization strategies. While the game advertises nine classes, players note that there are only three with limited starting skills, which has led to some disappointment. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing experience that prioritizes quality over profit.
“The biggest reason I give it a 'no' is because of the advertisement of 9 classes, when in reality there are only 3 classes with some very limited choice in starting skills.”
“When you see a game like this that is made well at a great price, and doesn't come with any of the BS monetization that most AAA titles do these days, it's very refreshing.”
