Game Review | Tainted Grail: Conquest – A Grimdark Deck-Building Odyssey

A unique, infinitely replayable, story-driven hybrid between a deck-building Roguelike and an RPG game. Explore the ever-changing maps, fight with deadly enemies, and learn what happened to the cursed island of Avalon. Embark on a cursed journey through the Arthurian mythos in Tainted Grail: Conquest, a blend of roguelike deck-building and RPG elements. This unique title offers a captivating narrative, strategic combat, and persistent upgrades, but be prepared for some rough patches amidst the charm.

Reasons to Play:

  • Gripping Grimdark Story: Unravel the mysteries of Avalon as you explore a corrupted Arthurian world steeped in lore and intrigue. The narrative unfolds gradually through exploration, choices, and character interactions, offering intrigue for fans of lore-heavy games.
  • Strategic Deck-Building: Craft your combat deck with diverse cards, utilising unique mechanics like resource management and character synergies. Experimentation and adaptation are key as you face increasingly challenging enemies.
  • Variety and Replayability: Choose from several distinct character classes, each with its own playstyle and deckbuilding options. Procedurally generated maps and branching paths ensure no two runs are the same, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
  • Persistent Progression: Build and upgrade your village between runs, unlocking new cards, abilities, and resources. This steady growth enhances the sense of progress and rewards long-term engagement.

Reasons to Hold Off:

  • RNG Can Bite: Randomization plays a significant role, and occasionally unfavourable card draws or map layouts can lead to frustrating defeats. This aspect may deter players who prefer more controlled experiences.
  • Balancing Issues: While some classes excel, others feel weaker and require good luck with card acquisition to perform well. Imbalanced difficulty can be discouraging for players seeking consistent challenge.
  • Story Pacing Fluctuations: While intriguing, the narrative’s pace can be uneven, with exciting discoveries interspersed with stretches of repetitive encounters or mundane exploration.
  • Technical Quirks: Occasional bugs and performance issues might mar the experience, particularly on older hardware.

Popular Review Scores:

  • Metacritic: 79 (Overall), 82 (User Score)
  • Steam: 88% Positive Reviews

Platforms: PC (Steam, GOG), Xbox One, PlayStation 4

Where to Buy: Steam, GOG, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store

Conclusion:

Tainted Grail: Conquest is a compelling blend of genres with a unique Arthurian setting and engaging deck-building gameplay. However, its reliance on RNG, balancing issues, and occasional technical shortcomings can be frustrating. If you enjoy narrative-driven roguelikes with strategic depth and don’t mind some rough edges, it’s worth a try. But if you prefer more polished experiences or dislike heavy randomness, you might want to look elsewhere.

Recommendation: Consider your tolerance for RNG and technical hiccups before diving in. If you value exploration, lore, and strategic deck-building, Tainted Grail: Conquest offers a worthwhile, albeit imperfect, adventure.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1199030/Tainted_Grail_Conquest/

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