Update log
Full Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon update
The complete published notes, normalized for clean reading and source attribution.
Extracted changes
- Events
- Store
- Balance
- Server
Hey everyone!
Another few busy weeks have passed, and we’re back with more stuff to enhance the Tainted Grail experience even further for you!
But before getting to that, let us thank you for the amazing reception of our previous free DLC, Merlin’s Tomb! Currently, its Steam reviews are sitting at 98%, and it is heartwarming to see you enjoy it. Seems like even the corrupted Sage himself can’t stop you from having fun. And fun is all that matters! :D
Now, some gamers have… peculiar definitions of fun. And don’t get us wrong, this applies to many of us as well. For those types of people, the more difficult a game gets, the more fun it is. We’ve decided to address this masochistic desire! That said…
Our fourth free DLC, the Challenge Mode, is now out!
Watch our new trailer to see what’s coming:
Challenge Mode is a brand-new way to play for those who crave tough challenge and unpredictability. As you develop your character via various gameplay systems, you also have to choose meaningful debuffs that make the game WAY harder. You can think of it as our own take on the “roguelike” formula; the stronger you become, the harsher conditions you face. Definitely proceed with caution, and prepare for a good dose of suffering! :D
(But really, on a serious note… Challenge Mode is VERY punishing. You will struggle. You will sweat. You will die numerous times. You will feel screwed over by the game. And that’s by design.)
[dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/4639800/Tainted_Grail_The_Fall_of_Avalon__Challenge_Mode_DLC/"]
Now, let’s give you some more details on how all of this works!
Challenge Mode functions as a brand-new difficulty setting. It becomes available only when starting a completely new playthrough (new save file) from Act 1 (skipping the prologue). Once chosen, the Challenge Mode difficulty cannot be reverted.
After you start your Challenge Mode run:
as mentioned, you skip the prologue and begin in Act 1 (you get basic starting gear, fit for various playstyles);
you must select a new debuff at the start of the game and at the beginning of each subsequent Act;
you will also receive an additional debuff every 2 levels when interacting with a campfire, opening your inventory, crafting, or accessing your stash, whichever happens first.
There are a total of 70 unique debuffs to choose from. And they will all make sure you’re on cloud nine! *evil laughter in the background*
Take a look at some of them:
If you reach NG+3 on Challenge Mode, you’ll be awarded a special badge. Difficulty, however, continues to scale indefinitely for NG+4, NG+5, etc.
There’s a dedicated scoreboard available (press “I” in-game)! Just a heads-up: if you use cheat mode, you'll get a "Cheater" sticker slapped permanently (on this save) on your score.
Okay, what you’ve just seen should be sufficient for a worthy teaser! To get a real feel of all the Challenge Mode burdens, we invite you to jump into Avalon and try this mode yourselves!
Well then! We wish you tons of fun with this new mode! Make only good less bad choices, embrace the obstacles you select, push your limits, and prove your Tainted Grail mastery!*
*Disclaimer: Remember, you’re gonna suffer, and you signed for it yourselves.
Fun fact: Challenge Mode came to life thanks to the two greatest Tainted Grail game-breakers known to humanity (or at least to our Discord server): Woe and Daena. Every time we tried new ideas to make the game more challenging, they inevitably found a way to break it
Source