Just received the latest addition to my modest boardgame collection today. A Kickstarter campaign by Awaken Realms delivered it's first wave of shipments, the game Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon.
Upon opening the package I was already impressed. A lot of material with a nice added bonus for the backers. Everything seems to be of good quality, and the game itself appears to be interesting as well.
I already had a chance to try it out with the included open & play solo scenario. It provides a quick start to get familiar with the game mechanism out of the box. While a bit simplified it was a nice experience. The play mechanism is rather unique. While the exploration part reminds me a bit about that of the 7th continent that's pretty much where the similarities end.
The setup is rather quick. Nothing like Gloomhaven, luckily. The game is up and running in 15 minutes, maybe even faster once you get familiar with it.
The combat is different as well. On the surface it's just another deck building mechanism, but the way it plays out is refreshing. The goal is to build a sequence of actions to defeat whatever you happen to encounter. Another nice thing is diplomacy. Not all encounters require brawn, but can be resolved using more civilized methods.
It also heavily relies on the storytelling. The premise of the story is already intriguing and I'm sure it will turn out a nice experience. If the story is the main attraction there is also an easier way to play it via the alternative story mode.