The perhaps best modern alternative to Skyrim currently comes from Poland and is called Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon. While fans are still waiting for news on The Elder Scrolls 6, this dark RPG is receiving a new story DLC on Steam – and it’s getting great reception.
What kind of game is this? Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is an open-world RPG developed by Questline, an indie studio from Poland. The RPG offers a dark reinterpretation of the Arthurian legend. Overall, the game feels very much like Skyrim, just more modern:
- The game allows you to switch between first-person and third-person perspective like Skyrim did. Particularly in first-person, the combats feel very reminiscent of Bethesda’s model.
- The game world evokes its dark, melancholic atmosphere, reminiscent of Skyrim’s setting of Tamriel.
- Many players on Steam also believe that Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon feels like the “spiritual successor to Skyrim” (as mentioned in this Steam review).
The game was released on May 25, 2025, for PC on Steam, Epic Games, and GOG. The title is also available on the consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. On December 15, 2025, the first story DLC, Sanctuary of Sarras, was released. This sends you to a mysterious underwater world.
Here you can see the trailer for the new story expansion:
New adventure in an underwater world
What does the new DLC deliver? In Sanctuary of Sarras, you follow the trails of Nimue and the deserters who once stood against King Arthur. Throughout the story, you will also explore why the namesake sanctuary sank into the sea.
The DLC provides a brand-new area where fresh dungeons, enemies (including bosses), and equipment await you. Additionally, the DLC introduces a new progression system.
By activating sacred shrines in Sarras, you weaken enemies (who will now scale with your level, meaning they become stronger). Furthermore, these shrines grant you points that you can invest in three new talent trees.
How long will I be occupied with the DLC? The developers mention around 15 hours of gameplay on Steam. However, some players have stated that they completed it much faster:
- Shepherd of Elo gives a thumbs up in his Steam review, but recommends playing the DLC with a new character or only on New Game +: “It only took me 7-8 hours with an Act 3 completed character on NG.”
- Steam user andy is also enthusiastic and writes in his Steam review: “I really liked this expansion […] in fact it was so good that i played through this in one sitting”. However, he does not disclose how long that session was.
Overall, the reviews for the DLC on Steam are 90% positive, although there are currently only 54 of them. This value is likely to change as more players share their opinions.
On Steam, you can currently get Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon for €30.79 instead of €43.99. This offer is valid until December 19, 2025. A demo is also available on Steam. On GOG, the game costs €35.19, and this includes a DRM-free version, with a discount valid until January 3, 2026.
Fans were hoping for a real trailer for The Elder Scrolls 6 at the 2025 Game Awards. The chances seemed pretty good beforehand. At least there were strong indications that such an announcement might come – more on this here: The organizer of the Game Awards posts some coordinates, and suddenly Elder Scrolls 6 doesn’t seem so unlikely anymore
