Thaumistry: In Charm's Way

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 31 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • graphics
Thaumistry: In Charm's Way Game Cover
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Thaumistry: In Charm's Way is a lighthearted text adventure game set in New York City. As Eric Knight, a former child prodigy inventor, you'll explore the city, meet offbeat characters, and cast improbable spells to solve puzzles. With advanced parser technology, customizable visuals, and a screen reader-friendly option, this game offers a modern take on classic interactive fiction. *Note: The USDA approval appears to be a joke, as the USDA is a government agency responsible for food safety and regulation, not video games.

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Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews
humor13 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • Thaumistry is a well-crafted and humorous text adventure that successfully captures the spirit of classic Infocom games, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
  • The game features a forgiving difficulty level with no dead ends or unfair puzzles, complemented by helpful quality of life features like a built-in map and hint system.
  • Players appreciate the clever design and engaging story, which allows for creative problem-solving through a versatile spell system and a variety of humorous interactions.
  • Some players found certain puzzles to be overly simplistic or contrived, lacking the depth and creativity typically expected from text adventures.
  • The story, while entertaining, is not particularly groundbreaking or memorable, leading to a feeling of limited narrative progression.
  • The game lacks sound and music, which some players felt diminished the overall immersion and atmosphere of the experience.
  • story18 mentions

    The story in "Thaumistry" is enjoyable and immersive, featuring a blend of humor and engaging puzzles that enhance the gameplay experience without overwhelming the player. While not groundbreaking or deeply serious, it effectively guides players through its narrative with a forgiving parser and helpful recap system, making it accessible and fun. Overall, the game captures the charm of classic interactive fiction while avoiding common frustrations, though some may find the plot lacks depth and plausibility.

    • “An enjoyable story, with puzzles of the right difficulty, making me feel like I'm smarter than I am while guiding me along.”
    • “The story was not particularly revolutionary or groundbreaking, but it was entertaining and immersive, and I found myself steadily more engrossed over the few hours that I spent playing to completion.”
    • “Things like that go beyond just getting through the story and make the experience so much richer and engaging.”
    • “The story probably isn't its strong point.”
    • “It doesn't feel very plausible, and the story doesn't go anywhere after that.”
    • “It's not an interactive story with just some minor decision points, nor is the focus on storytelling.”
  • humor13 mentions

    The humor in the game is consistently praised for its cleverness and wit, with players enjoying the well-written dialogues, amusing puzzles, and light-hearted interactions. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend humor seamlessly with gameplay, creating a fun and engaging experience that evokes laughter without being overly self-referential. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The humor and the slightly obtuse puzzles (one is based on a groan-worthy pun) are what you would expect from a game like this.”
    • “It was so well written, clever, and funny.”
    • “The parser is excellent, the writing is full of wit and whimsy, the puzzles are logical(ish) and even when not, the solutions certainly left me chuckling to myself.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The reviews highlight a nostalgic appreciation for text-based adventures, emphasizing that while graphics have enhanced gameplay, they can detract from the imaginative experience of reading. Many users feel that the absence of visuals in text adventures allows for deeper engagement with the narrative and commands, creating a more immersive world. Overall, there is a sentiment that the evolution of graphics in gaming has led to a loss of the unique charm and depth found in text-only experiences.

    • “I really hope Bob continues to make these types of games, as reading and imagining the written depictions can sometimes be as (or even more) entertaining as seeing them in computer graphics.”
    • “It makes you realize how much we've lost by adding in all the graphics and voice acting.”
    • “It's also a bit frightening when you look at the text and realize you actually have to pay attention to what you're reading because the graphics and voices aren't there to remind you of things.”
    • “Naturally, there are no graphics, except for a diagram that shows the current room layout and a (weirdly stretched) map of Manhattan.”
  • gameplay4 mentions

    The gameplay is reminiscent of classic text adventures, featuring engaging spell mechanics and puzzles that evoke nostalgia for titles like Zork and the Enchanter series. Recent updates have enhanced the overall experience, while the central game mechanic introduces innovative interactions with objects and characters.

    • “Recently updated to improve gameplay experience.”
    • “Text adventures were the precursors of point-and-click adventures, and the general gameplay is similar even though text adventures didn’t have any graphics.”
    • “I grew up playing Infocom classics like Zork, Planetfall, Wishbringer, etc. The spell mechanics and puzzles here remind me a little of the Enchanter series.”
    • “The central game mechanic (which I won't spoil here) offers interesting ways of interacting with objects and people.”
  • music4 mentions

    The reviews indicate a significant absence of music and sound in the game, with players expressing disappointment over the lack of a soundtrack and background audio during gameplay. Many feel that the inclusion of music would enhance the overall experience, as the silence detracts from immersion.

    • “Sound is completely absent as well, but if I wanted to, I could just start a music player in the background.”
    • “There's no sound, no music.”
    • “What was missing is a soundtrack.”
    • “I would have liked to hear some background music and sounds while moving between locations.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players appreciate that the game avoids tedious grinding and unnecessary collectibles, allowing for a more engaging and streamlined experience.

    • “You don’t need to endure monotonous grinding or find pointless collectibles to get them.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and tedious, making the game more of a chore than a fun experience.”
    • “I found myself stuck in a loop of repetitive tasks that offered little reward, which really dampened my enjoyment.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Overall, users indicate that the game has limited replayability, suggesting that once completed, there may not be significant incentive to play through it again.

    • “Note, though, that there's probably not much replay value.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of "thaumistry" is likened to the nostalgic experience of playing Infocom's "Enchanter," infused with a modern twist that evokes the whimsical and quirky tone found in Douglas Adams' "Dirk Gently" books.

    • “Thaumistry feels like playing Infocom's 'Enchanter' for the first time – only in a present-day setting that's a bit reminiscent of the atmosphere in the 'Dirk Gently' books by Douglas Adams.”
    • “The atmosphere in 'Thaumistry' feels like playing Infocom's 'Enchanter' for the first time – only in a present-day setting that's a bit reminiscent of the atmosphere in the 'Dirk Gently' books by Douglas Adams.”
    • “The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it difficult to immerse myself in the world.”
    • “I found the atmosphere to be bland and uninspired, failing to evoke any real sense of wonder or engagement.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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