Thaumistry: In Charm's Way

About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

humor26 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 parser, a built-in map, and a hint system that enhance accessibility and prevent players from getting stuck, allowing for a smooth gameplay experience.
Puzzles are designed to be logical and satisfying, with a variety of creative spells to use, making the game engaging without the frustration of dead ends or unwinnable scenarios.

While the game is enjoyable, some players noted that the story lacks depth and doesn't develop significantly, making it feel more like a series of tasks rather than a cohesive narrative.
A few puzzles were criticized for being overly simplistic or contrived, which may detract from the overall challenge and uniqueness expected from a text adventure.
The absence of sound and music, along with a lack of replay value, were mentioned as drawbacks that could limit the game's appeal to some players.

story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
66%
17%
The story in "Thaumistry" is described as enjoyable and immersive, with a blend of humor and engaging puzzles that enhance the 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. However, some reviewers noted that the story lacks plausibility and depth, with a few subpar puzzles detracting from the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “I really dislike in some adventure games when I don't feel like I have any idea what I'm supposed to be doing to advance the story, and the 'recap' system in Thaumistry was a nice way to keep the player pointed in the right direction without spoiling anything, especially in the middle portion of the game when the map opens up and there are a lot of puzzles going on at the same time.”
- “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.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised for its cleverness and wit, with players enjoying well-written dialogues and amusing puzzles, including groan-worthy puns. Many reviewers noted that the humor enhances the overall experience, making the game both fun and engaging without being overly self-referential. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with gameplay, providing numerous laugh-out-loud moments throughout the adventure.
- “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.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
77%
14%
The reviews highlight a nostalgic appreciation for text-based adventures, emphasizing that the absence of graphics can enhance engagement through imaginative storytelling and detailed flavor text. While graphic adventure games have gained popularity due to improved visuals, some players argue that the reliance on graphics has diminished the depth of interaction and creativity found in text-only formats. Overall, there is a sentiment that the richness of narrative can sometimes outweigh the need for visual elements in gaming.
- “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.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
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, bridging the gap between text-based and point-and-click adventures.
- “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.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
The reviews consistently highlight a significant absence of music and sound in the game, with many users expressing disappointment over the lack of a soundtrack and background audio during gameplay. This absence detracts from the overall experience, leading players to consider using their own music to fill the void.
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the game avoids tedious grinding and the collection of unnecessary items, allowing for a more engaging and streamlined experience.
- “You don’t need to endure monotonous grinding or find pointless collectibles to get them.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviews indicate that the game has limited replayability, with many users expressing that there isn't much incentive to play it again after the initial experience.
- “Note, though, that there's probably not much replay value.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of "Thaumistry" is likened to the nostalgic experience of playing Infocom's "Enchanter," infused with a contemporary setting 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.”

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