The Thaumaturge

That point where flaws and the otherworldly meet in a somewhat magical fusion.

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The Thaumaturge is a story-rich RPG set in 1905 Warsaw, where you play as Wiktor Szulski, a thaumaturge with the power to interact with mysterious beings called salutors. The game features isometric turn-based combat, investigation mechanics, and morally ambiguous choices, as you navigate the diverse and conflicted city under imperial Russian rule.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 839 reviews

story297 positive mentions

optimization13 negative mentions

The Thaumaturge features a captivating story set in a unique historical context, blending elements of Polish folklore and early 20th-century politics.
The game offers meaningful choices that impact the narrative, allowing players to shape Wiktor's journey and relationships with other characters.
The visuals and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, immersing players in the richly detailed world of Warsaw.

The combat system can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with many encounters being too easy even on higher difficulty settings.
The investigation mechanics often rely on clicking to reveal clues, which can detract from the sense of player agency and engagement.
Technical issues, such as crashes and performance problems, can disrupt the gameplay experience.

story
684 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its depth, engaging characters, and meaningful choices that significantly impact the narrative, making each playthrough feel unique. Set against a backdrop of historical and political intrigue, the plot intertwines elements of fantasy and social commentary, resonating with contemporary themes. While some players noted pacing issues and a few rushed elements, the overall storytelling and immersive world-building have left a strong impression, appealing particularly to fans of narrative-driven RPGs.
- “One of the game’s strongest points is its focus on meaningful choices that impact the storyline, making a playthrough feel unique and personal.”
- “The story is very well written with little to no filler added in.”
- “The story is fantastic, and the characters are fleshed out and interesting.”
- “The story is very dry and lacks personality, and the voice acting feels like everyone just recorded their scripts without ever interacting with each other.”
- “The plot feels a bit rushed towards the end, with certain major characters and ideas being introduced without much lead-in.”
- “The story is alright, but isn't really anything special.”
gameplay
195 mentions
30 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting its focus on narrative and exploration over combat, which can feel repetitive and simplistic. While the turn-based combat and detective mechanics offer some unique elements, they often lack depth and challenge, leading to a gameplay experience that can become tedious. Overall, the engaging story and atmosphere are praised, but the gameplay mechanics may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional RPG experience.
- “And very nice gameplay in the sense that you always know where you need to go and what you need to do next.”
- “However, the storytelling is good, the gameplay and battle mechanics are interesting, and the originality makes this game worth every penny.”
- “Overall, the thaumaturge offers a compelling experience with its intriguing setting and varied gameplay.”
- “Combat is a chore that intrudes on the investigative gameplay.”
- “The whole gameplay loop is 80% running around clicking the right mouse button, 10% repetitive combat to which no changes are made; the first fight is almost exactly the same as end game fights.”
- “The gameplay is terrible: skill progression is completely linear, combat is repetitive and tedious, and finding clues consists of right-clicking your way across the maps.”
graphics
140 mentions
44 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork, atmospheric environments, and engaging character designs. However, some players report performance issues, graphical bugs, and a lack of optimization, which can detract from the overall experience. While the visuals are generally considered appealing, they may not meet the expectations for AAA quality, and players with lower-end systems might struggle with performance.
- “Its gorgeous visuals and detailed world create an immersive experience, while the captivating story and sharp dialogue keep you hooked.”
- “The graphics and character designs do a great job bringing the game's historical setting to life.”
- “The visuals are absolutely stunning and the game plays smoothly with all types of upscaling tech available.”
- “The only downside currently is that the graphics and the movement are a bit dated (no hair physics, expressions are limited, repeated models, and some clipping on models, etc.), but frankly I don't care.”
- “The graphics are decent but don't expect anything AAA quality; the art design is where this game really shines visually.”
- “The game itself looks awful, 2005 graphics vibe (look at freakin Luka, he's a Half-Life 1 model looking fella designed by a child).”
atmosphere
81 mentions
56 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its rich, immersive setting, particularly in the alternate 1905 Warsaw, which is brought to life through stunning visuals, evocative music, and well-crafted narrative elements. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a captivating and mysterious ambiance that enhances the storytelling experience, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, drawing players into a unique and engaging world filled with intrigue and depth.
- “The game oozes atmosphere, set in an alternate 1905 Warsaw, and I was not expecting demons to play such a large role in the story.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and vibe bring Warsaw alive.”
- “Teeming with atmosphere and suspense, richly detailed historical environments and just amazing creature design, this original RPG came as a very pleasant surprise.”
- “Sadly after finishing the game I have to say that it has many issues, it is buggy, the atmosphere does not get better at all, the music is bad and gets much worse over time, since it likes to loop on itself very often and the track is quite short, in addition it also has pauses between loops which is an issue since there are only very few ambient sounds, especially indoors.”
- “Making the game borderline unplayable and certainly disrupting the atmosphere.”
- “It's a little clunky and the presentation sometimes breaks the immersion - the atmosphere and story so far are like reading a good and engaging book.”
music
63 mentions
54 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives a mixed reception, with many praising its immersive quality and atmospheric fit for the setting, particularly highlighting the engaging soundtrack and commendable voice acting. However, some players criticize the combat music as repetitive and lacking depth, while others note a scarcity of tracks outside of combat. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a standout feature that enhances the game's aesthetic, despite some concerns about its variety and execution.
- “The game's music is engaging, particularly the catchy battle theme, and the voice acting is commendable across all characters.”
- “The music is gorgeous and absolutely haunting, and I often find myself wondering what they used to create some of those sounds.”
- “I went in without really knowing what to expect, and I am really pleasantly surprised: you feel immersed walking the streets of Warsaw, the music is gorgeous and fits the occult tones of the game, and the lore is extremely interesting!”
- “The design choices for the music, the cut scenes, outfits, and anything but the base game is so immensely bad.”
- “Sadly after finishing the game I have to say that it has many issues, it is buggy, the atmosphere does not get better at all, the music is bad and gets much worse over time, since it likes to loop on itself very often and the track is quite short. In addition, it also has pauses between loops which is an issue since there are only very few ambient sounds, especially indoors.”
- “Most of the music also feels relatively unremarkable; not that it doesn't serve its purpose, it's very immersive, but even the main menu theme doesn't have anything that makes me want to whistle or hum along.”
optimization
38 mentions
13 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
34 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering and frame drops, even on high-end hardware. While some users noted that it runs adequately on lower settings or devices like the Steam Deck, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and requires further patches to improve stability and performance. Despite its engaging story and visuals, the optimization flaws detract from the overall experience.
- “So optimized on Steam Deck you could hardly keep up with the hints on a loading screen.”
- “They really improved the performance from the demo like they promised, so far the game is good and the story is engaging.”
- “Would recommend waiting a bit to purchase until some of the kinks are ironed out or better optimization exists.”
- “However, it can be graphically demanding, even for well-equipped PCs, leading to potential performance issues.”
- “Performance-wise, this game is surprisingly heavy, and has pretty drastic swings in performance needs between transitions of environments.”
- “Game is poorly optimized; I don't have the best GPU, but I should be able to play it on the lowest settings at least.”
grinding
27 mentions
4 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many noting that combat and side quests lack depth and variety. While some appreciate the story and exploration elements, the necessity of grinding for experience points and character progression often detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a feeling of exhaustion and frustration. Despite some unique gameplay moments, the linear skill progression and repetitive tasks contribute to a generally negative perception of the grinding experience.
- “I am 12 hours in and still haven't beaten it, but it's not tedious.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The gameplay is terrible: skill progression is completely linear, combat is repetitive and tedious, finding clues consists of right-clicking your way across the maps.”
- “Every single quest, every single interaction, is just a tedious repeat of your first hour or two.”
humor
21 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as zany and bizarre, with a mix of morbid and contemporary references that resonate well with players. Many reviewers appreciate the witty dialogue, amusing character interactions, and unexpected comedic moments that enhance the overall experience. While some technical glitches and accents may add to the humor, the writing and character-driven jokes are highlighted as standout features that contribute significantly to the game's charm.
- “But there's kind of this zany undercurrent of humor throughout this whole thing.”
- “Funny and great dialog options (I simply laughed a lot), great characters and an interesting story (it's something new), unexpected and interesting events (also caused by the choices I made in the game) and so on.”
- “Extremely funny references that catch you off guard like 'if it wasn't for those pesky kids' and 'I want to be the very best like no one ever was' in dialogues.”
stability
20 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various graphical glitches, particularly related to Unreal Engine 5. While some users have experienced only minor bugs, many others have faced significant issues that disrupt gameplay, leading to frustration and a negative impact on their overall enjoyment. Despite the game's intriguing premise, its technical shortcomings have left a lasting impression of instability.
- “I tried disabling everything, experimenting with settings, drivers, GPU features, disabling FSR, disabling frame generation, checking troubleshooting, forums, and whatever other issues, and the game has serious crash errors with Unreal Engine.”
- “The game freezes several times every time I sit down to play, or dialogue will cut out halfway through a scene, with characters moving their lips without any sound coming out.”
- “For now, it is a buggy mess, with the escape menu not disappearing, graphics options not working (specifically graphics wherein high=low), and the game just not being optimized.”
emotional
12 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players find the personal stories and character relationships touching and heartfelt, others criticize the lack of genuine emotional connection and the deadpan expressions of characters. The game explores political and social tensions, offering moments that can evoke feelings, but the overall execution leaves some players feeling detached. Despite these flaws, the ability to uncover emotional traces through interactions adds a unique layer to the experience, making it worthwhile for those who appreciate character-driven narratives.
- “I thought I'd play through this once, but like a heartwarming TV series, it already makes me want to dive in again.”
- “I would suggest you to enjoy the personal stories of the characters and their relationships, because some of them are quite touching and heartwarming.”
- “I think this game is refreshing and heartfelt in its development.”
replayability
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find the linear main story limits options for multiple playthroughs, others appreciate the significant impact of choices on the narrative, leading to different outcomes. Many users highlight the potential for varied experiences through different character paths and pride levels, suggesting that RPG enthusiasts will find enough depth to warrant replaying. However, the absence of additional endings or a new game plus feature could further enhance its replay value.
- “And even if the game is short, it has its replay value because you may choose completely different options and lead your story in a completely different way.”
- “It can be completed in about 25 hours, but due to the choices you make in it, this game 100% has replayability.”
- “Amazing world, amazing quests, immense replayability value, and just an enjoyable experience overall.”
- “Not much replayability, frankly.”
- “RPG enthusiasts will find much to enjoy, though additional endings and a new game plus feature could enhance replay value.”
- “The game is a bit light on content with a 15-hour playthrough, but it does have some replay value.”
character development
9 mentions
56 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and creativity, with many reviewers highlighting the engaging lore and unique character designs that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some criticism arises regarding the linearity of the narrative and character progression, with a few users finding the dialogue and character interactions to be poorly executed and lacking coherence. Overall, while there are standout elements in character development, opinions are divided on its execution.
- “Solid game with wonderful art and character design/development.”
- “Disco Elysium might be a good inspiration on how to make interesting character development even in a completely non-fighting game.”
- “This is a forced linear story, forced linear character development, forced linear combat, forced linear dialogue.”
- “Character design, dialogues, and voice acting are all cringe-worthy - go watch a walkthrough on YouTube for the first guest (Elder Vasili murder), it seems like it's been written and directed by ChatGPT on digital cocaine; not a single thing makes sense.”
- “A lot of incredibly well-written lore is at your fingertips with the spin on dark fairytale creatures that enable you to dive into complex character development.”
monetization
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The game features no microtransactions, which is a positive aspect for players, but some users feel that the monetization strategy is misleading, as the game's promotional materials do not accurately reflect the gameplay experience. Additionally, players have noted that the awarding of thaumaturgy points is overly generous, leading to a sense of imbalance in progression.
- “There are no microtransactions.”
- “The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
- “I appreciate that the game allows me to enjoy the full experience without being pressured to spend extra money.”
- “The game's advertisement really sold this well, but the game I got, while it fits kind of into what was suggested, did not live up to expectations.”
- “I do think, however, that the thaumaturgy points are awarded much too freely; even reading repeated advertisements or articles that do not provide anything for quest objectives gives experience; I have maxed out my heart and deed trees (up until the second salutor) and I only just acquired the third salutor in the entire game.”