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 790 reviews

story281 positive mentions

optimization13 negative mentions

The Thaumaturge features a captivating story set in an intriguing historical context, blending elements of Polish history with supernatural themes.
The game offers meaningful choices that impact the narrative, allowing players to shape their character's journey and relationships.
The visuals and atmosphere are well-crafted, creating an immersive experience that draws players into the world of early 20th-century Warsaw.

The combat system can feel repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a less engaging gameplay experience over time.
Some players have reported technical issues, including crashes and performance problems, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
The investigative mechanics often feel too simplistic, as players are guided to clues without much opportunity for genuine deduction or exploration.

story
649 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "The Thaumaturge" is a central highlight, featuring a rich narrative set in an alternate 1905 Warsaw, blending historical elements with fantasy and Slavic mythology. While many players appreciate the depth and complexity of the characters and choices that significantly impact the storyline, some criticize the pacing, abrupt endings, and occasional disjointedness in plot progression. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize narrative and character development over gameplay mechanics.
- “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 story is fantastic, and the characters are fleshed out and interesting.”
- “The story is engaging, the characters interesting, and the game mechanics work well.”
- “The plot, though rich in potential, can sometimes feel chaotic and rushed, with abrupt transitions between various factions and storylines.”
- “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 story and dialogues are badly written.”
gameplay
183 mentions
30 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "The Thaumaturge" is a mixed bag, with many players noting its focus on narrative and exploration over engaging mechanics. While the game features intriguing detective elements and a unique setting, it suffers from repetitive combat, simplistic mechanics, and a lack of depth, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel tedious and uninspired. Overall, it appeals more to those who prioritize story and atmosphere rather than challenging or varied gameplay.
- “The gameplay consists of wandering around, talking to people, making dialogue-based decisions influenced by the RPG mechanics, your previous choices, and any evidence/secrets you've uncovered via your thaumaturgical powers - and turn-based combat.”
- “Overall, the thaumaturge offers a compelling experience with its intriguing setting and varied gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, engaging, and surprisingly simple to follow through, which is great!”
- “However, the gameplay can feel static, and there are moments that seem awkward or incomplete.”
- “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
130 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their atmospheric and immersive quality, showcasing well-designed environments and decent character visuals. However, players have noted performance issues, including graphical bugs, demanding system requirements, and occasional clipping or animation problems. While the art style is appreciated, some users feel it lacks the polish expected from higher-budget titles, leading to a mixed reception overall.
- “Visually, the game is atmospheric with well-designed environments and decent character visuals.”
- “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 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 game itself looks awful, 2005 graphics vibe (look at freakin Luka, he's a Half-Life 1 model looking fella designed by a child).”
- “For now, it is a buggy mess, the ESC menu not disappearing, graphics options not working (specifically graphics wherein high=low), and the game just not being optimized.”
atmosphere
79 mentions
56 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its rich narrative, immersive worldbuilding, and captivating visuals, effectively bringing the alternate 1905 Warsaw to life. Reviewers highlight the unique blend of mystery, culture, and a dark ambiance, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and well-crafted environments. Despite some gameplay shortcomings, the atmospheric elements are considered a standout feature that deeply engages players.
- “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
59 mentions
53 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance the setting, particularly in combat and exploration. While some players find the soundtrack engaging and immersive, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety, with a few noting that it could benefit from more prominent use of traditional instruments. Overall, the music is seen as a strong aspect that contributes positively to the game's ambiance, despite some shortcomings in diversity 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.”
- “The soundtrack effectively immerses you in a Slavic universe, though it remains simple.”
- “The design choices for the music, the cut scenes, outfits, and anything but the base game are immensely bad.”
- “The downside is that the combat music is now stuck in my head.”
- “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 very few ambient sounds, especially indoors.”
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
26 mentions
4 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
88 % 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 and character progression often detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a sense of exhaustion and frustration. Despite some moments of fun, the grinding experience is frequently described as a chore that can diminish the game's appeal.
- “I am 12 hours in and still haven't beat it, but it's not tedious.”
- “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.”
- “This is a rather tedious slow-paced game, where it doesn't really give you much liberty on how you decide to play the game, and generally my actions don't really seem to have any consequence until the very end of the game.”
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 are noted, they often add to the humor rather than detract from it, making the game enjoyable and engaging.
- “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 when using 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 many players disappointed.
- “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 anything coming out.”
- “Tried all the troubleshooting and recommendations from the developer, and the game continued to crash.”
emotional
12 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the touching personal stories and relationships that evoke a heartwarming experience, others criticize the lack of genuine emotional connection to characters and the deadpan expressions of faces. The game explores political and social tensions, allowing players to uncover secrets through interactions, but the overall emotional engagement is undermined by poorly flowing dialogue and a sense of detachment from choices made. Despite these flaws, the heartfelt development and the ability to experience emotional traces in the environment offer moments of depth and connection.
- “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 varied experiences. The ability to explore different character paths and the presence of meaningful decisions contribute to its replay value, though some feel that additional endings or a new game plus feature could further enhance it. Overall, RPG enthusiasts may find enough depth in the choices to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “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 impressive character and monster designs that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some players criticize the linearity of the narrative and character progression, describing it as forced and lacking coherence. Overall, while there are strong elements of 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 dialog.”
- “Character design, dialogs, 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 some players appreciate, but it has been criticized for not meeting expectations set by its advertisements. Players feel that the reward system, particularly for thaumaturgy points, is overly generous, leading to a lack of challenge and 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 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.”