The Thaumaturge
- March 4, 2024
- Fool's Theory
- 19h median play time
That point where flaws and the otherworldly meet in a somewhat magical fusion.
Get on SteamThe 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.
PC
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox Series X|S
Cloud
Epic Games
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a captivating story set in an intriguing historical context, specifically early 20th-century Warsaw, which is rarely explored in games.
- The character development and dialogue are well-written, allowing for meaningful choices that impact the narrative and relationships.
- The unique combat system involving 'Salutors' adds a fresh twist to turn-based gameplay, encouraging strategic thinking.
- The gameplay can become repetitive, with a heavy reliance on clicking to find clues and a lack of engaging detective mechanics.
- Combat, while initially interesting, tends to be too easy and lacks variety, leading to a sense of monotony.
- Technical issues, including crashes and performance problems, detract from the overall experience.
- story1,170 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "The Thaumaturge" is a rich and immersive narrative set in an alternate 1905 Warsaw, blending historical elements with supernatural themes. Players navigate a complex web of choices that significantly impact the storyline and character relationships, leading to multiple endings and a deep exploration of moral dilemmas. While the main plot is engaging, some side quests can feel repetitive or underdeveloped, and the pacing may vary, but overall, the game is praised for its compelling storytelling and character development.
“This game shows that the most powerful tool in the hands of creators is great storytelling, interesting characters with believable motivations & weaknesses, original scenery done with extensive research & care, and a pinch of unique fantasy concept.”
“Amazing story that entrances you and keeps you intrigued and continuing to see what happens next.”
“The story is well-written and engaging.”
“A lot of the dialogue options are repetitive, and like most RPGs when there are multiple dialogue options presented, there will clearly be a bright highlighted 'hey idiot this one will progress the quest line' one.”
“The story lacks focus and I didn't connect with any of the characters.”
“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.”
- gameplay329 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Thaumaturge" is a mixed bag, with many players noting its focus on narrative and exploration over complex mechanics. While the turn-based combat and investigative elements offer some unique twists, they often feel repetitive and lack depth, leading to a gameplay experience that can become tedious. Overall, the game is appreciated for its story and atmosphere, but many hope for improvements in gameplay mechanics in potential future installments.
“The gameplay is a perfect mix of strategy and storytelling.”
“The gameplay is nice and the combat is simple and easy.”
“The gameplay consists of wandering around, talking to people, finding clues and putting them together into conclusions.”
“Where this game fails is everything gameplay.”
“The non-combat gameplay is essentially just cutscenes and endlessly running around the same drab environments, and the combat is quite boring and limited.”
“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.”
- graphics228 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Thaumaturge" have received a mixed reception, with many praising the beautiful art style, atmospheric environments, and attention to historical detail. However, players have also reported performance issues, including graphical glitches, stuttering, and demanding system requirements that can detract from the experience. Overall, while the visuals are often described as stunning and immersive, technical problems and inconsistencies have been noted, particularly in character animations and optimization.
“Beautiful graphics, historical references, great setting in Poland just before the Bolshevik revolution, but with demons and ghosts!”
“Its gorgeous visuals and detailed world create an immersive experience, while the captivating story and sharp dialogue keep you hooked.”
“The graphics are realistic, dark, and give off a noir vibe, while mixing in the iconic red, slithering particles.”
“The main problem throughout was constant graphics crashes, a minimum of one every hour.”
“Immediate and substantial graphic bugs/glitches constantly as you explore/interact with anything.”
“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.”
- atmosphere144 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and richly detailed environment, effectively capturing the essence of early 20th-century Warsaw with a blend of historical and supernatural elements. Reviewers highlight the game's strong narrative, compelling music, and well-crafted visuals that enhance the overall experience, although some note that technical shortcomings can detract from immersion. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, dark, and filled with mystery, making it a standout feature of the game.
“A magnificent game featuring a dense, immersive atmosphere, an excellent adult story with fascinating psychological, sociological and historical (Poland in 1905) elements and insights, extensive decision-making freedom through a variety of different paths, great music, intriguing dilemmas/understandable motivations as well as enjoyable gameplay.”
“The atmosphere, music, and vibe bring Warsaw alive.”
“The ambiance of 'The Thaumaturge' masterfully encapsulates the era it depicts, capitalizing on an atmosphere thick with suspense and the anticipated tension of supernatural encounters.”
“While Warsaw looks great from a technical standpoint and the character models are sharp and detailed, it’s all so very lifeless; partly due to the drab color palette, a criminally underused soundtrack that leaves many scenes void of atmosphere and blends together otherwise, and the blatantly poor animation.”
“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.”
“But while the Thaumaturge delivers some quality written bits and a certain atmosphere, it does fail to lay the bricks for its world and the action that takes place in it.”
- music113 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and immersion, with many praising the soundtrack's emotive and fitting compositions that reflect the historical setting of Warsaw. While the overall score is considered outstanding, some players noted that the combat music can be repetitive and less engaging compared to the rest of the soundtrack. Overall, the music is seen as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and immersive experience.
“The soundtrack is an excellent mix of emotive and tense violins and pianos.”
“The music is outstanding, adding atmosphere and enhancing immersion.”
“The music is gorgeous and absolutely haunting, and I often find myself wondering what they used to create some of those sounds.”
“My biggest complaint would be the one or two songs used for every combat in the game.”
“The music is grim and not rich; there's barely any soundtracks.”
“Sadly, after finishing the game, I have to say that it has many issues. The music is bad and gets much worse over time, as it likes to loop on itself very often, and the track is quite short. Additionally, it has pauses between loops, which is an issue since there are very few ambient sounds, especially indoors.”
- optimization67 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 28 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting overheating issues, lag, and graphical glitches, particularly in resource-heavy areas. While some users found performance acceptable on lower settings or specific hardware like the Steam Deck, the overall consensus is that the game struggles to run smoothly even on high-end systems, indicating a need for further optimization and patches.
“While it has its flaws, including a sometimes disjointed plot and a demanding graphical performance, it’s a worthwhile RPG for fans of story-driven games and historical settings.”
“I played this entirely on my Steam Deck; they made a few updates since I first bought it that helped performance. However, I’ll recommend playing at 720p, use XeSS on ultra quality, and leave the rest of the settings alone.”
“They really improved the performance from the demo like they promised, so far the game is good and the story is engaging.”
“The game is fun and has some unique RPG elements, but the lack of optimization can overheat and hinder performance at times.”
“There is simply no optimization; there was no testing.”
“The performance is atrocious on any level of setting; the gameplay is the same over and over again, to the point that I knew after every two conversations I would get into a fight.”
- grinding39 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in combat and side quests, which often lack variety and depth. While some enjoy the story and exploration, many express frustration with the need for extensive grinding to level up and complete quests, leading to a sense of exhaustion and diminished enjoyment over time. Despite initial charm, the gameplay can become monotonous, with players noting that the combat and clue-finding mechanics contribute to a grindy experience.
“I am 12 hours in and still haven't beaten 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.”
“And even though the story is quite interesting, the gameplay becomes very tedious after a while.”
- humor33 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its sharp, witty dialogue and quirky character interactions, often drawing comparisons to the humor found in titles like Disco Elysium. Players appreciate the blend of morbid and zany humor, with many finding the comedic elements to be a highlight of the experience, even amidst some technical glitches. Overall, the game's writing and character-driven humor contribute significantly to its charm and engaging storytelling.
“Great game! The story is neat, the designs of your saluters are amazing, and the dialogue options made me laugh or at least chuckle quite often :)”
“The dialogues sparkle, with a sense of over-the-top Eastern European humor, capturing the magical space between wanting to commit suicide and enjoying another day.”
“The game’s got a sense of humor that’s as dry as a martini, with characters that are as eccentric as they are endearing.”
- stability30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some users have noted that the game runs well on certain hardware configurations, others have struggled with significant performance issues, particularly related to Unreal Engine 5. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" but not entirely broken, with some players still enjoying the gameplay despite the technical flaws.
“But in all seriousness, great game; it runs smoothly on the deck.”
“The game maintains a solid frame rate, ensuring a seamless experience.”
“I've had no crashes or bugs, which really enhances the overall stability.”
“I tried disabling everything, experimenting with settings, drivers, GPU features, disabling FSR, disabling frame generation, checking troubleshooting, forums, and whatever other nonsense, 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.”
“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.”
- emotional24 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to engage players through deep character connections and the use of psychometry, allowing players to explore the emotional states of others. While some players found the narrative touching and heartwarming, others noted a lack of emotional depth in character interactions and dialogue inconsistencies. Overall, the game successfully intertwines personal stories with broader social themes, creating a mix of heartfelt moments and emotional conflict.
“What makes this game stand out from other detective games is the usage of salutor's gifts to aid Wiktor in drawing out the truth from people through psychically attuning to their emotional states.”
“I would suggest you to enjoy the personal stories of the characters and their relationships, because some of them are quite touching and heartwarming.”
“In all of this, Wiktor, our friendly thaumaturge, will come back to Warsaw, a city that he despises, after having been banished by his father years ago. It is due to his death that he will eventually come back to help emotionally his sister, who is now alone.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed perception of replayability across different RPGs. While some games offer significant replay value through diverse choices, branching dialogues, and multiple endings, others are criticized for their linear narratives, which limit replayability. Overall, many players appreciate the potential for varied experiences based on choices, though some express a desire for additional content or features to enhance replayability further.
“The diversity and replayability of other games like Dragon Age: Origins and Divinity: Original Sin 2 keep me returning to them for their engaging gameplay and varied problem-solving.”
“Choices that matter will add to the replayability value as well.”
“The game's branching dialogue and multiple endings provide significant replay value and it reminds me of RPG classics.”
“Not much replayability, frankly.”
“Replayability-wise, I reckon it's got another run through at least sometime in the future due to the choices I made and a possible alternative ending, but I'm not rushing back; it's done for now.”
“RPG enthusiasts will find much to enjoy, though additional endings and a new game plus feature could enhance replay value.”
- character development13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and integration with the lore, enhanced by numerous side missions and collectibles that enrich the narrative. While many appreciate the unique character designs and the complexity of interactions, some criticize the linearity of the story and character arcs, as well as inconsistencies in voice acting and dialogue quality. Overall, the game offers a mix of strong character development and design, albeit with some notable flaws.
“Solid game with wonderful art and character design/development.”
“Numerous small side missions and collectibles add to the lore and character development of both Victor and other characters.”
“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.”
“This is forced linear story, forced linear character development, forced linear combat, forced linear dialog.”
“Character design, dialogs, voice acting are all cringe as hell - 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.”
“The character designs, especially faces, are somewhat repetitive, but the salutor are cool and very unique, plus we can dress Wiktor in different variations of his outfit.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game features no microtransactions, which some players appreciate, but the monetization model has been criticized for overly generous rewards, leading to a sense of imbalance in progression. While the advertising set high expectations, the actual gameplay experience did not fully align with those promises.
“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 all content without feeling 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.”
Critic Reviews
The Thaumaturge review – lacking polish
The Thaumaturge shows plenty of promise, but lets itself down somewhat by failing to play to its strengths. Warsaw and its history and culture is a joy to experience when the game properly engages with it, but an insistent focus on a comparatively dull main story ultimately detracts from this for a fun yet frustrating experience.
60%The Thaumaturge Review – Embrace the demons within
The Thaumaturge is a riveting mix of investigating gorgeous environments, weaving together narrative threads and battling through punchy, stylish turn-based combat. It’s a story where it feels like the choices do matter, and that makes decisions feel weighty as you progress through the twisted and memorable supernatural setting. Some of the investigations hold your hand a little too much, and it’s lacking some overall polish in some areas. Even so, The Thaumaturge absolutely nails the brief in every other way, making for a compelling RPG that stands on its own as unique, visually impressive and deliciously dark.
80%The Thaumaturge Review – Embracing Your Demons Makes For a Devilishly Good Time
The Thaumaturge is a rich narrative experience that contains a world awaiting the player's influence. Maneuvering through society's upper and lower classes, gaining insight into their specific struggles and desires, as you pursue stunningly-designed salutors makes for a strong impression, even if the regular flow of on-screen text that begs to be read leads to periods of downtime. Even with the slow-burn pacing in mind, The Thaumaturge presents an emotionally engaging, morally grey trip through early 20th century Poland with a dash of mysticism and a heaping spoonful of inquisitive exploration.
85%
