The role-playing game The Thaumaturge was released on March 4 on Steam. Even during the Steam Next Fest, players could embark on a dark adventure in Warsaw in the year 1905. Reactions to the full version are now mostly very positive.
What kind of game is this? The Thaumaturge is a new role-playing game developed by Fools Theorie. The Polish team will also develop the remake of The Witcher in the near future, while a fourth part is in development at CD Project Red.
The Thaumaturge transports you to Warsaw in the year 1905. The main character, Wiktor, is a Thaumaturge by profession, defined as a person who can perform miracles. In the game, this means that Wiktor can not only see various demons, called Salutors, but also recruit them for his cause. This not only sounds suspiciously like Pokémon, it also plays out that way in practice.
Detective Work from an Iso Perspective
What is there to do in The Thaumaturge? Supported by the demons, Wiktor dives into a Warsaw ruled by the Russian Tsar Empire. The story is the heart of the game. You embark on a quest to find Rasputin, the famous miracle healer. Together with him, Wiktor tries to solve the mysterious death of his own father.
In various main and side quests, you investigate as Wiktor from an Iso perspective and draw conclusions from various pieces of information. Fans of detective games like LA Noire or Disco Elysium will likely be pleased. Thaumaturge is similarly atmospheric and full of moral decisions. Additionally, the game world is filled with many small details and texts that provide additional background information.
The battles take place in turns, similar to Baldur’s Gate 3. And this is where the demonic Salutors come to your aid. Like in Pokémon, you can deploy them at will and have them fight against your enemies. The monsters look quite dark and each has different abilities. For example, the demon Bukavac becomes stronger as his opponent weakens.
Players Love the Unusual Mix
How is the game received by the community? The Thaumaturge was released on March 4, 2024, on Steam. Even its trailer generated enthusiasm beforehand. Looking at the user reviews on the platform now, shortly after release, the game currently holds an average rating of 83%. This is sufficient for the verdict “very positive”.
The reviews especially highlight the story, the dense atmosphere of the game world along with its unusual scenario, and the tactical battles:
- “You go on a buddy cop adventure with Rasputin and your zombie Pokémon,” summarizes lovelace their gaming experience.
- “A Pokémon trainer who wants to be the Witcher solves mysteries in a Sherlock-like manner and catches new Pokémon with the help of Professor Oak’s distant wizard cousin Grigori Rasputin – 10/10,” judges Valkengale.
- “I am so glad that in today’s bloated and boring triple-A world, there are still unique games like this,” states Ripleyy.
- “A narrative, character-driven what-if story with an interesting hook, deep characters, unique mechanics, and a fascinating setting,” writes The Arcadean.
Overall, it is noted that The Thaumaturge, in its genre as a CRPG, is not a new Baldur’s Gate 3 and currently still struggles with some technical issues like crashes or black screens. Aside from that, the game is definitely recommended for fans of the genre. A release for PS5 and Xbox has been announced, but there is no exact date yet. Those interested in a CRPG in the Warhammer universe should take a closer look at Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
