General Gaming The Thaumaturge (PC/Xbox Series/PS5) - isometric turn-based supernatural RPG set in 1905 Warsaw, update: reviews from OpenCritic posted

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The Witcher remake studio is also making an isometric RPG with turn-based combat | PC Gamer

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It's called The Thaumaturge and it's set in 1905 Warsaw.

 

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Fool's Theory is a Polish studio headed by Jakub Rokosz, formerly senior quest designer on The Witcher 2 and 3 at CD Projekt Red. Relations must still be good between them, since Fool's Theory is currently working on the remake of the first Witcher game, with CDPR having "full creative supervision."

 

In addition, Fool's Theory has an original game in the works, which it recently revealed. The Thaumaturge is an isometric RPG set in a version of early 20th century Warsaw in which spirit beings called salutors are summoned and tamed by occultists for their own ends. We'll be playing one such salutor-botherer, who can be seen in the gameplay trailer commanding a couple of spirits, as well as getting in fistfights and jogging around various parts of Russia-controlled Warsaw.

 

Those spirits are a bukavac—the eyeless four-armed one with all the hooks and chains—and an upyr—the friendly looking skull-faced chap with the fur hat, who is apparently the ghost of a vengeful nobleman.

 

 

 

The Thaumaturge on Steam

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The Thaumaturge is a story-driven RPG with morally ambiguous choices, taking place in the culturally diverse world of early 20th century Warsaw. In this world, Salutors exist: esoteric beings that only Thaumaturges can truly perceive and use for their needs.

 

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Recent videos:

 

 

 

 

 

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Previews from Gamescom and GDC:

 

The Thaumaturge Preview: A Witty and Weird Historical RPG About Facing Your Demons - IGN

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Wiktor's journey takes him back to his hometown of Warsaw, bringing him in contact with the town's most unsavory – including a childhood friend who's got a foul mouth and a chip on his shoulder. The Thaumaturge's take on pre-World War 1 Poland pulls together a mix of real-world locations and mashes them up with a dark-fantasy storyline drawing from Polish and Russian folklore, making for a truly bizarre setting that was quite compelling to explore.

 

It's an intriguing premise, and playing over an hour of the game gave me an understanding of the vibe and tone it hits for its take on an absurdist historical RPG. It felt like a very Western take on the Sega/Atlus' Persona series, which also focuses on communing with demons and forming bonds with your closest allies.

 

But what The Thaumaturge does differently is focus on the protagonist's journey and the morally compromising choices he'll have to make in how best to proceed with situations. Wiktor isn't alone on his quest to find the Salutors in hiding, and he'll team up with childhood friend turned rival Abaurycy along with captured demons that now fight on The Thaumaturge's side. Combat plays out turn-based, with you controlling only Wiktor and his chosen Salutor in a fight. There's a decidedly more tactical approach to battles, with you monitoring ally and enemy turns in the upper right part of the screen to see which attacks are coming and planning ahead to beat them to the punch.

 

 

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The Thaumaturge is a role-playing game set within a supernatural detective story, and the social and investigative gameplay is just as compelling as the fights. One of my favorite moments came when I met a pair of citizens attacking a lamp post – who were unknowingly under the influence of a Salutor in hiding. You can try to talk them down, but instead, I knocked some sense into them through battle, which opened an amusing dialog scene right after.

 

With Wiktor's perception and his magical abilities, you'll be able to find evidence and engage in conversations with key characters. By finding clues, you gain insight into threads you need to chase up, which can open up new conversations with characters and even avoid potential conflicts altogether.

 

During one section where my party had to enter a bar, the bouncer wouldn't allow us entry. In one playthrough, I took the aggressive approach and fought him to force my way in. In my next go at it, I decided to find clues nearby and even went to a different hangout spot to talk with Abaurycy about the current situation. After talking with him, leading to a surprisingly harsh yet still important chat between allies, we formed a greater bond, and he stepped in to talk our way past the bouncer.

 

 

 

 

 

11 Bit's 'The Thaumaturge' is a gothic, twisted version of Pokemon | Windows Central

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There's something sinister about this isometric, narrative driven RPG.

 

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As an isometric, narrative RPG, The Thaumaturge allows the player to develop their character and explore the darkness on their own terms, though they will also be forced to deal with the aftermath. Turn-based combat is a unique addition to a narrative RPG, and players who tried the demo at Gamescom 2023 aptly compared The Thaumaturge to a darker, grittier, and more horrifying Pokémon. 11 Bit Studios didn't try to dissuade that comparison. However, the team did state that the game boasts deep lore and a dark story that players can soak in.

 

 

The Thaumaturge is a detective RPG that's part Divinity: Original Sin, part evil Pokémon

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We've seen an in-depth chunk of The Thaumaturge, a new dark fantasy RPG that's part Divinity Original Sin and part demo…

 

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When The Witcher Remake devs Fool's Theory and 11 bit studios announced their new RPG The Thaumaturge at the very end of February, I'll admit that the premise didn't immediately grab me. The announcement trailer was little more than an enigmatic pan through the streets of historic Warsaw, and its climactic reveal of a shadowy man performing some Naruto finger magic to conjure a Soulsian monster from the gloom made it seem like yet another supernatural yarn in the vein of Frogwares' The Sinking City and Cyanide's Call Of Cthulhu. The gameplay trailer (embedded below) that followed a few days later revealed a teeny glimmer of what its monster fights actually look like in the flesh, but I still wasn't quite convinced this supernatural tale of demon tamers and interdimensional rifts would end up doing enough to make it stand out.

 

But actually clapping eyes on it in person at GDC? The Thaumaturge had my full attention. Set in Warsaw in 1905 - a period where Poland didn't exist on any real-life map due to it being under occupation by Russia, Germany and Austria at the time - this dark fantasy RPG sees its titular paranormal 'miracle worker' delve deep into the city's political tensions, conducting isometric detective investigations that pull from Fool's Theory's support work on Larian's Divinity: Original Sin games, while also engaging in striking turn-based battles to root out the corruption plaguing its citizens. Plus, with its hard lean into Slavic, rather than Lovecraftian, folklore for its ungodly ghoulies, The Thaumaturge has shot right to the top of my 'keep an eye on this maybe surprise hit' list.

 

 

 

The Thaumaturge preview -- Slavic terror in turbulent times

GAMINGTREND.COM

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GDC was incredibly busy, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have time to check out some cool games while we were there. I had the chance to sit down with Artur Grochowski from 11 bit Studios to talk about their investigative thriller, The Thaumaturge. An isometric story-based RPG with turn-based combat

 

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Before we get into the game details, it’s worth taking a moment and defining what a Thaumaturge is and what they can do. Thaumaturges are effectively magicians, but that sells their work short. In fact, they deal with paranormal creatures and events that others can’t see. Often referred to as miracle workers or “wonderworkers”, they serve the same function as a Witcher – needed only as far as they are useful, and shunned immediately after.

 

We catch up with our protagonist, Wiktor Szulski (that’s pronounced like Viktor, but spelled with a W – something he is keen to point out) in the year 1905. In this, the game’s prologue, we find Wiktor traversing Russia looking for help as his Thaumaturgical abilities are losing their power. He drops by a local train station and talks to the ticket merchant who passes along a letter from Wiktor’s sister. The ticket taker is very concerned about Wiktor’s wellbeing as his eyes are sallow, bloodshot, and his skin is cracked and pale. The telegram from his sister shows equal concern for his state as she asks where he is, and what she can do to help him. Wiktor believes he can find a man in the nearby village to help him – something that proves to be true, but far more than he bargained for.

 

 

 

 

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A demo will be released for next week's Steam Next Fest:

 

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Now for all the trailers/videos that I neglected to post

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Game Information

Game Title: The Thaumaturge

 

Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (Dec 31, 2024)
• Xbox Series X/S (Dec 31, 2024)
• PC (Mar 4, 2024)
  

 

Developer: Fool's Theory

Publisher: 11 bit studios

 

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 75 average - 67% recommended

 

Critic Reviews

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GamesCreed - Daman Shelley - 5 / 5

The Thaumaturge is a masterpiece of a game. The game has a rich story filled with suspense, mystery, and a cast of unforgettable characters. The game uses its historical setting in such a way that is both based on reality and also in a way that melds the supernatural elements perfectly together.

NoobFeed - Jay Claassen - 100 / 100

The Thaumaturge is one of those incredibly rare gems that looks incredibly deceiving in some aspects but ends up blowing you away with what it has to offer, putting extra emphasis on Wiktor’s abilities as a thaumaturge and showing that the truth is usually just waiting to be uncovered. Between the already captivating story, breathtaking visuals, and drool-worthy soundtrack, we seem to have one of those rare masterpieces that need to be experienced, but it also leaves us somewhat curious if Fool’s Theory’s next release will be just as great.

Rectify Gaming - 9.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a captivating and immersive RPG that takes players on a thrilling journey through the streets of early 20th-century Warsaw. As Wiktor Szulski, a thaumaturge with the ability to communicate with otherworldly beings known as salutors, players are drawn back to their family’s legacy and the pursuit of these elusive entities.

Gert Lush Gaming - Jim Smale - 9 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a game that offers a unique and immersive gaming experience. Its strengths far outweigh its minor shortcomings, making it a game worth exploring, and is a supernatural masterpiece in both storytelling and combat.

Hey Poor Player - Shane Boyle - 4.5 / 5

The Thaumaturge is a thought-provoking and haunting RPG that expertly combines gameplay and narrative, leading to one of the most unique RPG experiences you’re likely to play this year. Its stunning setting and choice-driven narrative will undoubtedly stick with me for a long time as I reflect on the tough decisions I made with Wiktor as he comes to terms with this dark, fantasy-filled version of Warsaw. The combat arguably takes too long to reveal its riches, but once that initial barrier is overcome, it offers the same level of depth and choice present in other aspects of The Thaumaturge. As mentioned at the top, there’s a lot of competition vying for your time this year if you’re a fan of RPGs, but The Thaumaturge may just be the most unique, thought-provoking entry into the genre you’ll play this year.

Try Hard Guides - Erik Hodges - 9 / 10

Despite its occasionally uninspiring gameplay elements, the story, dialogue, and exciting setting make “The Thaumaturge” an enthralling and unforgettable gaming experience.

Windows Central - Cole Martin - 4.5 / 5

The Thaumaturge's gritty, demon-taming take on the monster collecting genre is a welcome twist. Taking place in 1905 Poland, there is certainly some language and actions in the game that can feel uncomfortable, but it all works with the overarching theme of struggling with mental health and personal flaws. Despite the sensitive nature of the story, Fool's Theory does well to not over sensationalize traumatic story beats. Gameplay is simple and engaging, and the combat is easy to learn but can be challenging on higher difficulties.

Gamefa - mohammad oliaei - Persian - 8.7 / 10

The Thaumaturge is definitely one of the best CRPGs in recent years. Story is engaging, characters are interesting and combat mechanic are innovative. That being said enemy variety is somewhat disappointing and technical issues are unfortunately frequent.

COGconnected - Jaina Hill - 86 / 100

The more time I spend with The Thaumaturge, the more I settle into it. When you spend more time with any game you are bound to notice the edges of things, the literal and figurative invisible walls. But The Thaumaturge was more like a pair of shoes. As I learned the restrictions of what you couldn’t do in the game, it focused me towards things I could do, and they were all awesome. If you have been craving a dark fantasy RPG where you get to play as a John Constantine type, I have good news, The Thaumaturge is it. Anyone looking for their next interesting and original RPG, this is it!

EIP Gaming - Daniel D - 8.6 / 10

An excellent RPG that offers a strong narrative, true player choice, and a fresh setting and magic system. The combat can be a bit repetitive, but its interesting systems mitigate that somewhat, and the real draw here is the role playing anyway.

Gamepressure - Krzysztof Mysiak - 8.5 / 10

All in all, The Thaumaturge is a game I won’t forget anytime soon. I even intend to play it again from the beginning as soon as Polish VO is added – and that’s something I didn’t declare for any title in a very, very long time.

God is a Geek - Chris Hyde - 8.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is an atmospheric adventure that oozes character and matches sleuthing and combat in an engaging, enjoyable way.

Infinite Start - Josh Garibay - 8.5 / 10

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.

PC Invasion - Alejandro Josan - 9 / 10

With a wonderful setting in 20th century Warsaw, The Thaumaturge combines perfectly the fantasy of magic and the rawness of human nature.

WellPlayed - Nathan Hennessy - 8.5 / 10

Wiktor Szulski battles with Geralt as my favourite Polish RPG protagonist in this impressive dialogue-driven mystery that deserves a franchise.

PC Gamer - Maddi Chilton - 82 / 100

The Thaumaturge might be a bit light for RPG lovers, but it's a gorgeous, incisive look at a world long past.

RPG Fan - Mark Roddison - 82%

The Thaumaturge offers a (very) bleak view of alt-history Warsaw at the turn of the 20th century, driven by ambitious narrative systems and a solid combat offering involving the use of metaphysical creatures.

But Why Tho? - Eddie De Santiago - 8 / 10

The Thaumaturge presents a fantastical look into history and allows players to take the wheel. With supernatural creatures, investigations spanning whole neighborhoods, and solid voice acting, there’s a lot to enjoy. It doesn’t get everything right, but it does provide enough depth and creativity to take the journey once or twice.

Checkpoint Gaming - Luke Mitchell - 8 / 10

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.

Game Rant - Shane Robert Moyer - 4 / 5

The Thaumaturge is a game made with a lot of love and hard work by Fool's Theory. That much is apparent within the first couple of hours and grows more obvious the longer a user plays. Its lack of a way to make searching for clues interesting may lead some players astray, but they will miss out on a demon-fueled magical adventure. It stumbles in other places, but it more than makes up for it with its monster designs and terrific storytelling. The Thaumaturge's mixture of 20th-century technology and magic should prove too fun to pass up, and players looking for a detective mystery with some intrigue and nightmares might have found something they can't find anywhere else.

GameGrin - Joshua Render - 8 / 10

While The Thaumaturge has a slow start there is a wealth of lore and tactics here to suck in players and a challenging combat to get to grips with.

GameSkinny - Maddison Ahlbrand - 8 / 10

Join Wiktor Szulski on a weird demon hunting adventure.

Gameblog - Camille Allard - French - 8 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a fairly unique RPG in terms of its setting and the themes it addresses. Narratively quite crazy and engaging from start to finish, it is worthy of a very good fantasy movie or a good gothic tale.

Gamers Heroes - Johnny Hurricane - 80 / 100

Anyone who is a fan of playing a supernatural detective will enjoy The Thaumaturge. Its dark atmosphere, engaging story, and tactical combat will keep you coming back for more.

Gamersky - Mega杰尼龟 - Chinese - 8 / 10

Playing The Thaumaturge is like travelling back in time to Warsaw in 1905. It captures not only the look of the city, but also the unrest of the time and the way the people of Warsaw lived. The Polish team behind the game has created a very compelling story. Although the game's mechanics have some flaws, Fool's Theory's beautiful design makes these minor flaws easy to overlook.

GamingBolt - Shunal Doke - 8 / 10

The Thaumaturge tells an interesting story and pairs it up with fantastic presentation, and one of the most interesting combat systems in the genre. However, its uneven NPC animations and the lack of combat encounters drag down the experience.

IGN - Jarrett Green - 8 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a slow, text heavy caper that is often curious and sometimes captivating, weaving revolutionary labor politics and mysticism together to create a unique and charming piece of historical science fiction.

One More Game - Vincent Ternida - 8 / 10

The Thaumaturge emerges as a breath of fresh air in the realm of narrative RPGs. Its implementation of fantastical elements sets it apart, making it a standout title to play, whether on PC or its eventual console release. Within this vibrant and unfamiliar world, characters like the formidable protagonist, Wiktor Szulski, shine bright.

Despite imperfections, The Thaumaturge is a gem worth experiencing, warts and all.

Pure Dead Gaming - Mark - 8 / 10

Overall, The Thaumaturge delivers with its captivating visuals, immersive audio, and compelling narrative. Mileage on its combat system may vary, but the intricate storytelling provides a unique gaming experience, blending supernatural elements seamlessly into a historical backdrop of societal turmoil and unrest.

RPG Site - Josh Torres - 8 / 10

Developer Fool's Theory has crafted a solid RPG set in 1905 Warsaw that, at times, can feel like as much of an awesome documentary as it is a video game.

Siliconera - Daniel Bueno - 8 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a story-driven RPG that combines real history and Slavic folklore to deliver a captivating period drama.

TechRaptor - William Worrall - 8 / 10

While the investigation aspect may fall a little short, The Thaumaturge is saved by excellent writing and characters. Not to mention a deeply involved combat and upgrade system. (Review Policy)

Thumb Culture - 4 / 5

The Thaumaturge excels in many aspects, from its immersive yet dark setting to its well-executed characters and skillful turn-based combat.. While it may encounter some issues with pacing and inconsistent delivery, these experiences may differ depending on your choices.

This game will resonate with RPG enthusiasts seeking a unique experience in a genre saturated with similar options. Even those who typically do not prefer turn-based combat should consider giving it a chance.

GameSpace - Brau3er - 7.7 / 10

Clearly, Fool's Theory wanted to create a game that prioritized story, an uncluttered setting, and charismatic characters. And the studio succeeded. True, it is noticeable that they  wanted a larger scope, but either there was not enough money or time. Closer to the end, even the animations seem very meager, and the endings seem chaotic. Overall, however, the team has succeeded in what they set out to do. With the success of The Thaumaturge, we can only hope they build on it and create the game of their dreams in their next outing.

Atarita - Alparslan Gürlek - Turkish - 75 / 100

The Thaumaturge is a game with passable storytelling, but the lines of dialog kill its charm. Still, the good combat system with a strong tactical aspect is enough to pull it out from the bottom and make it a fun game. Worth a try.

BossLevelGamer - 7.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a curious and engrossing take on Polish mythology set in a tumultuous period in history. You'll follow a grand story, all the while solving supernatural crimes and fighting unique demons so you can add their powers to your own.

Everyeye.it - Lorenzo Mango - Italian - 7.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is an ambitious isometric RPG with an interesting story, which the player can lead to ever-changing and unexpected situations with well-thought-out moral choices.

Oyungezer Online - M.İhsan Tatari - Turkish - 7.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a role-playing game that tries to go out of the ordinary with its intriguing plot, well-written dialogues, original characters and successful voiceovers. Travelling to 1905 Warsaw and experiencing the harsh conditions of that period first-hand adds a unique atmosphere to the game. However, the lack of enemy diversity, the weak detective mechanics, the simplicity of the side quests and some technical problems make it difficult to recommend it to those who are not hardcore fans of the genre.

WayTooManyGames - Kyle Nicol - 7.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a weird and unique game. It’s engaging from beginning to end, thanks to its great story and timeline based combat system that makes every fight exciting. It’s not perfect, and some pacing issues do slow the game down, especially in the side content, however, it is still well worth your time.

ZdobywcyGier.eu - Paweł Bortkiewicz - Polish - 7.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a pretty good RPG with a great atmosphere, storyline and interesting combat system, but unfortunately suffers from several problems of the technical layer and very uneven acting combined with a not very diverse soundtrack. A definite key feature for which The Thaumaturge is worth checking out is the moral choice system, which adds the ability to go through the game several times and in different ways. If you are a fan of turn-based RPGs or the pre-World War I period and can get over the uneven acting, this is a great choice for you.

Gameffine - Jay Krishnan - 73 / 100

The Thaumaturge is a curious experiment with an unexplored setting and a unique take on the classic turn-based combat. Fool's Theory has struck gold on the former thanks to an interesting story, rich worldbuilding, and a colorful cast of characters. However, the combat system is severely underutilized and left me wanting more. The same can be said for the investigative part of the gameplay as well. That being said, It'd be a lie if I said I didn't have fun within the said constraints. As a purveyor of Eurojank, there is a certain allure to the game that I couldn't resist. That doesn't mean you'll enjoy the game as much as I did. The Thaumaturge could have easily been one of the best RPGs of the year if it had more to offer in the gameplay department.

GBAtemp - Prans Dunn - 7 / 10

With an original premise and diverging paths based on in-game choices, The Thaumaturge delivers a fairly engaging RPG whose narrative execution would have benefitted from further improvements.

SECTOR.sk - Jakub Pokorný - Slovak - 7 / 10

The game welcomes you to historical Warsaw surrounded by esoteric beings. If you are not afraid of them, you can tame them. Expect a rich story and dialogue, but the combat won't be for everyone.

Shacknews - Lucas White - 7 / 10

The Thaumaturge’s biggest problems are a result of trying to do so many different things at once. It’s a juggling act on the best of days, and if you’re a working-class person in 1900s Poland you aren’t having a bunch of great days. Not consistently, anyway. This is a deeply interesting game with a lot of cool imagery, historical storytelling hooks and complex systems that are a blast to engage with. There are a ton of swings, and not every one is a hit. Sometimes the voice acting is wacky, the protagonist feels underdeveloped, and combat can be annoying and burdensome. But I also accidentally stayed up way past my adult, parent bedtime on multiple nights playing it. I feel and probably look like Wiktor after catching a new Salutor, but it was worth it.

WhatIfGaming - Hristijan Pavlovski - 7 / 10

The Thaumaturge is a story driven top-down adventure game that plays like an existentialist novel by Dostoevsky. Its rich cast of characters and expanding story draws you in and sinks its pangs into your brain. If you're looking for a story-rich game that's relatively easy to get into and has some excellent art direction, this is the one. Just be mindful of the performance issues and uneven voice acting in some parts.

Gaming Age - Matthew Pollesel - 6.5 / 10

You’ve got an interesting setting, a ton of material, all kinds of ideas, and a studio that clearly knows what it’s doing. That all of that got combined into something as forgettable as this is pretty disappointing, and it makes it awfully easy to skip past this game without a second thought.

AltChar - Semir Omerovic - 60 / 100

The Thaumaturge was one of the games that I was really looking forward to but ultimately, it failed to meet my expectations. Despite an interesting demon-taming concept, nice-looking visuals and an atmospheric setting, I found the story to be lacking with a very slow and dull presentation that made the game feel more like a chore than something enjoyable.

Eurogamer - Robert Purchese - 3 / 5

Lurking behind a dated exterior is a limited but sophisticated RPG with a unique setting and some memorable new ideas.

GameLuster - Jess Clayton-Berry - 6 / 10

The Thaumaturge is the perfect example of a game full of creative ideas, built on an interesting foundation, which is ultimately ruined by very poor execution.

RPGamer - Zack Webster - 3 / 5

The weaknesses in the combat prevent some cool ideas from ever fully taking off. The rushed ending, whether the result of running out of time during development or an awkward playthrough, means the plot trips at the finishing line. But the uniqueness of the setting goes a long way toward making the game an interesting sell and the characters are fun to spend time with.

Screen Rant - Leo Faierman - 3 / 5

As it stands, though, The Thaumaturge remains quite special overall. Hanging out with Rasputin, shmoozing with turn-of-the-century elites, and exploring some unexpected golem developments with beset Rabbis make for compelling content, even when a few lines in the script fail to land. Anyone taken in by this setting will genuinely want to play The Thaumaturge, and it joins several other recent experimental Slavic fantasy adventures that prove the countless avenues video games have yet to fully explore.

VideoGamer - Alex Raisbeck - 6 / 10

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.

VGChartz - Paul Broussard - 5.5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is certainly competent enough, if the prospect of a mystery with some light RPG elements sounds appealing, but don’t expect it to light your world on fire.

3DNews - Денис Щенников - Russian - 5 / 10

The Thaumaturge leaves you feeling disappointed. And it's not about outright Russophobia – it's just a bitter cherry on the host of purely gaming problems.

GameMAG - Russian - 5 / 10

The Thaumaturge is another example of a game whose developers had a good concept in hand, but failed to bring it to fruition. Diving into the world of semi-alternative Russian Empire and Polish nationalists turned out to be an entertaining (albeit specific) experience, which was spoiled by unsuccessful implementation of progression and battles, as well as poor work with Unreral Engine 5

Metro GameCentral - GameCentral - 5 / 10

A historical supernatural role-player whose portrayal of Warsaw under Russian rule is highly compelling but where the combat and simplistic detective elements fail to engage.

ACG - Jeremy Penter - Wait for Sale

Video Review - Quote not available

La Orden del Pixel - David Cedrés - Spanish - Yes

The Thaumaturge invites us to immerse ourselves in a mystical and peculiar Warsaw, through a narrative experience that, although not without its ups and downs, stands out for its quality. Although it is a videogame that could have been better in many aspects, it can not be denied that Fool's Theory has created and given life to something very interesting.

Polygon - Cass Marshall - Unscored

That said, The Thaumaturge manages to do a deft job weaving between its supernatural story and the context of its historical setting. Wiktor is an outsider, and his detachment from society means that he can pick a side. I chose to have him back the unions and be a real comrade, but the game has tons of branches — including some where he falls to pride or commits sins that he cannot erase. These are the choices that make The Thaumaturge worth it, even when I’m annoyed by its technical shortcomings. Wiktor’s powers, detective skills, pride, and values are all things that can change the decisions at hand, and when I make a choice, it feels weighty. Since this is an RPG that lasts about 25 hours, I’m already getting amped up to see how a second run changes things. I have the feeling, though, that no matter how hard I try, something is going to go terribly wrong for someone.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Katharine Castle - Unscored

There are a few rough edges here and there, but The Thaumaturge is a compelling and meaty detective RPG with a rich and reactive plot, and whose branching storylines really let you walk the line between vice and virtue.