The Thaumaturge Reviews
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Wiktor Szulski battles with Geralt as my favourite Polish RPG protagonist in this impressive dialogue-driven mystery that deserves a franchise.
Join Wiktor Szulski on a weird demon hunting adventure.
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.
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.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
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.
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.
Review in Russian | Read full review
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.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
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.
Review in Persian | Read full review
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.
The Thaumaturge, with its unique setting that combines Slavic folklore with a largely unexplored time in world history, is a title that oozes character. It's certainly not without its flaws, but as far as 'AA' titles go this one is as solid as they come.
The Thaumaturge confirms the positive trend of CRPGs of the last period, but offers its own completely original take on the genre. The setting in early 20th century Warsaw of the adventures of our tormented Wiktor adds a very special flavour to this dark-toned production.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Thaumaturge is a compelling game with a captivating atmosphere, intriguing storyline, and engaging dialogue, making it a standout experience despite minor issues.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
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.