The Thaumaturge Reviews
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.
Lurking behind a dated exterior is a limited but sophisticated RPG with a unique setting and some memorable new ideas.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Review in Italian | 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
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.
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)
Join Wiktor Szulski on a weird demon hunting adventure.
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.
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.
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.
Review in French | Read full review
With a wonderful setting in 20th century Warsaw, The Thaumaturge combines perfectly the fantasy of magic and the rawness of human nature.
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.