The Thaumaturge (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): March 4, 2024
- Release Date (EU): March 4, 2024
- Publisher: 11 bit studios
- Developer: Fool's Theory
- Genres: RPG
Game Features:
By definition, a thaumaturge is someone with magical abilities and can even perform miracles. In our actual world such abilities are inevitably questionable; but in the world of The Thaumaturge, thaumaturgy practitioners do possess such skills. They operate through Dimensions of Heart, Mind, Deed, and Word which allow them to follow emotion trails left on items as well as see - and tame - ethereal demons known as Salutors.
One such practitioner is Wiktor Szulski who finds himself returning to his home in Warsaw following his father’s demise. While this event reunites him with his family and friends, it also unexpectedly sends Wiktor on a journey across a 20th century Warsaw that tests his skills as a thaumaturge. He not only comes across fellow thaumaturges, historical figures as well as wild Salutors, but also learns more about his late father.
This journey is not only about discovery as Wiktor will also have to contend with challenging and morally-ambiguous decisions that will shape his path as well as that of the inhabitants of Warsaw. How will the story unfold under your guidance?
Diving into 20th-century Warsaw with a thaumaturgy twist
The Thaumaturge’s backdrop, the Polish capital before the damage it incurred during World War II, offers an original and uncommon setting for a video game. Fool’s Theory brought this virtual version of the city to life with detailed and populated environments that feel lived in. As you progress through the story, new areas open up and you get to explore Warsaw from various angles; and they never lack in detail or atmosphere that replicate its era.
Built in Unreal Engine 5, The Thaumaturge looks like a modern game while the top-down isometric perspective is reminiscent of old-school RPGs, adding a touch of nostalgia. This depiction of a bustling city is much better executed than other recent isometric games such as Sovereign Syndicate.
Where the visuals fall short is with the character expressions which are often bland. That said, this downside is mostly noticeable during cutscenes only as the game plays from a top-down perspective. On the other hand, the originality of salutors’ designs are worth highlighting. Their inspiration from a range of folklore including Slavic and Bavarian (to name a few) add to the originality of the title. Some side quests flesh out the side characters and the game’s universe, while allowing you explore more areas of 20th century Warsaw.
Having voice overs during each cutscene and conversation with NPCs further adds to the presentation. However, some acting is better executed than others; with some falling flat or being simply unconvincing. Somewhat making up is the original soundtrack that does overhaul the presentation.
Wiktor Szulski: thaumaturge, a.k.a. investigator and Salutor-catcher
Wiktor’s journey across Warsaw sees him exploring various areas of the city. You can do so in an open-ended fashion, and exploring your surroundings can pay off as, in doing so, you can find alternative routes to progress. As a thaumaturge, Wiktor can use his Perception skill to glean insights from people as well as items in his surroundings and draw Conclusions.
Indeed, there is a heavy emphasis on investigation in The Thaumaturge and such undertakings rely on Wiktor’s arcane skills. For instance, from the Conclusions you make, you can manipulate people, deceive them, and/or make them do your bidding. While the investigation of environmental elements isn’t particularly challenging, with the process unfolding in point-and-click fashion, the challenge lies in your dialogue choices as these can lead to different outcomes. Some dialogue options only become available after further investigations or based on the skills you have, which weaves together well with the exploration aspect.
In addition to exploring Warsaw, Wiktor will also have to contend with encounters against hostile NPCs as well as wild Salutors. Yes, the latter type of encounters does sound like Pokémon, and there is some level of similarity as you have to weaken the Salutor before “capturing” it. However, unlike Pokémon, you won’t be encountering wild Salutors at every turn in the overworld. Rather, you encounter them during predetermined events during the plot, while some can only be encountered based on your past in-game decisions. The gameplay would have been more engaging if you were able to find more than the handful of scripted wild Salutors but on the plus side, this narrowed focus blends well overall with the narrative.
Once you have defeated a Salutor, you’ll have to visit Rasputin (yes, that Rasputin and he is one of the main NPCs of this game) who will help Wiktor tame the creature. This process could have involved the player more as it just happens through a cutscene. Even some brief QTE would have worked here and what could be a standout event feels somewhat underwhelming.
Other than facing off Salutors, you’ll also engage in combat against NPCs. Either type of combat unfolds in a turn-based fashion, with the available actions presented in a card-like interface. You can select from a range of skills from melee to passive actions for Wiktor. Each skill has its own speed, with more powerful ones taking longer to execute. However, you cannot use items; instead, you can execute actions of your Salutors who can deal damage, heal Wiktor or inflict a condition to enemies.
Some enemies’ Traits are tied to specific Dimensions, giving them some immunity to certain attack types. These can be disabled by a Salutor with a corresponding Dimension. The game does indicate which Salutor is more effective against each enemy, so you don’t have to memorise the Dimensions of your companions. This aspect of Dimensions, skill speed the lack of consumables and controlling Salutors’ moves adds a layer of strategic execution to combat which feels satisfying and fresh.
As an RPG, The Thaumaturge features a skill tree where you can upgrade the skills of Wiktor as well as those of his Salutors. Through skill upgrades, you can customise your combat style. Combined with the strategic aspect, combats offer a welcome challenge that you can tackle in your own thaumaturge style.
Deal with your inner demons
The Thaumaturge offers an original and fairly engaging gameplay that lasts around 10-12h with some paths and dialogue options that are accessible (or not) based on your in-game choices as you literally deal with your inner demons. However, the execution occasionally falls flat with the diverging paths that don’t coalesce in a satisfactory way.
This is further accentuated by some narrative beats that feel rushed and not properly fleshed out (such as Wiktor’s time in exile or his history with his childhood friend); while some story transitions don’t feel natural (like the sudden need for Rasputin’s aid in taming wild Salutors). Some of these narrative concerns might differ based on your own experience and the choices you make but this indicates a need to further polish the execution of diverging paths.
There are also quite a few terminologies to contend with from the outset and the accompanying info dump can make the experience of getting acquainted with the mechanics feel overwhelming. This extends to combat where it takes some getting used to the flow of turns and which actions are for Wiktor or his Salutor. Over time you can get used to these but they can feel intimidating initially.
I also had some minor technical gripes, in particular with recurring animations. While the game allows you to adjust the speed of combat animations, you cannot skip them altogether. Even if the animations are original, they do get repetitive over time and an option to skip them (rather than just fasten them) would be welcome.
Overall, The Thaumaturge delivers an original RPG set in a unique world with an interesting combat mechanic. But as a narrative-driven game, some aspects of the narrative execution, especially regarding the diverging paths, aren’t optimally executed and these do stand in the way of making the experience more compelling.
The Thaumaturge - Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Original universe
- Interesting tactical turn-based combat mechanic
- Diverging paths based on in-game choices
- Branching paths don’t always coalesce in a satisfactory way
- Some narrative transitions don’t feel cohesive
- Terminologies can get confusing and overwhelming
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