The Thaumaturge Reviews

The setting is definitely original. The exploration and lore were interesting. The combat is simple yet tactical.

While the setting is interesting, there are just too many neatives to recommend the game. Just to name a few: -some of the voice acting is just bad (the protagonist is good, but there are some parts that are just bad) -the combat lacks depth and gets boring after just a few hours -a majority of the side content is inconsequential and frankly boring Overall, the gameplay becomes monotone (you'll spam right click and stop reading the newspaper articles, but keep clicking everything for the XP). I appreciate that you can make meaningful decisions, but the story isn't strong enough to feel rewarding.

Somewhere in between Disco Elysium and the Persona series. The story is an interesting, alternate history take on the Russian occupation of Poland with several historical figures making cameos. The story themes are geared towards a mature audience and the game is mostly story-driven. My only criticism is that the skill tree is just gaining skill points to unlock new attacks and upgrades. There's no real build customization or anything. You're just becoming a stronger version of the same character.

Really well done game with interesting story and easy to play.

Good game, refreshing to see a setting in an oft overlooked place and time. Thaumaturgy is a really interesting concept and the choices and their implications are far reaching, exactly as they promise to be. They're the real reason I finished this game because they REALLY need to not skimp on voice acting direction. It's often jilted and tonally inconsistent and sometimes just plain mispronounced. Genuinely helped to play the game with the voice volume off. Unfortunately, the subtitles are not always a match for the actual spoken word, which is awful from an accessibility standpoint in addition to the grating VA's mentioned above.

I started the game out of curiosity and got hooked for longer. What drew me in was the atmosphere, which poured out of the trailer, along with the recommendations on Steam. I wasn’t disappointed. The time period, setting, and the game world all maintain excellent consistency. What I experienced could definitely be called an inspiring story about a very difficult period in Polish history, seamlessly interwoven with elements of magic and mysticism. The greatest treasure of this game lies in its dialogues and the descriptions of items scattered throughout the world. As for the gameplay aspects—especially combat—it started to feel tedious over time, and I found that it actually got in the way of fully immersing myself in the world. The closest comparison I can think of for the combat system would be a JRPG, where initiative plays a significant role in the flow of battle. I highly recommend this journey and encourage players to dive deeper into the game’s world.

excellent narrative where choices matter. the combat system takes a little getting used to, but it's quite interesting and unique. High replay value, especially from certain pivotal points. Well worth the time.

I really wanted to like this one. At first, everything seemed fine. The game is set in the early 1900s, during the Tsarist era of Russia, before the USSR. The music is solid it does a great job of pulling you into this immersive, bleak world. The environments are detailed, capturing the era and the social struggles of the time. You can feel the emotions the developers wanted to convey, and that deserves some credit. But then... the game falls short in so many basic ways. The graphics feel outdated, like something from 2008. Some textures are just awful, low-quality meshes. Character movement is clunky and stiff, and environmental interactions are almost nonexistent you can’t touch or use anything. The streets might look good, and the atmosphere is there, but the world feels lifeless. Barely anyone talks, you can’t engage with NPCs, you can’t even throw a punch. The camera is locked, which makes the whole experience even more restrictive. Hell, even Commandos from 1998 let you rotate the camera, this doesn't. And the little details? Forget about them no footprints in the mud, no wind, no day-night cycle. It all adds up to a world that looks immersive at first glance but quickly falls apart. Missions are dull. It feels like every character in the main story just travels around dropping letters that conveniently lead you to conclusions. Combat is repetitive and way too easy, despite some attempts at innovation. Worse, every fight has the exact same music. The Salutor encounters? They're all the same: Find clues → reach a conclusion → fight the Salutor and his minions → get confused → visit Rasputin → tame the Salutor → rinse and repeat. The skill tree is terrible and clunky, with a bad system for attaching attributes to skills. It feels uninspired and just plain ugly. In the end, this game is a waste of potential. The concept is great, and it could have been something special… but it just isn’t. And it's a Shame.

God. I LOVE this game. I don't disagree that the combat is repetitive, but as far as I'm concerned Thaumaturge has SO much more to offer than fighting bad guys. It's the story, the characters, the *world*. It feels so alive, from the swell of mingled voices in the city square to the little pieces of every walk of life scattered across Warsaw, from historical cameos and political tension to the "urban secrets" that showcase the little things in life (marveling at the newest technological advancements, passing the time with the locals, making time for less pressing matters for the sake of living in the moment). The drawings are such a treat every time, I'm only sad there's not more to uncover. Don't even get me started on the Thaumaturgy itself, how it's utilized to uncover the mystery behind every story, big or small. So clever and fun, I can't get enough. This kind of game isn't for everyone, but man has it found its target audience. I typically shy away from super expansive games because I find them to be too overwhelming in scope and get intimidation paralysis. Thaumaturge marks the first time I've ever wished a game had MORE to offer, and that I wasn't nearing the end. Really! That's quite a feat. Bravo, well done, f the haters, they don't understand you but I do <3

Pretty interesting plot, beautiful Warsaw, a bit repetitive combat. Overall decent experience, but some of the side content ("activities") can be really dull.