The Thaumaturge

Good game, lots of different endings and decisions that impact the endings all over the game. Game is turn based and slow detective work/exploration, but if that doesn't bother you there is a good game here.

Świetna gra ! Polecam wszystkim !!!

What an interesting game this was. Even after completing the main story, I'm still torn on my overall verdict. It was one of those games that I came close to quitting a few times, only for it to draw me back in again. From a technical perspective it ran very well. For an indie game, the voice acting and character animations were well above average! [h2]The Good[/h2] The setting and world-building are doing most of the heavy lifting here. Early 1900's Poland combined with historical accuracy do make for quite an interesting setting. Cobblestone streets and Art Nouveau architecture deliver a cozy vibe throughout. The story was also quite intriguing, with lots of threads to follow through both main and side quests. The combat system was very cool and I think it had huge potential. Being able to see forecasted moves and abilities which span multiple turns provided a fun challenge and a fresh perspective to the turn-based genre. The salutors, by far, provided the most interesting movesets and that's where the combat truly shines. It's a shame that this system ends up being hampered by a very strange design choice in Act 2 of the game (see below). [h2]The Bad[/h2] On the flip side of the coin, the combat system was ultimately quite shallow. Limited skills and movesets, lack of enemy variety, and short fight durations held this system back from being truly great. Enemies are limited to human-types only and their attacks don't have much dynamic range - a sword slash here and a gunshot there. Foundationally, they had a lot to work with here but there just wasn't enough variety. Beyond that, the progression was very simple. I could have forgiven that if not for a confusing design choice in Act 2 which can end up locking the player out of the final 1/3rd of the entire skill tree. Spoilers ahead. [spoiler]Initially, you will gain the first full set of 4 salutors by way of main story. It's very intuitive and you slowly unlock new portions of the skill tree. However, the next and final set of salutors are all hidden behind completely optional quests in Act 2 and that is not made obvious in-game. This MIGHT have been a passable mechanic if not for the fact that several other main skills (not related to salutors) are also locked behind that progression.[/spoiler]So this essentially means you can make it all the way to Act 3 without unlocking any new salutors, resulting in difficult fights and skill checks which are impossible to pass or level any farther. [h2]Conclusion[/h2] For years I was hesitant to start this one due to mixed reviews and I would say for the most part those are spot on. The story is interesting, and the combat system had potential. But the point-and-click nature of traversal and shallow "investigation" mechanics kept me teetering between finishing the game or shelving it. Ultimately I'm glad I saw it through, but I'd say this is a probably more of a game for those who enjoy strong narratives rather than outright gameplay.

I was having a good time with it, until I realized that the levelling up system feels a lot like Disco Elysium's. Now I'm having a very good time with it.

Engaging story, fairly good voice acting, plus getting to engage with a legendary figure from Russian history makes this a game worth checking out. I was thrown off that the default language seems to be Polish, and it took me a second to figure out how to change that to English. The time spent traveling from place to place can get to be a drag, unless you stop to observe things and pick up "vibes" along the way, which increases your thaumaturgy points. The fights tend to drag on a bit too long and move two slow. That's really my only complaint about this. But f you get into a game more for the story and less for the combat, this is one worth trying.

It's strange how little attention The Thaumaturge has received. This game is seriously underrated. There's a ton of content here: side quests, collectibles, multiple endings, and choices that actually matter. The dialogues are excellent, with well-written characters and meaningful conversations. The game design strikes a perfect balance between investigation, exploration, and turn-based combat. The story is fantastic. Set in 1905 Warsaw under Russian occupation, it blends Slavic folklore with political intrigue and personal drama. Your choices genuinely shape the narrative. Relationships change, endings diverge, and the consequences follow you throughout the game. The city feels truly alive. Every location is packed with detail, hidden traces to discover, and NPCs going about their lives. Warsaw doesn't feel like a backdrop, it feels like a character. The Thaumaturge is an excellent blend of detective adventure and RPG. If you enjoy narrative-driven games with meaningful choices and a unique historical setting.

Глаз с самого начала цепляется за мыльные текстуры, куцые анимации и мелкие ошибки. Но потом история начинает цеплять, а на первый план перед графикой выходит дизайн. Очень приятные впечатления от прохождения. Текст в игре написан витиевато, описания чувств и мыслей в трейсах на предметах многослойные, в диалоги веришь. Озвучка местами прям шикарная, а местами как будто без контекста записывалась. Сама история хоть и не претендует на непредсказуемость уровня Нолана, но всегда хочется узнать "а что будет дальше".