What happens when you create an isometric RPG that mixes alternate history with political intrigue and the occult? You get The Thaumaturge, an upcoming PC title being developed by Fool’s Theory and published by 11 bit Studios.
This game is set in a what-if version of 1905’s Warsaw, Poland which is being ruled by the imperial Russia tsardom and it is teeming with corruption both human and demonic. The Thaumaturge will take players on a dark journey where they explore the dystopian city of Warsaw, converse with intriguing characters, learn the power to control ethereal creatures, and be confronted with moral dilemmas that will shape the fate of their story.
Here is everything you need to know about The Thaumaturge.
The Thaumaturge: What is it about?
This game follows the story of Wiktor Szulski, the titular thaumaturge. Thaumaturges are individuals born with the power to commune and combat demons bleeding into our world called Salutors. These creatures are dangerous beings that prey on the troubled minds of humans and can even possess their souls to become their inner demons.
Throughout his entire life, Wiktor has dedicated himself to pursuing Salutors to exorcise them from their human hosts and tame them so he can use their power to take down more powerful Salutors. One day during his travels, Wiktor receives a letter from his sister, Ligia, which says she is concerned about her brother’s well-being due to his work, and that she wishes that Wiktor would come visit their family in Warsaw. Ligia also hopes could this visit present an opportunity for Wiktor to reconcile with their father as they are currently on bad terms.
Wiktor decides to fulfill his sister’s requests and makes his way to visit his family in Warsaw. Little does Wiktor know that the town he remembered once being peaceful, has now changed for the worst as imperialist Russia has taken it over, crime runs rampant, the disparity between the rich and poor is at an all-time high, and hordes of Salutors are lurking within the shadows waiting to prey on human souls.
The Thaumaturge: What will the gameplay be like?
The gameplay of The Thaumaturge will be that of a turn-based, narrative RPG. Half the gameplay will involve exploring the city of Warsaw and conversing with its citizens. The people you will run into range from Jewish merchants, Russian soldiers, Polish townsfolk, famous political and historical figures, and more. However, some people are not willing to divulge their secrets so easily and will require gentle persuasion or magical influence in order to get information out of them.
During pivotal moments in the story, players will be forced to make difficult moral decisions to progress forward. These decisions are not to be made lightly as they will impact the story significantly and players will have to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Some of those consequences will involve the player engaging adversaries in turn-based battles and this is where the second half of The Thaumaturge’s gameplay structure comes in. Players will need to use the right combination of strategy and careful usage of their powers to achieve victory. In addition, Wiktor can capture and tame hostile Salutors so he can add them to his party to help even the odds against multiple enemies.
Out of combat, players will need to develop Wiktor’s abilities and that of his Salutor minions to improve their combat capabilities. Play-testers at Gamescom 2023 have stated that this gameplay element makes The Thaumaturge feel like Pokémon but in a darker, grittier setting.
The Thaumaturge: Is it coming to Xbox Game Pass?
There has been no confirmation so far of The Thaumaturge coming to Xbox Game Pass. However, the chances of it coming are pretty high as 11 bit Studios has signed a deal with Microsoft to bring a selection of their games to Xbox Game Pass.
The Thaumaturge: Will it come to Xbox and PlayStation?
So far it has been confirmed The Thaumaturge will be released on PC with no console ports in sight as of yet. However, I speculate that The Thaumaturge will at least make it onto Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S at some point as 11 Bit Studios heavily supports the console releases of their games and they’re currently enjoying having a healthy business relationship with Microsoft.
Two of their most critically acclaimed titles, Frostpunk and This War of Mine have enjoyed massive success on Xbox Game Pass, so I would imagine that 11 Bit Studios would want to continue this financial winning streak by adding The Thaumaturge to Xbox consoles and Xbox Game Pass.
The Thaumaturge: When will it be released?
The Thaumaturge is scheduled to come out later on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store at an unspecified release date in 2023.
Tame the Salutors and sic them on your enemies
With promises of a gripping storyline that can change based on a player’s decisions, deep combat and exploration systems, and an intriguing setting that combines real-world history and dark fantasy, The Thaumaturge is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating games of 2023.
However, will all these elements come together and help this isometric RPG become one of the best PC games released in recent memory? Help Wiktor defeat and detain the Salutors later this year to find out when The Thaumaturge launches for PC in 2023.
