Historical RPGs are a rare breed, especially if they go beyond the well-trodden territory. The Thaumaturge stands as an exception given both its setting and mixing it with the supernatural elements. Did you ever want to capture Slavic Pokemon and celebrate the affair with some vodka? Here we go.

Year is 1905 and we see a weary man step off a train somewhere in the Caucasus mountains. His name is Wiktor Szulski and he’s come seeking help. Dealing with a certain situation in the village he finds Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin and this is where we finally discover who our protagonist actually is – a Thaumaturge. Derisively referred to as wizards, witches, and all other terms they are individual with supernaturals abilities to find and “tame” mythical Salutors who are, in turn, attracted to flaws in people. Wiktor has seemingly lost connection to his talent and Rasputin manages to restore the psychic link while also himself becoming fascinated by how this procedure works. Now owing a debt to the eccentric mystic, Wiktor accepts his company having received news via telegram that his father has died. Catching the train back to Warsaw our unlikely duo is entirely unprepared for what is about to transpire.

I’ll get into it later on with some gameplay points, but I would say as far as RPGs go The Thaumaturge definitely falls more on the narrative side of things. Which is good when you look at what it has to offer. As much as the core thread of the story revolves around our protagonist and his sister Ligia sorting out the legacy their father now left in their care, game is in equal part about the state of pre-WW1 Kingdom of Poland. If we’re talking genuine diversity this is how you tackle the subject – there’s so much going on along cultural, religious and ethnic lines that’s firmly in the background. Someone with familiarity from the region would likely get more from plethora of information developers put in than I did, but it was still a tremendous effort adding identity to the game. With the supernatural element it falls into historical fiction looking at a narrow period slice.

Which, in turn, saddens me to say the storytelling fell a bit flat. Or rather, there aren’t many highs and lows which would stand out to the player. Whether you’re resolving a serial killer case on the waterfront or mingling among the nobility looking to snag a new Salutor the package is just SOLID all-around. That sounds like a weird critique, but I can’t put it into words better. Action you get is reserved for combat bits and dialog gets to call the shots for decisions. Dramatic moments like using your Dimension Force aka Witcher Signs to affect events are spread out scarcely enough to stand out, maybe? Perhaps it’s down to English localization with its subdued, down-to-earth performances that it all comes across as somewhat mundane? Maybe it’s just me.

Characters also get some of the aforementioned blow back. I would say key players; Wiktor, Ligia, your childhood friend Abaurycy, father’s acquaintances and enemies, etc. get enough attention, but you’ll have to dig in order to find more than surface level. This is not your typical RPG where characters spout their backstories at the drop of a hat. Keep in mind Wiktor also hasn’t been to Warsaw in 15 years since his father sent him packing to Paris. This ties in with Abaurycy who was easily my favorite character. Possibly because his overacting was incredibly refreshing compared to everyone’s dour and serious deliveries. It’s a shame game takes a bit too long to divulge some information regarding relationships that would have actually had higher impact were the player informed earlier. I was surprised by how long it took me to actually GET Wiktor as a person because he presents himself as this phlegmatic individual. Everyone’s favorite royal advisor has a role to play and it was interesting to see him in those pre-Romanov days.

In terms of major gameplay systems there’s a few at work in The Thaumaturge.

First would have to be investigations aka using your Thaumaturge Vision, lest someone sues saying it’s Batman Vision, to find various clues which our protagonist will then piece together and give you a Conclusion. You’ll want to find all of them not only because they unlock dialog choices and make optional stories available, but also because they net you experience individually. You’ll need that to upgrade your Dimension Forces aka Word, Heart, Deed and Mind. What’s the catch? Well, clues have Dimension Force requirements before you can uncover them. Coming from someone who spread out his points evenly throughout the game I never had issues with the system. Yes, it means I didn’t max out any of the four. I appreciate writers going the extra mile and giving all clues little write-ups that make it worthwhile to pause and pay attention.

Second and third are two sides of the same coin since they both benefit from all the investigative work you’ll put in: dialog and combat.

Conclusions you uncover will be used in pertinent conversations as newly unlocked options + Dimension Force levels you’ve invested in also open more choices. In classical RPG fashion there will be mutually exclusive choices, ones where your morality is tested and even a few where your choices come and bite you back 15+ hours later. I mentioned it in the opening but Salutors are drawn to flaws in people. In turn, this means Thaumaturges themselves possess a flaw as well with Wiktor’s being Arrogance. Playing into it or choosing not to also becomes a factor in the story as it advances. Did I forget to mention whenever you acquire a Salutor you must also accept the flaw it comes with?

Which leads me to combat. Once again, investing in Dimension Forces unlocks new attacks and upgrades for those attacks for this is a turn-based RPG. One where you have clear order of action visible so altering it by disrupting enemies or making yourself faster is always tempting. When you boil it Wiktor only has four attacks + Strong one which you can only use when you’ve broken enemy’s focus. You’re usually choosing whether to damage health directly or bide your time for the “limit break” attack. Expanding your Salutor stable is where the real variety comes from. Keeping in mind you’ll always control Wiktor, with the occasional guest character you have no input over, your mythical Salutor is the only second party member you can count on. Each brings their own set of abilities, alongside a finisher move, and you bring them all into every battle with full freedom to rotate them in and out.

Harsh reality check? You’ve probably spent more time reading these paragraphs than you’ll have to weigh your tactics. On normal difficulty game is too easy as long as you’re using Salutors to cancel out enemy advantages as intended. I died precisely once at the very end when there was an additional wave of enemies I did not anticipate. Dimension Force Heart is important because it determines your health, but lack of conventional levels and in-combat healing methods mean you can win out by taking your time. I dread to even consider it, but some kind of turn limit may have drastically upped the stakes.

So how to conclude this overview of The Thaumaturge? It’s a game you can definitely tell developers poured their soul in. All those character and location entries in your journal could have just been horrendously modern database points, but there’s flavor text and honest to god artwork to each of them. An RPG that simultaneously makes me yearn for more, wondering how are Thaumaturges seen in the rest of the world, but also realize it’s a specimen that would probably lose freshness in a sequel. Especially considering some of the endings I went back and replayed to see. I could also do without UE5 shenanigans that made my GPU fans sound like they’re about to take off.

Final Thoughts and Rating?

The Thaumaturge is simply a solid turn-based RPG that came so close to being a very good one. Taking place in turn of the century Warsaw, Poland we step into the role of Wiktor Szulski who has only recently returned to his troubled city having befriended a certain Rasputin. Taming and controlling mythological figures called Salutors, he now has to contend with matters left behind by a recently deceased father as well as city crying out on the cusp of WW1. Gather the clues, tame more Salutors and embrace your flaws, expand your combat abilities to deal with… well, a rather easy game. I do wish storytelling was a bit stronger and more focused considering multiple endings involved. Maybe some of it got lost in localization considering this comes across as historical fiction centered on Poland.