Summary
The release of developer Fool’s Theory’s new CRPG,The Thaumaturge,continues the modern-day CRPG renaissance courtesy of its expertly crafted narrative and engaging systems and mechanics. Ahead ofThe Thaumaturge’s release, much of the conversation surrounding the game was focused on the game’s developer, with Fool’s Theory currently hard at work on the highly-anticipated remake ofThe Witcherand having just completed some work assisting Larian with development onBaldur’s Gate 3. Somewhat unsurprisingly,The Thaumaturgeshares a good deal in common withBaldur’s Gate 3, but the combat systems in each game are one area where the two titles clearly differentiate.
To be fair,Baldur’s Gate 3shares a great deal of DNA with Larian’s previous work ontheDivinityseriesmuch in the same way thatThe Thaumaturgedoes. Still, there’s enough of a classic CRPG framework present inBaldur’s Gate 3that somehowThe Thaumaturgeeludes, with its combat system feeling relatively fresh and unique in comparison to other modern CRPGs. A large part of that unique identity rests on the game’s inclusion of the Salutors (which some have jokingly referred to as “dark Pokemon”), but its most distinctive difference fromBaldur’s Gate 3is the combat’s single-character focus.
Despite the Salutor’s Presence, The Thaumaturge’s Combat is All About Wiktor
Like all good pen-and-paperDungeons and Dragonscampaigns,Baldur’s Gate 3is about more than just the player. Instead, the focus is on both the player and the party of adventurers they team up with along the way. Right from the game’s beginning, it’s possible to ally with two characters that become companions to the player character throughout the entire adventure, and the introductory tutorial aboard the Mind-Flayer ship goes to great lengths to illustrate the importance of party synergy during combat and playing to each of the characters' various strengths and weaknesses. Comparatively,The Thaumaturgeis a decidedly solo affair.
Even though players can actively swap betweenThe Thaumaturge’s Salutorsduring combat (and need to in order to break down very specific defenses that enemies have), the star of the show is still Wiktor. Occasionally, though, Wiktor will have an ally join him during combat. But even during these fights, any partner characters accompanying Wiktor are little more than helpful NPCs that assist during combat and aren’t controllable by the player. Additionally, fights inThe Thaumaturgehappen on a more scripted basis to account for players controlling a singular protagonist, as opposed toBaldur’s Gate 3’s more organic opportunities for combat as the party adventures throughout the Sword Coast.
The Thaumaturge’s Turn-Based Combat Streamlines Proceedings Using Cards
ThoughThe Thaumaturgedoes share a lot of characteristics with othernoteworthy CRPGs, its turn-based combat is much more streamlined and action-focused than many other games in the genre. The main way thatThe Thaumaturgefacilitates this is through its use of cards to symbolize the various attacks and skills available to Wiktor rather than giving the player a long readout of all the attacks, spells, and other special class abilities on offer. By using a simplified and easy-to-understand riff on deck-building in its combat system,The Thaumaturge’s battles feel surprisingly fast-paced and easy to wrap one’s head around.
Additionally, separating Wiktor’s skill tree intoThe Thaumaturge’s Four Dimensionsallows players to clearly focus their character growth into specific avenues, with some paths focusing on causing damage over time and others dealing damage while healing Wiktor or debuffing the enemy to make attacks hit harder. Even thoughThe Thaumaturge’s combat is more streamlined than what one might find inBaldur’s Gate 3, it still offers plenty of variety in terms of its strategy and potential for creative player expression in battle.
The Thaumaturge
WHERE TO PLAY
The Thaumaturge is an isometric, story-rich RPG with a unique take on turn-based combat, character development features, and investigation mechanics, facing you with morally ambiguous choices – set in a world teeming with mysterious powers and strange ethereal beings called salutors.The year is 1905. Warsaw lives under the yoke of imperial Russian tsardom. Its inhabitants constitute a diverse group of different ancestries, views, and beliefs with often conflicting interests: Russian soldiers, Jewish merchants, Polish townspeople, and more. Despite the circumstances, the city is a buzzing metropolis, where one can attend a breathtaking party with the high society, and later get robbed in one of the dark alleys of the Praga district. A city of great hopes and dreams on one hand and dark desires on the other.A thaumaturge bears both a gift and a burden at the same time. This parallel holds true for Wiktor Szulski, the game’s titular protagonist, who is drawn back to the tumultuous streets of 20th-century Warsaw by family matters. The gift of thaumaturgy is intertwined with family legacy, passed down through one’s ancestors. This mystical inheritance significantly shapes Wiktor’s life journey tied around a pursuit of unearthly entities and their hosts. As only a thaumaturge can tame these ethereal entities - known to a select few as salutors - utilizing their mystical abilities to discover secrets hidden within the human soul and speak to the Darkness, no one understands quite like Wiktor how everyone suffers their own demons.
