What you need to know
- The Thaumaturge is developed by Fool’s Theory (Seven) and published by 11 Bit Studios (Frostpunk, This War of Mine)
- Play testers compared the isometric story-driven RPG to a dark, gritty and gorier version of Pokémon.
- Set in 1905 Poland under the control of imperial Russia, The Thaumaturge follows the story of a man named Wiktor Szulski who bears a gift and a curse to see ethereal entities known as Salutors.
- Plays as a burdened miracle worker in a full-fledged RPG with turn-based combat where players will tame Salutors as they explore a gritty, historic Warsaw.
According to Fool’s Theory and 11 Bit Studios, a thaumaturge is a person who can work miracles while bearing both a gift and a burden simultaneously. The folklore surrounding a thaumaturge is the baseline for the studios’ upcoming narrative RPG, The Thaumaturge. A story trailer for the game was unveiled during Gamescom 2023.
The titular protagonist of The Thaumaturge is Wiktor Szulski, a man burdened with the gift of thaumaturgy that was inherited from his father. Wiktor has spent his life in pursuit of taming ethereal entities known as Salutors, even to the detriment of his own health.
Salutors are capable of harnessing magical powers that can discover secrets from within the human soul and speak to the Darkness. Wiktor’s sister, Ligia, is concerned for her brother, as the quest for Salutors can force one to suffer face to face with their very own demons.
The Thaumaturge is set in 1905 Warsaw, at a time when Poland is under the thumb of the imperialist Russian tsardom. The city is a thriving metropolis, but it is one where the glitz and glam of aristocracy and high society is starkly juxtaposed against the dark and gritty alleyways of the Praga district as crime and luxury find themselves on opposite sides of the same coin.
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As an isometric, narrative RPG, The Thaumaturge gives the player the chance to develop their character and explore the darkness on their own terms, though they will also be forced to deal with the aftermath. Turn-based combat is a unique addition to a narrative RPG, and players who tried the demo at Gamescom 2023 aptly compared The Thaumaturge to a darker, grittier and more horrifying Pokémon. 11 Bit Studios didn’t try to dissuade that comparison, though the team did state that the game boasts deep lore and a dark story that players can soak in.
The Thaumaturge is planned to release on PC later this year. While there has not yet been any confirmation of plans to bring the game to consoles, 11 Bit Studios did recently sign a deal to bring more of their titles to Xbox Game Pass. The upcoming Frostpunk 2 is among those that will be launching into the monthly subscription service on Day One.
