New CRPG The Thaumaturge sets itself apart from the pack in a number of ways. Most of the trademarks of the genre are present in The Thauamaturge's gameplay and mechanics, but the title's real-world setting and blending of historical fiction with supernatural horror give the game an atmosphere that merges the best parts of games like Disco Elysium and Pentiment to create something altogether unique. Beyond its unique premise and setting, though, The Thaumaturge stands out among CRPGs for its excellent combat. Rather than adhere strictly to the turn-based or real-time-with-pause systems commonplace in CRPGs, The Thaumaturge blends a tactical turn-based deck builder with monster-taming not dissimilar to Pokemon or Persona.

Combat in The Thaumaturge isn't a deck builder in the purest sense of the term, but all of protagonist Wiktor Szulski's abilities and skills are tied to acquiring new cards that the player cycles through during battles. Unlocking more of these cards and being able to successfully emerge triumphant from encounters is contingent on making friends with The Thaumaturge's Salutors – otherworldly beings that act as the source for a Thaumaturge's power and perception. As players make their way through The Thaumaturge's excellent campaign, they'll tame more and more Salutors to come to their aid in battle, and developing their individual skill trees opens up new tactical options in combat.

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In The Thaumaturge, Wiktor Szulski's Tactical Options are Plentiful

Despite the structure of The Thaumaturge's combat retaining much of the traditional turn-based DNA of many other CRPGs, Wiktor (and, by proxy, the player) has a plethora of tactical options at his disposal. Battles are stationary, with Wiktor facing off against one or more enemies (occasionally with a partner NPC in tow), and there's no movement or positioning to take into consideration. Instead, it becomes necessary to examine the various traits that each enemy has and use the best tactical options in Wiktor's arsenal to deal with them accordingly. This is where the various Salutors and their action cards come into play.

Both Wiktor and the Salutors have various abilities that they can unlock and then enhance through careful and strategic upgrading of their skill trees. In turn, each of these Salutors align with one of the game's Four Dimensions – Word, Heart, Deed, and Mind. By carefully allocating skill points across these dimensions and the Salutors that align with them, Wiktor can break the defenses and buffs of enemies that might otherwise prove deadly during combat. Abilities also either have fast or slow action times, and the ability to see when the player's (and their Salutor's) actions will trigger in comparison to the enemy's adds another wrinkle of strategy to try and plan attacks to prevent the enemy's ability to act.

Taming Salutors in The Thaumaturge Deepens Wiktor's Bench

Inextricably tied to The Thaumaturge's combat and tactical options are its Salutors, which act as a crucial component to both developing Wiktor's proficiency in combat and in his investigations as a Thaumaturge. The game's plot will guide Wiktor through scenarios where he discovers these demonic presences attached to a person with a flaw stemming from one of the Four Dimensions. By defeating and then taming these monsters, Wiktor becomes a more capable Thaumaturge in every facet of the title's gameplay.

Rather than opt for a sort of "rock-paper-scissors" style of elemental weaknesses and resistances like the Persona or Pokemon series' titular creatures, The Thaumaturge's Salutors each represent a different type of tactical option in combat that logically adheres to their respective Dimension. For instance, one Salutor might provide new cards for dealing damage over time, while another might more quickly break an enemy's Focus, opening them up for powerful attacks. By providing a potent mix of rich tactical options in combat along with a sizable roster of collectible monsters, The Thaumaturge's combat stands as one of the best aspects of the title.

The Thaumaturge

The Thaumaturge is a story-driven RPG set in 1905 Warsaw, Poland. Players take on the role of Wiktor, who can see entities called Salutors that normal humans cannot. It features isometric gameplay, turn-based combat, morally ambiguous choices, unique character development features, investigation mechanics, and much, much more.

Platform(s)

PC

Developer(s)

Fool's Theory

Publisher(s)

11 Bit Studios

Genre(s)

Adventure , RPG

Released

February 20, 2024