videogamescritic
← all games
The Thaumaturge

The Thaumaturge

Fool's Theory · released Mar 3, 2024

AdventureRPGPCPlayStation 5Xbox Series X

The Thaumaturge is a character-driven RPG with a rich story, morally ambiguous choices, and turn-based combat. In a city on the brink of change, use your mystical powers to read emotions, uncover motives, and command folklore-inspired demons, while resisting the temptation of your own pride.

76
VGC Score
Stablehigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Patch 1.2.0” (20d ago)

75%
At launch
83%
Steam all-time
76%
Press
73%
Player sentiment
86%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)76120
Creator reviews (1 tracked)971
All-time Steam reviews83%771000
Metacritic user ratings7364
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)86%7945
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 12, 2026) · 45 reviews sampled · 32 total reviews in window · weighted 28.4 up / 4.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (102)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 85
    trust 84Mar 5, 2024

    All in all, The Thaumaturge is a game I won’t forget anytime soon. I even intend to play it again from the beginning as soon as Polish VO is added, and that’s something I didn’t declare for any title in a very, very long time.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 83Mar 4, 2024

    The Thaumaturge is a pretty good RPG with a great atmosphere, storyline and interesting combat system, but unfortunately suffers from several problems of the technical layer and very uneven acting combined with a not very diverse soundtrack. A definite key feature for which The Thaumaturge is worth checking out is the moral choice system, which adds the ability to go through the game several times and in different ways. If you are a fan of turn-based RPGs or the pre-World War I period and can get over the uneven acting, this is a great choice for you.

    read full review ↗
  • 50
    trust 78Mar 4, 2024

    The Thaumaturge is another example of a game whose developers had a good concept in hand, but failed to bring it to fruition. Diving into the world of semi-alternative Russian Empire and Polish nationalists turned out to be an entertaining (albeit specific) experience, which was spoiled by unsuccessful implementation of progression and battles, as well as poor work with Unreral Engine 5

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 78Jul 7, 2024

    The Thaumaturge is a game that focuses mainly on its story. From the start, it captures your attention with its links to history, magic, and Slavic folklore. The characters are well-written, but the whole experience is spoiled by monotonous dubbing and almost no facial expressions. The streets of Warsaw are far too quiet, and without the option to travel fast, you'll spend far too much time in them. However, the city is very well crafted, along with the overall design of the characters and solutions. Uncovering people's secrets through perception is interesting, but the fights are more entertaining, with the need to change your tactics based on your opponents. The game includes dialogue options that significantly impact relationships with people and the events in the story. This will make you want to return to the title and try out the different playthrough options.

    read full review ↗
  • 50
    trust 78Mar 9, 2024

    The Thaumaturge leaves you feeling disappointed. And it's not about outright Russophobia, it's just a bitter cherry on the host of purely gaming problems.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    trust 77Mar 4, 2024

    The Thaumaturge invites us to immerse ourselves in a mystical and peculiar Warsaw, through a narrative experience that, although not without its ups and downs, stands out for its quality. Although it is a videogame that could have been better in many aspects, it can not be denied that Fool's Theory has created and given life to something very interesting.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 76Mar 9, 2024

    The Thaumaturge is an intriguing story-driven RPG with an isometric perspective and turn-based combat, set in an alternate history of 1905 and taking place in Warsaw. Great emphasis is placed on the story and conversations, and dialogue choices can influence the overall direction of the plot. Acquiring new salutors, completing side quests, and exploring Warsaw are enjoyable and entertaining. However, the combat system is minimalist, and the combat style doesn’t vary much. The lack of equipment upgrades and the emphasis on dialogue may not be to everyone’s taste. Nevertheless, it’s definitely an interesting title with a unique setting that will entertain all fans of story-driven RPGs.

    read full review ↗
  • 77
    trust 75Apr 5, 2024

    Exploring Warsaw at the onset of the 20th century and its many political and social topics is a fantastic experience. Expect intriguing characters, mature themes, enjoyable exploration and plenty of narrative role-play options. On the negative side, the combat quickly becomes repetitive, and some gameplay mechanics feel undercooked.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 74Mar 4, 2024

    The weaknesses in the combat prevent some cool ideas from ever fully taking off. The rushed ending, whether the result of running out of time during development or an awkward playthrough, means the plot trips at the finishing line. But the uniqueness of the setting goes a long way toward making the game an interesting sell and the characters are fun to spend time with.

    read full review ↗
  • 55
    trust 71Mar 31, 2024

    The Thaumaturge is certainly competent enough, if the prospect of a mystery with some light RPG elements sounds appealing, but don’t expect it to light your world on fire.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 70Mar 12, 2025

    The Thaumaturge is a brave game that stands out refreshingly from the mainstream, the setting is fresh and fascinating, the story complex and layered, and Fool's Theory has proven they possess genuine narrative talent and can create atmospherically dense worlds.

    read full review ↗
  • 73
    trust 69Mar 4, 2024

    The Thaumaturge is a curious experiment with an unexplored setting and a unique take on the classic turn-based combat. Fool's Theory has struck gold on the former thanks to an interesting story, rich worldbuilding, and a colorful cast of characters. However, the combat system is severely underutilized and left me wanting more. The same can be said for the investigative part of the gameplay as well. That being said, It'd be a lie if I said I didn't have fun within the said constraints. As a purveyor of Eurojank, there is a certain allure to the game that I couldn't resist. That doesn't mean you'll enjoy the game as much as I did. The Thaumaturge could have easily been one of the best RPGs of the year if it had more to offer in the gameplay department.

    read full review ↗

…and 90 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Patch 1.2.0
    Aug 12, 2026significant · resets scoring window
  2. Patch 1.1.2
    Feb 12, 2026
  3. Patch 1.1.1 Hotfix
    Jul 17, 2024
  4. Patch 1.1.1
    Jul 12, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  5. Polish dubbing now available!
    May 27, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  6. The Thaumaturge Patch 1.0.2 out now!
    Mar 20, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  7. The Thaumaturge Patch 1.0.1 out now!
    Mar 8, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  8. Steam Next Fest Demo - new patch out now!
    Oct 12, 2023significant · resets scoring window