If you, like me, have struggled to play RPGs after the beauty of Baldur's Gate 3, finding them completely outdated and dull after such a selective narrative, then fear not! I have the game for you.
Thaumaturge has everything a good RPG should: engaging characters, seeds of revolution, turn-based combat and Rasputin. No, that's not a typo, Rasputin plays a major role in The Thaumaturge. It makes sense, given the Polish setting of the early 20th century, but its inclusion isn't just for internet memes or points.
The form of Russian mythology is surrounded by mysticism and magical aura. It is said that he was resurrected many times, so this is normal. He is said to have been to other places too, but that is between him and the Queen.
What makes a Thaumaturge special?
The Thaumaturge takes these mystics and translates them into a fantasy sense of the historical era that Rasputin & co. live In this central European version, demons are real and thaumaturges are sent to deal with them. It's you. You are the thaumaturge. Like the name.
This gives you a distinct advantage when it comes to detective work. You have natural abilities as a thaumaturge, such as the ability to detect feelings and memories around certain objects. The original mission sees you trying to reconstruct what happened before a big fire in a remote town. Do you see pure fear from those who died, or anger, saying that they burned? And what does Rasputin do with all this? He thinks it's a demon called salutor. Of course.
These salutors can be controlled and bent to your will, then come to your aid if you sow seeds of political dissent or punch a Russian soldier. While the options aren't as open as Baldur's Gate 3 (what game?), the combat is far better.
It's all round-based, just like BG3, but the order of rounds can change depending on what you choose to do. Fast attacks do less damage, powerful attacks last longer as you move the unit. But chaining together with your salutor is almost always the best strategy, especially when you outnumber the opposing troops. But what use is a gun against the power of magic?
Thaumaturge is perfect for Console
If Thaumaturge sometimes turns to the cRPG brand as a heavy adventure read, the combat and exploration are perfect for the console. As long as there's an option to increase text size, I can't wait to see my salutator slash royalists in the back with a rusty glaive when it drops on Xbox and PlayStation on December 4th.
There's a lot more depth that I haven't gone into for fear of writing too technically, but none of it makes up for the frustration when it comes to the game. The skill trees fit perfectly with the game environment, the role play is varied and engaging, and
If you're sick of games that don't let you be evil (looking at you, Dragon Age: The Veilguard), if you want a game that lets you be an enforcer of Czarist rule. or revolutionaries looking to topple it and offer a fitting end, then The Thaumaturge will scratch that itch. Plus, it's about 20 hours long, which in my eyes is the perfect length for an indie RPG (looking at you, Metaphor). Whether you've just heard of this game, or are looking for an excuse to play it again, a console launch is the perfect time for one.
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The Thaumaturge let me know what I was missing from the screencast
I never wanted my game to slow down.
