The Thaumaturge: Everything We Know

The Witcher Remake developer Fool's Theory is heading up a new story-driven isometric RPG, and it's heading to PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG on an undisclosed date. So, what is the so-called The Thaumaturge all about, and how much do we know about it?

As it stands, there isn't a release date in sight, let alone a roadmap outlining its key development milestones. Fortunately, though, Fool's Theory has taken the liberty of filling in some of the major blanks either through its social network, or its Steam listing. If you're curious to know more, then read on. Here's everything we can currently tell you about The Thaumaturge.

What Is The Thaumaturge?

The Thaumaturge is an upcoming isometric RPG by Fool's Theory. In the game, players take on the role of a Thaumaturge, a magic-wielding citizen who bears the power to perceive “Salutors,” ancient demons that lurk in the shadows of 1905 Warsaw, and twist unknowing citizens' thoughts into spilling their deepest, darkest secrets.

Set in the late 20th century, The Thaumaturge will plant you in the center of class-conscious Warsaw, a tainted world in which groups of various backgrounds are divided by wealth and status. Below the city streets, tucked away in the shadows is an ancient species—Salutors—esoteric beings that harvest citizens' memories. This is where you, a Thaumaturge, will begin your journey.

Story

“The year is 1905,” the blurb begins. “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.”

Fool's Theory has described The Thaumaturge as being a story-driven game, one that will ask you to endure “morally ambiguous choices”—pathways that may or may not shape the future of the world around you. As one of the city's Thaumaturges—”individuals versed in taming spirit-like beings called Salutors”—you will have the power to both influence and manipulate those around you. The only issue is, well, only you and you alone will have to deal with the consequences. Question is, will you do what's morally right by the people of Warsaw, or will you exploit its darkest secrets? In The Thaumaturge, it's entirely your world.

“The devil is in the details – only Thaumaturges are fully aware of the Salutors’ nature and only they can perceive them in their true essence,” the blurb explains. “Their capability to influence others significantly and demonstrably increases their ability to change the surrounding world – however, Thaumaturgy is a power that should be used with caution.”

Gameplay

The Thaumaturge is a full-fledged RPG, which means, you know, the devil's in the detail. As such, players can expect to spread their hours between exploring 20th century Warsaw, and engaging in various life-changing decisions that will both alter the course of your own path, as well as those you come into contact with. And not only that, but also using the power of the Salutors to compete against a multitude of foes in classic turn-based combat. All of this will be neatly enveloped in a steampunk-like vessel—a gloomy yet effortlessly intriguing metropolis brimming with secrets.

As with any RPG, The Thaumaturge will feature a myriad of talent and progression systems. As a Thaumaturge, you will have the power to recruit your own personal Salutor, a demon with which you will have the ability to evolve and exploit for your own private needs. How you use your Salutor, of course, is entirely up to you.

Development

Fool's Theory, a Poland-based team that has recently cast its eye on remaking The Witcher under the guidance of CD Projekt Red, will be piloting the upcoming isometric RPG. Besides the aforementioned remake, Fool's Theory has also been behind games including Baldur's Gate III, Outriders, and Seven. 11 bit studios, the team that brought Frostpunk to light, will publish The Thaumaturge.

Trailer

So, has Fool's Theory released a trailer for The Thaumaturge yet? In short, yes. In fact, since the game was first announced on February 27th, the studio has actually put out not one, but two trailers — an announcement trailer, and a gameplay trailer. You can check out the initial announcement footage in the embed above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

The Thaumaturge will be launching on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG. It hasn't been said yet whether or not it will be coming to consoles. Having said that, as it is still early days, this isn't likely to be clarified until a little further down the line. If anything does get mentioned on the matter, we'll be sure to let you know as soon as it becomes available.

At this moment in time, neither Fool's Theory nor 11 bit studios have mentioned anything about releasing any form of special or deluxe editions of The Thaumaturge. Is this subject to change? Absolutely. But again, as the project itself is still ironing out a lot of the details, this isn't likely to receive a formal announcement for a while. We'll keep tabs, regardless.

For more information on The Thaumaturge launch, you can follow the official social handle here. If we spot anything else before its eventual release, then we'll be sure to staple all the details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of The Thaumaturge when it drops? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.