To describe The Thaumaturge using only regular genre terms is a complicated endeavor, since the title tends to mix and match so many different ideas that you wouldn’t really expect would go together particularly well. More than anything, however, The Thaumaturge is a narrative RPG, with a turn-based combat system thrown in for good measure. However, you don’t really fight that often in this game. Rather, most of your time will be spent in investigating your surroundings, trying to solve mysteries, figure out the political landscape of Warsaw, and along the way, maybe convince a few monsters to work with you rather than against you.

Before we get to all of that, however, it’s important to talk about just how seriously The Thaumaturge takes its presentation. When it comes to minute-to-minute gameplay, the game can look downright gorgeous at moments. While it goes without saying that the primary setting of Warsaw is wonderfully detailed, especially when you start paying attention to some of the finer aspects of architecture, like the gorgeous building facades and even the village that acts as the game’s tutorial has a similar level of detail crammed into just about every corner. However, the game doesn’t allow you to control the camera. The game will decide the best angle according to the situation, and, T=thankfully, the camera never gets in the way of gameplay.

"The Thaumaturge nails it on most counts on both the audio and visual front"

Along with the visual presentation, the game also features an excellent soundscape. The hustle and bustle of Warsaw’s train station is predictably dense, giving the sense that they are in constant use by commuters of all kinds. Going into the more industrial areas of the city also similarly fills the atmosphere with the clanging and banging of factory workers, and crowd noises of the revolutionaries trying to get the oppressed workers to rise up against inhumane working conditions. When it comes to presentation, The Thaumaturge nails it on most counts on both the audio and visual front, and this carries over into the voice acting as well.

Characters are expressive and their accents have been executed well enough that the game makes you believe that they grew up in the area where you meet them. The only real downside here is that the animations for characters while speaking is not very well implemented. While far from a deal breaker, characters talking to each other often feels incredibly janky, and the generally slow speed at which they tend to say every line makes the “Skip Dialog” button a gift for those of us that can read the subtitles faster than the characters can say their dialougues.

Aside from the overall presentation, the two main stars of The Thaumaturge are its story and its unique combat system. The story revolves around the eponymous thaumaturge Wiktor Szulski, who is empowered with the ability to control demonic entities, known in the setting as salutors. These salutors each have unique abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and awesome designs. After going through the game’s opening and learning of his own father’s death, Wiktor sets out on a journey of self-discovery and mystery-solving. A lot of the story in The Thaumaturge revolves around historical events of the time, with the emphasis on an oncoming revolt of the working class against their wealthy bosses.

As is the case with any brewing revolt, there are several factions at play, and this is where the role-playing aspect of The Thaumaturge comes into play. There are several points throughout the game where Wiktor has to make choices, be it minor ones like how you’re going to convince a particularly antagonistic guard to get out of your way, to bigger choices, like maybe turning in a woman that’s seemingly hiding ammunition to the local police or helping her out and uncovering something much larger at play. The factions aren’t really present as much of a mechanic as they are as branching paths in the game’s story. You’re not going to get to grind out reputation with certain factions, for instance. Rather, you’re going to make choices that define whether a faction’s goals happen to align with yours, thus opening and closing different branches of the story.

This implementation of factions is quite interesting, since it manages to avoid adding unnecessary complications to the core mechanics of the game. You’re instead encouraged to really put yourself in Wiktor’s shoes, and think about how he would tackle any given situation.

"There are several points throughout the game where Wiktor has to make choices"

The Thaumaturge has this incredibly interesting turn-based combat system, but there just isn’t enough fighting in the game. When you get into a fight, you are presented with a time-table of sorts, letting you know when your opponents are going to use abilities or attack. On your turn, you can execute a single action per unit, in the early game this means that Wiktor gets one attack, and his salutor gets one. While your attacks start out pretty simple, be it a quick jab or a high-damage long-winded punch, soon enough, you get to modify your abilities with passive bonuses. I fell in love with combining the jab with a 50 percent chance to interrupt an opponent’s planned attack, which started letting me drown that one opponent in a barrage of attacks before he could finally land one of his own.

Along with regular attacks, there are also statuses at play. While most of these largely boil down to fancier implementations of a damage-over-time effect, one notable status, achieved by reducing a target’s focus, lets Wiktor go all-out with a high-damage attack that might even have some interesting bonuses attached. The salutor can similarly use a fancy attack of their own, with different salutors having different effects with their attacks. For example, one of them can heal Wiktor for half the damage he deals to an enemy.

Outside of the combat, the gameplay revolves around mostly just going around, talking with a bunch of people, and investigating weird things on the ground. Since The Thaumaturge is largely about solving mysteries, a core mechanic in the game is finding clues that connect with each other, ultimately leading you to the answer for whatever mystery you might be solving. For the sake of keeping things spoiler-free, let us take an example from the prologue. A salutor is haunting the village, feeding into the villagers’ negative emotions. By looking into the time frame around which this change in the villagers’ behavior started, and by observing certain pointers that pertain to a particularly scared and irritable lady, Wiktor ultimately finds himself in his first boss fight. Ultimately, this investigative aspect doesn’t really rely on the player connecting the dots themselves. Instead, it acts as a sort of breadcrumb method to tell smaller stories in the larger world, making it a much more interesting approach to investigative gameplay than throwing up a big board where you’re connecting different clues and what not.

"There just isn’t enough fighting in the game."

Generally speaking, The Thaumaturge is an incredibly interesting game. It looks and sounds fantastic (as long as you are okay with bad NPC animations when they speak), and its turn-based combat system is one of the most interesting ones out there that still manages to keep things surprisingly simple. The writing in The Thaumaturge is also quite intriguing, especially for those among us who might be interested in a historic setting, and wondering how supernatural elements can fit into a world on the brink of uprising and chaos.

This game was reviewed on PC.

In the statement making the announcement, the studio and publisher reveal that the decision to delay the game was made due to the busy game release schedule for February. The studio has also stated that it can take this time to give The Thaumaturge some additional polish.

“We’re happy to share that the game is now complete, and numerous reviewers already have it in their hands,” 11 bit studios and Fool’s Theory said in a statement. “At the same time, taking February’s busy launch period into account and the opening for a better release window, we’ve decided to take this opportunity to give The Thaumaturge more breathing room so it receives the attention we believe it deserves.”

“We want you to have enough time to enjoy the game in full, and we feel that the current release window is not the perfect moment for it. With that in mind, we are moving the launch date to March 4, 2024. The additional time we’re getting will be used to polish the game further so that your journey through the streets of 1905 Warsaw is even more enjoyable.”

The Thaumaturge was originally unveiled back in March 2023. The takes place in the rather unique setting of 1905 Warsaw, and is an RPG that focuses primarily on its narrative. The game is set to have a unique take on character development features, combat, and investigation mechanics.

There will also be supernatural aspects to the game’s story and setting through the presence of beings known as Salutors. Perceived only by the eponymous Thaumaturges, these beings can be tapped into for their unique abilities.

The Thaumaturge is set for release on PC. PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions are also in development, but remain undated.

State of Decay 3

Undead Labs has been working on State of Decay 3 for quite a while now, and there’s no word on when it will be released. The only semblance of concrete information that we have at the moment is a short teaser trailer that showcases a frosty setting, infected animals, and a protagonist screeching at the top of her lungs. It looks to be taking a more mature and darker route with its general themes and vibe, which looks pretty fascinating, to be honest. Hopefully, more will be revealed in the coming weeks and months.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will put players back in the shoes of series protagonist Senua as she tries to survive on a brutal Viking island inhabited by towering giants and other threats, both physical and the ones stemming from her twisted psyche. The gameplay will obviously revolve around exploring and taking part in frenetic encounters, though fans can expect several improvements and additions over the original. It will be released on May 21 for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime this year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Developer GSC Game World is rounding up work on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chorbonyl, which is primed to bring the long-forgotten post-apocalyptic franchise back into the limelight. Set in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will task players to make a living in a world brimming with mutated creatures and factions ready to maul at the smallest of wrong steps. It looks gorgeous thanks to Unreal Engine 5, and it’s on track to release for Xbox Series X/S and PC on 5 September 2024.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the next step in this behemoth of an open-world franchise, which transports players to a tropical paradise complete with all the bells and whistles that one would expect from such a setting. Infinite Wealth is set to star both Majima and Ichiban in one story, so you know it’s going to be a tale that’s equal parts whacky and engaging. The trailer showcases different forms of side activities ranging from bike racing to surfboarding and of course, eccentric turn-based brawls. It will be released on 26 February 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Tekken 8

The Tekken series returns with a sequel that seems primed to take the franchise to the next level. The gameplay will obviously revolve around engaging in brutal brawls against recognizable characters, but Tekken 8 introduces new ideas that include but are not limited to the Heat System which should serve to make these battles fast and frenetic like never before. Add to that an Arcade Quest which lets you craft your custom avatar and embark on an epic quest punctuated by challenging battles, and Tekken 8 is looking like a worthy sequel in more ways than one. It comes out on January 26, 2024, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Still Wakes the Deep

Still Wakes the Deep is all about trying to save a ship and its crew from imminent danger all while the lines between what’s real and what’s surreal start to blur out. It’s a highly atmospheric game where the visuals and audio do a lot of heavy lifting in trying to create a compelling experience. It sounds pretty promising, and we will be checking it out when it releases sometime soon for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Helldivers 2

In Helldivers 2, a group of players drops into a galaxy ravaged by war and conflict and must serve as the galaxy’s last line of defense to save humanity from imminent extinction. It’s a third-person shooter where you take on waves of enemies, but what makes it special is the sheer scale at which the entire conflict takes place. It’s all pretty impressive and might be worth taking a look when it comes out for PC and PS5 on 8 February 2024.

Hades 2

Hades stands tall as one of the best roguelites of recent memory, so it stands to reason that the hype and anticipation surrounding its sequel is going to be of some great magnitude. Hades 2 will feature some incredibly slick action and tons of gameplay options. Hades 2 is a tantalizing sequel that many are looking forward to. It comes out on PC via early access sometime in Q2 2024.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is an upcoming RPG with unique gameplay mechanics. Set against the drop of a mystical world brimming with gargantuan creatures and magical powers, Dragon’s Dogma 2 puts you on the path of a warrior who must defeat these hostile creatures in any way they choose. The RPG promises better visuals, more open-world options, and even more flexibility in how you choose to go about encounters or how to decide to build out your character. It’s all very exciting news for RPG fans, as Dragon’s Dogma 2 will be dropping for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on 22 March 2024.

The Thaumaturge

Developer Fool’s Theory is hard at work on The Thaumaturge, an isometric RPG set in 20th-century Warsaw. As a person with the ability to perform miracles, our protagonist sets out on a journey to defeat villainous forces called the Salutors all while struggling to overcome his personal demons. It’s a novel concept, and those unique themes resonate with the gameplay as well which features turn-based combat where you can chain together physical and psychic attacks and make choices that significantly alter the course of your story. The Thaumaturge releases for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on 20 February 2024.

Nightingale

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Pacific Drive

Currently in development at Ironwood Studios, Pacific Drive represents an excellent yet unconventional mishmash of genres – namely survival and racing. It essentially gives you a run-down station wagon, and tasks you to make it out of the Olympic Exclusion Zone. As you progress deeper and deeper into its twisted world, you will gain resources that can be used to upgrade your wagon and make it more suitable for harsher environments and unfriendly terrains. It all sounds really promising, and we will be checking it out when it releases for PC and PS5 on 22 February 2024.

Ark 2

Studio Wildcard’s Ark turned out to be a massive hit amongst fans thanks to its co-op nature and other unique ideas, and the developer will be taking those ideas and crafting something greater with Ark 2. The sequel is set to have a bigger focus on the story with a star-studded cast composed of Hollywood actors like Vin Diesel, and that combined with the survival action gameplay should make Ark 2 a game that’s worth spending dozens upon dozens of hours on. It will be released for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in late 2024.

Clockwork Revolution

Clockwork Revolution comes from the folks at inXile Entertainment, which is best known for its work on the Wasteland series. The team has brought its amazing world-building chops to this project as well, where players will be exploring the steampunk world of Avalon during multiple time periods and make choices that will have a compounding effect on what happens in the future. The gameplay will revolve around defeating the many mechanical monstrosities that stand between you and your objective through the use of many different weapons and special abilities. It will be released for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Grand Theft Auto 6 (Likely)

Easily one of the most anticipated games of all time, Grand Theft Auto 6 will thrust players into a fictionalized recreation of Miami. The story seems to be heavily inspired by the adventures of Bonnie and Clyde, and will most likely combine a love story with a criminal tale which sounds like an enchanting prospect. While details on the gameplay front are scant for now, we can expect new announcements as we reach its imminent release in 2025. It’s already confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X | S but it will likely be arriving on PC sometime after that.

Palworld

Palworld is one of the most creative games on the list; simply due to its hook of combining cute cuddly Pokemon-like creatures with a violent world where they are forced to take up realistic weapons and fight for your cause. It takes cues from several games like Ark, and of course Pokemon, and what we get is an experience that’s equal parts fresh and recognizable. It definitely has plenty of potential, and we hope it manages to stand true to those promises. It’s now available on PC in early access.

Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss is working on Crimson Desert, a really ambitious RPG that takes cues from genre greats to create an experience that feels equal parts fresh and recognizable. The world itself is brimming with all sorts of quests to track, magical doors to unlock, and animals to pet. In addition to its excellent gameplay variety, Crimson Desert also impresses with its visual fidelity and general art direction. Hopefully, it will be able to stand true to its promises when it comes out for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S sometime in the near future.

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition

The trend of Sony’s first-party games making it to PC continues with Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition, which is being handled by Nixxes Software. This edition of the excellent post-apocalyptic sequel comes packed with the Burning Shores DLC, and players can expect a bevy of sliders and options to help them strike the perfect balance between graphics and performance – or if you have a particularly strong PC, crank the game up to even higher standards. It will be released sometime in early 2024, so we can expect an announcement to pop up in the coming weeks and months.

Star Wars: Outlaws

We knew that Massive Entertainment was working on a new Star Wars game, and the very first details of Star Wars: Outlaws have finally been revealed. The game thrusts players into setting brimming with villainous factions and other dangerous forces, and you are free to chart your own path through different means such as stealth or action. Star Wars: Outlaws will also include a notoriety system, so there’s quite a bit to look forward to. It comes out sometime this year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Enshrouded

Enshrouded puts you in the shoes of a destined warrior known as the Flameborn who must rise to the call of duty and reclaim the former glory of your once-blooming kingdom, and doing that requires journeying through multiple biomes and crafting sprawling settlements throughout its massive world. Enshrouded is a survival game with intricate crafting and building systems, and while it might not be the most original take on the genre – it definitely sounds fun thanks to its dark fantasy roots and 16 player co-op support. It will be released in early access on 24 January, 2024.

The Thaumaturge takes place in Warsaw during the early 20th century, after it has been annexed by the Russian Empire. Players will be forced to make morally-ambiguous choices as they play through the story.

The game also features an undercurrent of supernatural aspeccts through the presence of beings called Salutors. These beings can only be percieved by the eponymous Thaumaturges, who can also use their unique abilities.

Alongside with helping out with the general narrative-heavy gameplay of The Thaumaturge, these Salutors will also be useful in the game’s turn-based combat, allowing players to use powerful abilities against the dangerous encounters.

The Thaumaturge doesn’t yet have a release date, but its announcement trailer indicates that it will only be available on PC at launch.