In the wake of a year that saw a resurgence in the CRPG genre, developer Fool’s Theory has a new upcoming game for fans to check out inThe Thaumaturge, slated for a February 2024 release date. Unlike some of the fantasy-inspired settings of popular CRPGs likeBaldur’s Gate 3andDivinity: Original Sin 2,The Thaumaturgemixes its more fantastical elements with a grounded historical setting in 1905 Warsaw, Poland. Although there are gameplay similarities betweenThe Thaumaturgeand these titles, its historical setting could help the game stand out and prove to be its greatest strength.
Given that CRPGs are typically built upon the foundation of a rich narrative with strong role-playing elements, the way in which they build their world can be vital to their success. While a game likeBaldur’s Gate 3relies on its setting within theDungeons and Dragonsuniverseto establish the lore surrounding its characters,The Thaumaturgehas the unique opportunity to interweave its dark fantasy elements into the real-world setting of early 20th-century Warsaw. The result could allow the game to showcase its choice-based storytelling in a context where tensions were high during a tumultuous historical period.
The Thaumaturge Can Use its Historical Setting to its Narrative and Gameplay Advantage
The story ofThe Thaumaturgefollows protagonist Wiktor Szulskias he grapples with his ancestry of thaumaturgy, utilizing his powers to tame and control ethereal entities known as Salutors. Controlling these Salutors allows Thaumaturges to manipulate others according to their will, creating a role-playing system where players can choose how to use this power. While there appear to be strong psychological themes underlyingThe Thaumaturge’s story as Wiktor battles his inner demons, there is a lot of room for political and class conflict within the game as well.
With a setting of 1905 Warsaw, players can expect to find a diverse range of backgrounds amongThe Thaumaturge’s characters, including the various Jewish, Polish, and Russian denizens who called the city home during this time. Additionally, class divisions were apparent during this period as the rule of the Russian Tsar after Poland’s annexation left many of thePolishworking class impoverished, while the Russian nobility grew even wealthier. This combination of nationalities and socio-economic backgrounds lays the groundwork for a complex system of choices for players to navigate within the story ofThe Thaumaturge.
This period of Polish history also saw the lead-up to major, world-changing events likeWorld War 1and the Russian Revolution, both of which would have drastic effects on the country and its citizens. As such, there is a lot of potential forThe Thaumaturgeto explore the political climate that would lead to these events, and even allow players to influence certain elements of the story regarding these events. For example, being able to choose whether to influence proletarian leaders in favor of revolution or convince them to stand down against the nobility would be a great way to tie real-world consequences into the game’s choice-based gameplay.
Although the Russian Revolution against the Tsar wouldn’t occur until 1917, there was a Polish-led uprising and general strike against the Russian Empire in 1905. Given the date of the event,The Thaumaturgecould end up exploring this uprising and its consequences.
Although telling a story in the context of a fictional setting can open the door for unique narratives, using a historical setting as a basis for a narrative can help make a game feel more grounded and relatable while also leaving room for supernatural fictional elements to shine. WithThe Thaumaturgehaving to stand in the shadow of amassive game likeBaldur’s Gate 3, opting for a historical setting could end up working in its favor, as it allowsThe Thaumaturgeto differentiate itself while still delivering a compelling narrative. The implications of influencing a society based on a real-world setting and political events give the game even higher stakes than others of its genre.
The Thaumaturge
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The Thaumaturge is an isometric, story-rich RPG with a unique take on turn-based combat, character development features, and investigation mechanics, facing you with morally ambiguous choices – set in a world teeming with mysterious powers and strange ethereal beings called salutors.The year is 1905. 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.A thaumaturge bears both a gift and a burden at the same time. This parallel holds true for Wiktor Szulski, the game’s titular protagonist, who is drawn back to the tumultuous streets of 20th-century Warsaw by family matters. The gift of thaumaturgy is intertwined with family legacy, passed down through one’s ancestors. This mystical inheritance significantly shapes Wiktor’s life journey tied around a pursuit of unearthly entities and their hosts. As only a thaumaturge can tame these ethereal entities - known to a select few as salutors - utilizing their mystical abilities to discover secrets hidden within the human soul and speak to the Darkness, no one understands quite like Wiktor how everyone suffers their own demons.
