The Thaumaturge (announced in 2022 as Project Vitriol) 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.

In this world, a force that cannot be ignored are Thaumaturges – individuals versed in taming spirit-like beings called Salutors, used for manipulation of the temperaments and affinities of other people and even ultimately in combat. The devil is in the detail - only Thaumaturges are fully aware of the Salutors’ nature and only they can perceive them in their true essence. 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.

A melting pot where luxury hotels and notorious bars in the affluent districts of the city pulse with strong drinks and loud music exist alongside messy shacks in the windy district of Powiśle. Taking center stage as our thaumaturge, Wiktor Szulski is the kind of guy who won't think twice about diving into the darkest corners of the city to investigate and stand up against the Russian Okhrana who controls its streets. In the quest trailer linked below—using his thaumaturgy powers and the might of his otherworldly salutors to lend a helping hand—Wiktor will aid a damsel in distress who is in crucial need of assistance.

This particular quest, titled ‘To Dust, You Shall Return’, unfolds across several locations in Warsaw, which was under the yoke of Russian rule at the time. Poles, Russians, and Jews all coexisted within the city’s borders as it flourished culturally and architecturally before WWII, making it the perfect setting for an RPG. First stop? The elegant Imperial Hotel, where Wiktor meets Swietłana, a member of the Tsar’s court desperate to escape the city. From there, it’s off to the London Bar and a shady neighborhood, where even shadier characters await.

Wiktor’s showdown with the Okhrana, the Tzar’s secret police, showcases our turn-based combat system. With Wiktor’s thaumaturgy, players can anticipate their enemies' moves and call upon the unique skills of ethereal beings known as salutors. Drawing inspiration from folk tales, salutors also allow players to sway people to their will—a persuasive edge in sticky situations. But remember, every power has its price. As players progress through the quest, they’ll delve deeper into Wiktor’s abilities, leveling him up to become more adept at influencing people, fighting, and exploring his surroundings while unraveling the intricacies of choice-infused dialogues.

“Genres, while practical frameworks, can feel restrictive, and as seasoned gamers, we asked ourselves here at 11 bit studios: how can we do things differently?” says Rufus Kubica, Product Management Lead. “By bypassing traditional elements that could weigh down the experience—an overloaded inventory or excess of inconsequential loot—we've crafted a meaningful, personal narrative-driven adventure with various features such as Wiktor's thaumaturgical perception, character manipulations, and our spin on a Combat system - to name a few. The Thaumaturge is a story of Wiktor’s struggles and heritage. That was the focus and that's why we and the devs at Fool's Theory decided to reshape the usual RPG quest design slightly. In many RPGs, you can tell the qualitative difference between the main storyline and side quests or fetch quests. Our goal was to ensure that the side content seamlessly integrates with the main narrative, offering players an immersive experience within the myriad of smaller stories, allowing them to get lost in the rich tapestry of 1905 Warsaw.”

Key Features:

• Shape your story – as a full-fledged RPG, it allows you to alternate your choices and make you deal with the aftermath.
• Develop your character – creating your own version of the Thaumaturge will allow you to approach situations in different ways.
• Experience unique turn-based combat and defeat your foes using human attacks and skills as well as psychic strikes delivered by Salutors.
• Influence and manipulate the temperaments of other characters to bend their will to your liking.
• Tame the power of Salutors – use the unique set of their skills to gain an advantage while exploring the world and when bringing your adversaries to their knees.
• See the world that’s inevitably gone – explore the uncommon, heavily researched historic period of the early XX century Warsaw, where crime and luxury are often two sides of the same coin. Meet historical figures and learn about their involvement in the story.
• Created in Unreal Engine 5 to deliver a detailed & beautifully crafted world.

The Thaumaturge is coming to PC (Steam/ Epic / GOG) on February 20, 2024, followed by PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions at a later date.