The Thaumaturge New Gameplay Trailer Unveiled by Frostpunk Publisher

The game's announcement trailer hid a special showcase for The Thaumaturge's gameplay.

Fool's Theory and 11-bit studios give the world a much closer look at their narrative RPG with a brief gameplay showcase that reveals a tiny bit about the story's antagonists.

Formerly titled “Project Vitriol”, The Thaumaturge is a game where you play a powerful magician capable of perceiving, summoning — and to some extent, controlling — demonic entities called “Salutors” in an alternate early 20th-century Warsaw. Here, luxury and progress is contrasted by the criminal underbelly and the volatile turn of the new century. The story involves a man who must return to his hometown to face — and exorcise — his demons.

Every trailer the publishers have released so far has only given us snippets of The Thaumaturge's world at large. But considering that the game's developer was trusted with delivering the hugely-anticipated Witcher remake, people who've had their eye on The Thaumaturge are already expecting a story-rich experience.

In 1905 Warsaw there are countless mysteries lurking in the darkness. If you watched the Announcement Trailer carefully, you might’ve stumbled upon a secret path leading you to the first gameplay video. If you missed it, you can watch it now. pic.twitter.com/vxeZ7qasLD

— The Thaumaturge (@thaumaturgegame) March 3, 2023

The trailer starts with a small cinematic of the unnamed protagonist waking up next to a spectral Salutor before showing actual in-game footage. The third-person gameplay takes us through the game's bleak and snow-marked buildings, which incorporates some of the visual aesthetic from 11-bit studio's flagship title. The fight mechanics of The Thaumaturge follow a turn-based system that lets your ghastly companions inflict damage and debuff your enemies based on HP. As a story-driven RPG, your choices in the game dictate the full outcome whenever and wherever you utilize a Salutor's esoteric power.

Further, the new gameplay trailer offered a small glimpse into the Salutor's progression system. Taking inspiration directly from Polish folklore, the creatures you thaumaturge become even more specialized the more you advance in the game. Nothing like a dash of the supernatural to raise the stakes!

At the end of the gameplay showcase, the protagonist is spoken to by an antagonistic force that says that his failure is ensured due to his arrogance. Call it a fool's theory, but this might be a clever bit of foreshadowing for players who intend to abuse the sorcerous mechanics in the game, which could lead to disastrous consequences.

Thaumaturge brings its players to a different 1905, which coincides with the approximate start of Poland's revolution against the Russian empire. But whether or not they'll choose to involve the violent uprising in the game's backdrop is anyone's guess.

The Thaumaturge focuses on its RPG aspect, letting you interact with a myriad of personalities. A gallery of interesting characters makes themselves known as you progress deeper and deeper into The Thaumaturge's eldritch mysteries.  Given the story-rich approach that it promises, the culturally diverse world and investigation mechanics just add more reasons to stay tuned for a future release date.

The Thaumaturge releases on Steam, Epic Games and GOG.

For the latest esports coverage, follow ESTNN.