If you’re ready to put in the time and effort, you might find Dustborn a serviceable game.
Among the games set in a different 2030, Red Threat Games’ narrative-driven action-adventure Dustborn made quite the fuss. It’s a game from the same developers who worked on Dreamfall Chapters. While the game has been at the center of debate since its release, it had the potential to be one of the most interesting games published this year. Sadly, it’s far away from that.
Dustborn is a game about a road trip story that goes above and beyond the norm by focusing on the transformative power of words and human connection. In theory, this is supposed to captivate and hold gamers’ attention since road trips remind us of games like Final Fantasy XV, Heading Out, or Pacific Drive, which were all amazing. But Dustborn’s bleak moments, due to the environment, survivalist reality, and emphasis on human relationships, didn’t tie up the way the devs had planned.
Premise-wise, Dustborn features an alternative uniserve, a world where John F. Kennedy managed to dodge the assassination attempt, leading to America descending into an overpowering dystopia. The game’s rich and realistic setting brings this alternate reality to life.
The United States of America, a rambling nation, is overseen by a strict government known as the Justice and protected by a group of outcasts known as the Puritans. This environment deeply influences every aspect of the game, from the storyline to the character’s motivations and the overall tone.
The protagonists of Dustborn are a band of friends attempting to make it across hostile terrain on their way to safety. However, the inclusion of numerous LGBT individuals of color in both the main and supporting casts makes it confusing. Visual novels and relationship sims are usually the first games that come to mind when considering LGBTQ+ video games.
I mean, a black and brown LGBTQ cast in a combat-based adventure game? Surely, that is unusual! It’s also unusual to jump into a game where the protagonist already has relationships with other characters, yet that’s exactly that.
From a narrative standpoint, it is structured around traditional road trips with some twists here and there. Even while it’s more than a MacGuffin—it represents hope, terror, and the unknown—the crew is on the run with an enigmatic cargo that could alter the Republic’s destiny.
Dustborn builds some suspense and mystery because it guards its secret closely and slowly reveals details. Along the way, the crew passes through a stunningly gorgeous but otherwise deserted America. Every setting, from the woods of the Pacific Northwest to the frozen tundra of Nova Scotia, is unique and beautifully rendered.
Dustborn’s story revolves around Pax, a young woman with the remarkable ability to control words. This skill is not merely a fun gaming element but rather fundamental to the game’s overall theme. Pax goes on a mental, emotional, and physical journey as she discovers her full power and struggles to understand its consequences.
As Pax, you’ll have to sift through a clue of outcasts every month; each has unique skills and history. The stoic artist views the world through the prism of imagination and melancholy, the silent mechanic who can transform nearly anything into a weapon, and the enigmatic animal whose ability to control technology is a blessing and a bane.
These individuals are more than sidekicks; they constitute the game’s driving force, giving the player a feeling of belonging and direction. Interactions between these characters show each crew member’s hopes, anxieties, and motivations.
They are snappy, humorous, and frequently moving, where the Dustborn genuinely excels. Because your decisions affect the group’s dynamics, which affect the story’s trajectory, you’re not merely a spectator as a participant.
The desolate snow-covered plains and crumbling ruins of once-great cities contribute to Dustworm’s vibrant setting. Subtle political undercurrents run throughout the game’s story, which examines topics like tyranny, defiance, and the dual role of language.
The game doesn’t mind connecting to real-life problems, and the Republic of America is a terrible but believable dictatorship. Dustworm becomes more than just a game; it becomes a commentary on the era in which we lived.
Though combat is not the main focus of the game, it has been included and offers some depth. At its core, it alerts the spectator that they are immersed in a fanciful alternate history where some areas of the United States of America are violent. However, this is basically irrelevant to the narrative.
While it occasionally falls short of expectations, that’s fine because, unlike other action-adventure games, the emphasis here is on the connections you develop with your friends, crew, and family, which form the basis of the game’s mechanics. However, just having only that is not enough.
Plus, Dustworm doesn’t stand out in gameplay, unlike other story-driven games. It all comes down to Pax’s wart-wielding and weapon-wielding abilities. This isn’t simply about the tricks; it’s a complicated system that calls for deliberate word choice and application. However, the choice mechanism is obviously confusing.
Having to make decisions you’re not happy with is a common occurrence, as are situations when the choices don’t make sense, are overly limited, or merely serve to further the plot. Even though it’s crucial in the game, the choice framework is mostly mediocre.
When Pax is in battle, she can split her foes’ decisions or even make them fight each other using her box skills. This results in an evolving system of warfare that places greater emphasis on strategy and psychological warfare and less on sheer force.
But fighting isn’t the only thing you can do in the game. Interactions with other characters, both crew members and non-playable characters (NPCs), provide the game its true richness. Words can either mend fences, reveal hidden truths, or start fights.
Despite the claims of being an action-adventure, the battle is so random that it resembles a music minigame. The fight may be more fun if Pax had faster attacks and bat hitboxes, even though her resource loop is fine. Last but not least, it appears that guarding and countering are in-game mechanics; however, it is completely unclear whether enemy attack patterns are guardable.
Regarding the use of Vox in battle, some party members allow for combination strikes, with Hoax/Eli being among the best in terms of pure anti-human damage per second. Unfortunately, not everyone at the party is always available, and I don’t think every combination attack is good. Since discovering your allies’ capabilities is a key part of solving the game’s puzzles, I also feel it’s a missed opportunity that you can’t directly manage other party members.
Determining which note is closest in the music minigame could be challenging because it employs two axes. However, the following line is always marked differently so you can make quick decisions.
Discerning the next note while using boost mode becomes more difficult, which raises point gain but removes the line color signal. As an upside, the two-axis design and the timing are surprisingly generous, so settling into this user interface isn’t a problem.
Dustborn features an intricate dialogue system, with branching pathways leading to unexpected and multiple outcomes. Every conversation in the game offers an opportunity to learn something new about the story, the characters, and the universe.
However, it’s important to note that Dustborn is not primarily an action game. Its heavy emphasis on speech and story may be unsuitable for those seeking a more fast-paced gaming experience.
Visually, Dustborn is a decent game that immerses players in its world. The expressive yet somber artwork, the color scheme that shifts from muted tones to vivid hues, and the unique character designs that mirror their personalities contribute to an immersive experience.
Each location in the game has a unique narrative to tell, adding to the richness of the world. The game’s soundtrack combines ominous tunes and defiant choruses, setting the tone for every level. The voice acting is top-notch, with every performer convincingly inhabiting their respective roles.
Some people might not enjoy Dustborn. Patience and a passion for storytelling are required due to the game’s slow pace and focus on narrative and intricate dialogue mechanics. If you’re ready to put in the time and effort, you might find Dustborn a serviceable game.
Playing Dustborn will force you to interact with the characters on a deep emotional and intellectual level. But if you’re looking for a game with innovative gaming mechanics, a compelling story, and engaging characters, Dustborn isn’t that game.
