Dustborn

While its combat system leaves much to be desired, Dustborn is filled with a variety of fun elements focused on opening up to the people around you that truly helps the game blossom into a powerful experience. Once your trip is over you will definitely miss those you got to know, but you will be thankful you got on the bus in the first place.

A narrative adventure game, Dustborn's real strength is its diverse cast of characters that are brought to life with an impressive script and solid voice acting. And so, even though some of its gameplay elements are simply ho-hum, such as its combat and music-rhythm sections, it's still very easy to recommend.

Once you warm up to its cast, Dustborn's unique twist on a super-power adventure in an alternate-future America makes for an engrossingly great time, even if some of its gameplay leaves more to be desired.

It is rare for a game to be about something, to work its themes into every fiber of its being, to ask us to think about the world around us and reflect on who we are, the world we live in, and the things we’ve done to make it what it is. Dustborn does that, and it's special because of it. It doesn’t always work, but what it gets wrong pales in comparison to what it does right. It is a reminder that what we say and do matters. That, to quote Hemingway, “The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.” That a better world is possible, if only we have the courage to build it, if we can find th...

Games can be much more than just entertainment. While some experiences place gameplay at the forefront, others tell intimate tales personal to the creator. Dustborn is a politically motivated journey that delves into societal issues. Although the topics it covers are divisive, Red Thread Games’ commitment to telling an authentic story is evident. With a clear message, will it resonate with players seeking more than just a narrative, or will it alienate them instead?

Dustborn has solid ideas and phenomenal presentation but fails to do any of its many things well enough to be truly memorable.

Haphazard at times and calmly cacophonic at others - Dustborn has much going on, and it's far from harmonious. Nevertheless, the characters and intriguing setting help sustain interest.

Dustborn’s narrative beats are also the most enjoyable part of the game, but there’s too much stopping it from reaching its full potential

Dustborn attempts to tackle a lot of genres, and it honours most of them very well. This emotional, political road trip reaches its destination, but suffers a few too many bumps along the way.

Joining the band!

Red Thread Games' Telltale-like adventure introduces an interesting world, but its cast of misfits can't match it with their own intrigue.

Dustborn’s rhythm mini-game is just another way the game demonstrates how underdeveloped it all is. Its terribly paced narrative is married to an elementary view of authoritarianism and stars an irritating crew that never stops talking. Combat is woefully simplistic and lacks the necessary smooth controls. None of its systems fit together coherently, either, because they’re all underbaked in one way or another and, in some cases, plagued by glitches. It’s hard for Dustborn to fight the power when it’s too busy fighting with itself at every turn.