Dustborn

Dustborn is a game with a lot going for it, especially if you’re a fan of choice-heavy narrative adventures with a core cast of likable characters who develop a genuine and touching found family dynamic as they travel. It isn’t a perfect game, especially with its limiting combat component, but its strengths make it compelling. I came to care about Pax and her merry band the more I played, and that’s reason enough for me to recommend the game to those interested in it. The power of language and words can be frightening, but the tales they sometimes tell can also be wondrous and moving. Admittedly, Dustborn might not be for everyone, but it provides an enjoyable ride for those it does resonate with.

Dustborn is a captivating narrative adventure that combines a rich, alternate history setting with diverse gameplay mechanics, delivering a memorable experience despite minor technical quirks.

A warm-hearted road trip in a future that is as dystopian as it is optimistic, with very lively and varied dialogue as its greatest strength.

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 the right words to speak it into existence. Let there be light.

Dustborn is a very strange game: in its narrative and graphic adventure component, the game is of unique beauty. Then every once in a while you get some fighting sessions that are really bad and you wonder why they included them.

If you like strong stories and games where your choices matter, Dustborn is for you. It's a game that's more about the journey and the people you meet along the way than action-packed battles or complex game mechanics. If you're looking for a game with deep and satisfying combat mechanics, there are better alternatives out there.

Overall, it was enjoyable to watch the relationships between the characters unfold. However, the prologue soured it early on for me, as it felt a bit too overexaggerated. The conversations and getting to explore new environments were some of the best parts of Dustborn, while I unfortunately found the combat system to be a little lacking in places. Still, the idea for this game is incredibly unique and one that I really enjoyed.

Dustborn is an adventure game that offers a mix of genres, catering to a wide range of tastes. It seamlessly transitions from exploration phases in the style of classic graphic adventures with environmental puzzles, to more action-packed moments, and even includes many musical mini-games. The game features a cast of finely crafted characters that are impossible not to grow attached to. At the same time, it presents a wide variety of uniquely beautiful settings, all enhanced by the splendid comic book art style that defines the entire adventure.

Dustborn is divided into three parts. The plot, the adventure, and the action. The last two are the least interesting, unstructured and often require more attention than they should, but fortunately they fail to spoil what good the team has done with the characters and the game world. In a dystopian future that is all but unimaginable, a group of outcasts rebels, grows, discovers itself and forges new bonds.