Dustborn

 Xbox Series X
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
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  1. GAMES.CH
    Aug 14, 2024
    90
    As an overall package “Dustborn” is an absolute delight. Believable and lovable characters are combined with an intriguing story and a wild mix of gameplay variation. While the combat is mediocre and gets stale quick, the variety of little vignettes is outstanding. The voice acting is stellar and the music might be more Pop-Punk than Punk-Rock which doesn’t make it any less awesome.
  2. TheXboxHub
    Aug 22, 2024
    80
    Dustborn has a lot going for it. There’s a great story that goes down many different pathways, all while meeting a ton of interesting and diverse characters along the way.
  3. Xbox Achievements
    Aug 19, 2024
    80
    Combining dialogue-driven drama, a sprinkling of humour, interesting well-written characters, combat with a baseball bat, and a variety of other distractions, Dustborn emerges as a compelling and memorable schlep across America.
  5. MondoXbox
    Aug 14, 2024
    75
    Dustborn is a narrative adventure that starts very slowly but eventually captivates you with an intriguing plot and characters that you will grow increasingly attached to. Despite some slower parts, it keeps itself fresh and interesting by mixing different types of gameplay and a wide variety of settings. Even if it doesn't have what it takes to sit next to the top titles in the genre, if you love this kind of adventure it will keep you entertained for many hours.
  6. Xbox Tavern
    Aug 23, 2024
    70
    Where Dustborn works – its characters and story – it really works. Leaden combat and side-missions leave it a little lacking.
  7. SomosXbox
    Sep 2, 2024
    63
    Dustborn is an ambitious game that manages to excel in several ways, especially its narrative and visual style. However, it suffers from pacing issues, repetitive gameplay, and certain technical glitches that prevent it from reaching its full potential. Additionally, I feel that Red Thread Games has tried to please all gamers by including a combat system that pales in comparison to the rest of the game. This is a game with a powerful message, but you have to turn a blind eye to several aspects in order to fully enjoy it.
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  8. Edge Magazine
    Sep 5, 2024
    60
    It's well-meaning, but unserious. [Issue#402, p.108]
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  9. Gamer.no
    Aug 14, 2024
    60
    Uneven dialogue and somewhat trivial activities drag down an otherwise great experience, but Dustborn's strength still lies in the quiet moments around the campfire and the interpersonal stories that unfold there.
  10. New Game Network
    Aug 14, 2024
    52
    Dustborn grabs the generic modern day adventure game formula and adds a bunch of cliché and often annoying characters, a subpar story, some low-grade music, along with a heavy-handed dose of politics front and center, resulting in a middling and overlong road trip that's more concerned about its poorly delivered message than anything else.
  11. Cubed3
    Sep 29, 2025
    30
    Past all of the cringe dialogue and turgid gameplay, perhaps Dustborn’s biggest sin is feeling more like vacuous agitprop than an actual story. Whatever fight against fascism Pax – and by extension Red Thread Games – had in mind, it's an unintentionally hilarious one since her words feel as plastic as her bat.
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  1. Xboxygen
    Aug 15, 2024
    Setting off on a journey with Pax and all her gang was undoubtedly a superb adventure thanks to a good-looking artistic direction with a perfectly transcribed comic book theme and a gameplay that knows how to renew itself. The experience was fun and entertaining, with colourful, engaging characters with strong personalities. Thanks to a touching story that sometimes dabbles with difficult themes, the title remains captivating throughout the chapters, despite moments that drag on a little and combat phases that are enjoyable at first, but quickly become repetitive. The experience is marred by a few bugs that sometimes require you to restart the game, but there is nothing blocking it or that a patch cannot fix. Dustborn is indubitably a title not to be missed if you like narrative games with a story dealing with strong, committed topics, original gameplay, an alternative punk rock vibe and, of course, comic books.