Dustborn Review: This Emotional, Political Road Trip Reaches Its Destination But Hits A Few Bumps

Yes, Red Thread Games' Dustborn is a road trip across a post-apocalyptic America that attempts to delve into political questions. But it's also a rhythm game, an interactive comic book, and a Telltale-style choose-your-own adventure. Dustborn attempts to do a lot of things throughout its playtime, and it does most of them very well owing to its groundbreaking visuals and interesting characters. But it also falls short in a few areas, with some clumsily-written dialogue and a lack of depth in some portions.

Players take on the role of Pax, an "Anomal" with special powers, as she travels across the "Divided States of America" with a group of three others. Their journey all takes place in a highly stylized futuristic world, designed to look like a comic book in every aspect from the colours to shading to the lineart. It feels like a comic book, too, with its pacing, action, and approach to combat — you battle with your dialogue, and it appears in big, bold letters right on the screen. But rather than a "Pow!," you're given a "Girlboss!" and a "Trigger!".

While it may come off as a bit gimmicky at times, this fearless design choice makes Dustborn decidedly unique, and ensures that every scene is all the more immersive and gorgeous. It’s clear that developers put a lot of thought into honing this distinctive comic book style, too. As you move your camera around freely, you get the feeling of looking 360 degrees around a comic book frame. Style never feels like an afterthought, and it really gives the game a nice polish that makes it stand out.

The game is visually gorgeous, but Dustborn's characters are an equal strong point. And they should be. If a game that focused so much on characters' relationships and emotions failed to develop its protagonists in favour of beautiful graphics, there wouldn't be much substance to make the game worth playing. Thankfully, Red Thread Games manages to both create an interesting setting as our protagonists cross the "Divided States of America" on a dangerous road trip, while allowing its characters room to breathe.

Most of the "First Four" —Pax (our playable character and main protagonist), Sai, Theo, and Noam— have their own unique abilities as Anomals, allowing them to influence others with the power of their voice. These abilities both tie into their personalities and develop them further. Noam —my personal favourite character— is both refined and mysterious, with the ability to "gaslight" others with her voice. Sai, Pax's best friend, has super strength thanks to the power of her own vocals. Theo, despite lacking an ability of his own, is the mission's leader.

I ended up falling in love with all of them as I played, and found myself truly interested in what "codas" I'd end up with. These codas are defined by how you interact with characters, and ultimately also impact how they react. For example, if you joke that Theo is like a dad to you, he'll lean into the role. Both what you say and what you do with your ability affects those codas. This gives the player lots of flexibility on every playthrough, and definitely adds to replayability, since most interactions differ based on how you act.

Unfortunately, while the characters are a highlight, the way they're written doesn't always do them justice. Dustborn isn't afraid to get political or emotional, but that up-front approach to sensitive topics comes both to its benefit and its detriment. Some tense moments left me truly emotional, and I ended up caring a lot about where I said the right thing or upset a friend. But some of the dialogue felt more out of a kids' book than a tense, political comic book, and the game is sometimes afraid to lean into that same depth that it seems to want to champion. While good-intentioned, characters shouting phrases like "girl power!" come off as a bit shallow when there's an absence of more nuanced discussions surrounding gender inequality in the game, for example.

Dustborn's gameplay offers a little more than just Life is Strange-style decision-making and a bit of combat, though. Lots of the game involves walking around, fighting with your words, and, of course, developing your relationships with others. But the nature of your situation also adds something somewhat unexpected: Guitar Hero elements. As you attempt to evade the authorities, you'll pose as a punk rock band called the Dustborn (yep, that's where the game's name comes from). These segments have you playing a little rhythm game as the gang joins you in song. I would've liked these portions of the game a bit more if the songs' lyrics were less on the nose and offered more variety, but they do provide a refreshing little break from all the chatter.

Overall, Dustborn is an ambitious and visually striking game that successfully blends a variety of genres into a cohesive experience that's like nothing before it. Its bold comic book aesthetic and unique approach to combat set it apart, making every scene feel dynamic and immersive. The game's dedication to character development and emotional storytelling shines through, especially in the "First Four,"

While it stands out in many areas, Dustborn is not without its flaws. While the visual and narrative innovation is commendable, some of the dialogue falls short of the game's potential, occasionally feeling superficial or clichéd when tackling complicated themes. The rhythm segments are a creative addition and are a nice break from the abundance of dialogue, but could benefit from more depth and variety to fully capitalize on their potential.

While the game's somewhat awkward dialogue and on-the-nose approach to complicated topics hold it back at times, Dustborn's combination of comic book flair, vibrant characters, and innovative gameplay hold up enough to make this a must-try for many players.