A deep dive into Dustborn, one of the most criticized games of 2024. In this in-depth analysis we determine if this game truly deserves the negative reputation it received, or if there are aspects that have been overlooked by people judging a book by its cover. Watch the video version:
Dustborn Explained
Introduction
Welcome to this in-depth review of Dustborn, a game that has garnered significant attention and controversy since its release, often being labeled as one of the worst games ever made. My goal with this review is to steer clear of the culture wars and instead provide an objective analysis based on the game's merits, avoiding the social politics that have fueled much of the discourse around it. This review is full of spoilers as we will deep dive into the details of the plot. You'll find links to all sections in the description, and they should be marked on the progress bar as well, in case you want to skip ahead.
As a game reviewer, I care deeply about transparency and honesty in my videos. I’ve challenged myself to give this game a fair review to determine if it truly deserves the negative reputation it received, or if there are aspects that have been overlooked by people judging a book by its cover.
In recent years, we've seen a surge in low-effort content and the decline of quality YouTube content, with creators often producing high volumes of videos with minimal substance, reacting to other people, or repeating the latest trends to gain clicks and watch time. This type of content, sometimes referred to as "slop," has influenced how games like Dustborn are perceived. Many reviews are based on out-of-context clips, incomplete playthroughs, or even fake reviews from people who never played the game.
To better understand why this happened, we need to consider that Dustborn was released in August 2024, just before a major AAA title called Concord launched. The failure of Concord was big news, as it was considered one of the biggest flops in video game history. Concord was a live-service hero-shooter with a heavy focus on social politics and inclusivity, which ultimately flopped and led to the closure of its studio. The timing of Concord's failure primed Dustborn to be an easy target of mockery and negative reviews, with many content creators capitalizing on the controversy for clicks.
There is also the issue that Red Thread Games has a history of being government-funded, previously with Dreamfall Chapters, and now with Dustborn receiving around 1.7 million dollars from the Norwegian Film Institute and the European Union's as well as being speculated from receiving funding from the United States’ “Counter-Disinformation” program. The fact that the game was paid by taxpayers and not from sales, meant the studio could focus on divisive and controversial political agendas instead of constructing an appealing game that would be successful.
Note: This funding source was speculated to involve Dustborn but was later confirmed to pertain to a different game. It is included for historical context regarding the game's reception at the time.
I added it on text as a note on the written version as well to reflect the error on the script. I agree with you about the misinformation regarding Dustborn. The game in question was called "Cat Park" and was related to the Netherlands not Norway, it was in no way related to Red Thread Games.
— NinesTV (@nines.tv) April 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I just want to end this intro by saying that even if I disagree with Dustborn's politics and the studio's business model, I am a believer in free speech and the studio's right to express themselves. While I understand people's frustration around the topic, I think that cancel culture is harmful regardless of the side that engages in it. Like Hello Kitty Island, not every game needs to appeal to everyone, and Dustborn's approach deserves a fair assessment.
Story and Setting
Is the alternate future of 2030. You follow a group of fugitives on an undercover mission, traveling from the West Coast of the now Divided States of America to a safe haven on the East Coast of Canada. They carry critical data that might change the world, all while posing as a music band on a cultural exchange visa to avoid the authorities.
You play as Pax, an "anomal" with supernatural powers called Vox (or Vocals), which can alter the perception of words. Alongside Pax, you’ll meet Sai, Pax’s best friend; Noam, Pax’s ex; and Theo, the mission's leader.
While the game touches many themes, Dustborn is infamous for its take on diversity, inclusion, social media politics and gender identity. The game’s message is very on the nose regarding its approach to its themes. For example, the character powers work around internet slang words as “getting triggered” or “cancelling your enemies”. There is also a heavy emphasis on gender identity as your crew includes a trans and a gender fluid character, for whom the game showcases the use of their neopronouns.
In the game’s defense, while it lacks subtlety, these themes are implemented in a way that doesn’t feel out of place if you can accept the premise and the topics it’s trying to explore.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Dustborn is a story-driven game where the dialogue system lies at its core. Your decisions shape the actions and endings of your crew members. Depending on how you handle conversations, your choices affect what the game calls Codas, essentially determining the different paths the characters can take. This adds replayability, as a second playthrough allows you to make different choices and steer the characters onto new paths.
When I completed the game for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t encounter any of the outrageous outcomes seen in early video reviews. Instead, Pax seemed like a well-rounded character. It turns out that it's up to the player to portray Pax as insufferable or understanding, which I believe is one of the game's strongest aspects, allowing players to influence Pax’s personality. However, there are low points when you're forced to use Pax in a certain way, limiting player choice.
Dustborn includes various mini-games, common in the adventure genre. The most notable is the Echo catching mechanic, where you use your mouse to trap red orbs of energy that help Pax unlock new powers. While the rest of the mini-games are serviceable, they aren’t particularly memorable, and I never found myself eager to replay them.
There are a couple of mini-games I disliked. The first is washing dishes on the bus, every day they’re dirty, but cleaning them has zero consequences and isn’t referenced at all, making it a waste of time. The second is the gift system: while some gifts are straightforward, others are obscure, and the characters aren't fleshed out enough for the gifts to make sense, only generating trivial conversations that don't offer deeper character insights.
My main complaint with all the mini-games is that it doesn’t matter if you win them or not, making everything just seem pointless. For example, while performing with the band, you can miss all the notes, and the outcome will be the same as if you hit them all perfectly. This design choice is fine for easy mode but on normal and above, there should be some resistance to make the game feel like a game and not a movie.
Combat
Combat is a significant part of Dustborn, but it can be optional depending on the difficulty level. While combat sequences are usually easy, they become mandatory on Hard mode, offering the only real challenge in the game. On lower difficulty settings, most mini-games, including combat, can be skipped, making Hard mode the preferred choice for players who want some gameplay.
Pax’s main weapon is a Returning Baseball Bat that can be thrown. As you progress through the game, you loot battery packs that let you upgrade your bat skills. Your companions also assist in combat with their own powers, allowing for the creation of combos.
At first glance, the comic book-themed combat seems appealing, and I really wanted to like it. In practice, though, the combat quickly reveals its flaws. The repetitive animations, lack of sound variations, and weightless attacks make what could be a fun arcade beat-'em up feel like a drag.
The targeting is problematic due to the lack of a lock-on system for enemies. Instead, the game relies on AI auto-targeting, which often results in missed attacks, causing frustration when heavy cooldown attacks fail to connect.
The RPG elements are bland, with most skill upgrades offering only cooldown reductions or minor improvements, making them feel underwhelming and not particularly useful.
An interesting narrative mechanic involves your companions sharing personal stories or details during combat, creating a lot of banter. However, this backfires as your word-based magic attacks interrupt NPC conversations, making the combat soundscape feel convoluted. While the idea is interesting, the execution is lacking because the nonchalant banter reduces tension in supposed life-or-death situations.
In summary, the combat is passable but not a strong point for Dustborn. For veteran gamers, I recommend playing on Hard mode, as the combat is too easy on normal. The only downside to Hard mode is that some boss fights with mechanics might kill you, and the game doesn't allow skipping cinematics, so you’ll have to rewatch the same dialogues every time you die.
Visuals and Art Style
Graphics
Let’s start by addressing the engine and the game’s graphics. One of the aspects that initially drew me to the game was its art style, which reminded me of classic Telltale Games. The blend of comic book-inspired elements, such as character backgrounds and story recaps, complements the overall aesthetic and gives the game a distinct identity. While the mix of realistic and stylized visuals might feel unconventional or even divisive to some players, I found it to be an effective choice. Personally, I appreciated the graphics and felt they added to the game’s charm.
Character Design
On the other hand, one of the key reasons Dustborn failed to resonate with players is its cast of largely unlikable characters. While there are multiple factors contributing to this, I believe the game’s character design plays a significant role. The designs often lean into what many would consider “ugly” aesthetics. While bold, this choice likely alienated players, as the characters are not visually appealing or relatable.
For example, many characters are dressed in torn, filthy clothing without clear justification. Take Fred, a sentry at Camp Liberty, who is barefoot and covered in dirt. Similarly, Ziggy, who is seen cooking and washing dishes, wears clothes stained with engine grease which raises questions about hygiene. Then there’s Sol, a later-game character portrayed as a rebel leader, demolition expert, eco-terrorist, and poet. Despite his multifaceted background, he wears socks with sandals, even during long travels. These choices don’t seem to serve a purpose beyond being intentionally unconventional.
This aesthetic works on shows like Ren and Stimpy or Beavis and Butt-Head, where exaggerated, “ugly” designs are integral to the humor and tone. However, in Dustborn, this approach doesn’t enhance the storytelling or world-building. Instead, it detracts from the player’s ability to connect with the characters. Ironically, Pax stands out as a well-designed character, both visually and in terms of personality. Perhaps she should have served as a base for all character, rather than being an exception.
Another issue is the inconsistency between the realistic, intentionally unappealing designs of the main characters and the cartoony look of the more serious factions, such as the Justice officers. They are meant to represent the spearhead of the fascist government, yet their exaggerated, cartoonish appearance clashes with the grounded aesthetic of the rest of the game. This visual disconnect not only feels jarring but also undermines the tension and gravity the story is trying to convey.
Comic Book Arts
The comic book-style drawings in Dustborn are inconsistent in quality, ranging from good to outright poor. Let’s go through the cover arts first:
- Issue #0: Presents the characters with well-defined lines and detailed artwork, setting a good standard.
- Issue #1: Takes a noticeable step back. Characters are drawn out of proportion, the coloring clashes with the background, and the overall level of detail is lacking compared to the previous issue.
- Issue #2: Features a completely different art style and coloring. The characters look oddly simplified, resembling Milhouse from the Simpsons, but without glasses.
- Issues #3 and #4: Don’t stand out much, resembling the earlier art styles without adding anything special. Oddly, the art in #4 is signed, which feels unnecessary and out of place.
- Issue #5: Frankly atrocious. The quality drops significantly, with poorly executed lines, inconsistent coloring, and Pax looking nothing like her in-game counterpart.
- Issue #6: Improves slightly with a cool style and clean lines, but Eli looks unfinished, which detracts from the overall impact.
- Issue #7: Looks nice, offering a return to a more polished and cohesive style.
- Issue #8: A disaster. The artwork looks less like a drawing and more like a beginner’s Photoshop project. Additionally, Noam is wearing clown shoes for whatever reason.
- Issue #9: Shows Eli and Ziggy looking cool and dynamic, but Pax ruins the scene. She’s holding an officer but shows no emotion or struggle, making her appear disconnected from the rest of the action.
- Issue #10: Visually striking but makes little sense in context. It depicts all the characters clashing, yet enemies are placed next to allies, and many of the characters shown are no longer part of the story at this point. It’s also inconsistent with the rest of the covers, which at least attempted to tie into the narrative.
The inside drawings, however, are mostly consistent and align more closely with the characters as depicted in the game. Ironically, these often look better than the covers, which is unusual since comic covers are typically designed to be more visually appealing than the interior content.
Photography
The game features many scenes with strong cinematography, including a well-implemented feature that allows players to switch the camera to fixed cinematic angles. While the free camera movement remains available, these preset positions provide a dynamic way to view scenes without disrupting the flow of the conversations. This attention to visual presentation is one of the game’s strongest points.
Voice Acting
The voice acting is a mixed bag, but this seems more a result of inconsistent direction than the actors' abilities. Despite the challenges, some performances stand out. I especially liked Pax’s reflection scenes, which added depth to her character, and Sai’s energy and enthusiasm in moments where she’s excited or happy—these scenes showcase her at her best. However, there are plenty of awkward line deliveries across the board, particularly in more serious or dramatic scenes, which feel like a result of poor direction rather than a lack of talent.
Animations
On the other hand, the animations are a mixed bag. Most of the time, they work well, with characters facing the person who is talking or reacting with appropriate facial expressions. However, in other scenes, the animations fall into the uncanny valley, with characters feeling like puppets that never interact with the environment. They often look stiff, unnatural, or fail to react convincingly to the conversations.
Music & the Band Thematic
The band songs were recorded in the legendary Abbey Road Studio in London with Dominique Tipper (from the Expanse) as the lead voice. The soundtrack, composed by Simon Poole, is a mixed bag, with the band songs being the worst part of it. Dustborn is the name of their band, which is supposed to be punk rock, but their sound has nothing punk rock about them—not the aesthetic, not the sound, not the attitude.
- “We are the Dustborn”: Has a good alternative rock sound, but the lyrics are just terrible, and the lead voice doesn’t match the vibe of the music.
- “Chasing Echoes”: Reminds me of the first “Evil X” fight in Scott Pilgrim vs the World.
- “The Gig Grind”: Another song with terrible lyrics that have no message.
- “Influence Apocalypse”: Has a much stronger delivery by Tipper, with some good screams, and is probably their best song. In summary, their whole set is terrible, and the band would have been better off without vocals.
The whole band aspect of the story, in my opinion, is one of the worst parts of the game. It just doesn’t make any sense that these characters, with no musical background, would have their lives depend on passing as professional musicians on an international tour while playing some goofy, toy-like instruments that they are learning to play on the go. It’s just too unbelievable to take them seriously as a real band.
While the band songs are bad, they only make up 6 minutes of the 70-minute soundtrack. In contrast, the background music tracks are solid and significantly help set the mood in different types of scenes. In general, the music is good, except for the 4 songs the band plays.
There is a standout track, though, called "Good Ways to Cry", performed by Charlotte Hatherley, which is, in my opinion, the best song on the soundtrack. It's unfortunate the band's music didn’t follow this direction, because this style fits the characters better and is more in touch with the melancholy the story is trying to convey.
Performance & User Experience
Dustborn runs on the Unity engine, utilizing custom shaders to achieve its comic book aesthetic. During my two playthroughs, I experienced occasional frame rate drops and visual glitches, though these were rare.
However, I encountered a more significant, recurrent bug that could disrupt the gameplay experience. This issue seems tied to accessing a menu while a companion is performing a specific event, causing it to cut off and fail to restart properly. In some cases, this halted story progression entirely, forcing a reload to continue.
The loading system is another area that needs improvement. Save points are inaccurately labeled, making it difficult to return to specific moments. For example, to start Issue 8, you might need to load the end of Issue 7, which feels unintuitive and frustrating.
A major frustration is the inability to skip scenes. At times, the game forces you into unnecessary conversations to artificially advance the story. For instance, the Battle of the Bands event won’t start until you’ve spoken to everyone in the room about trivial topics, like advising them not to drink or discussing the triangle. These pacing issues suggest the game wasn’t thoroughly tested, especially since features like scene skipping have been industry standards for decades.
On the positive side, the game offers a range of settings and options that include basic video and sound adjustments, a streamer mode, and a privacy mode that allows you to share your decisions with the developers’ database, which also displays how many players made similar choices. Additionally, the subtitle options are robust, allowing customization of size, color, background, and font type.
Despite these issues, the problems are relatively minor. I only had to reload a few times due to bugs halting story progression. The game ran stable on my modest PC, and I didn’t experience any crashes. The developers appear committed to maintaining the game for now, with the latest patch released on December 13, 2024. They’ve also addressed some narrative gaps by adding new scenes in an effort to fix plot holes in the story and recently expanded their free demo, now featuring the first two chapters of the game.
Character Analysis
We are going to analyze the main characters for a bit in order to keep the story flowing once we deep dive into it.
Pax
Pax is the central character in Dustborn, who is introduced as a con artist. This character choice may seem contentious, but it serves to establish her complex nature early on. Pax can be abrasive and manipulative, but the player's choices can also reveal a softer, more compassionate side to her personality.
Pax embarks on a journey seeking a better life in the unknown territories of Nova Scotia. She is grateful that her friends have joined her on this perilous quest. Her unexpected reunion with her sister after a 16-year separation introduces significant tension as Pax attempts to mend their fractured relationship.
Throughout the story, Pax is driven by a self-imposed mission to rescue as many Anomals as possible while navigating the treacherous path to Nova Scotia. This mission aligns with her overarching character arc, which centers on her struggle to become a better person. It also shows Pax’s protective nature as she is always worrying about the well-being of her friends as well as being the main fighter of the group when problems arise.
While Theo is the leader of the mission, both Theo and the rest of the characters look up to Pax when there is an important decision to make, as everyone knows she is the person holding the group together.
Pax's journey is marked by her habitual use of her powers for personal gain, a tendency that causes inner conflict. She longs to wield her powers positively but often resorts to manipulation to achieve her goals. This duality creates a compelling internal struggle that the player can explore throughout the game. Depending on your dialogue choices you can also affect the course of the story for your companions, when and how you use your powers will affect the Coda mechanics, giving them different endings based on your decisions.
Her reflection scenes offer valuable insight into her psyche, allowing players to understand her motivations and the way she perceives the situations she encounters. These moments make it easier for players to relate to Pax and invest in her development as a character. There are also the flashback scenes that dive a bit into her past, giving you snippets of some key plot points, like her childhood memories and the source of her powers.
The reveal of her pregnancy is well written and it’s foreshadowed from the start. Since she is keeping it a secret, it doesn’t play much into the plot until the very end. But it’s a great storytelling device as it shows who Pax is narrating the story to.
Noam
Noam is introduced as Pax’s ex, who serves as the love interest in the game. Noam's power, called "Gaslighting," allows convincing people with lies for various effects, including inducing positive feelings, almost the opposite of Pax. Noam can also perceive when there is an anomal nearby or sense people’s emotions. This power is used constantly as a plot device to get the story moving.
This is the main character you interact with the least, partly because Noam is always disinterested in helping with anything, making Noam feel detached from the crew. There is little to be known except that Noam is trans, which is used throughout the game to showcase the use of They/Them as neopronouns. Noam also expresses only really caring about Pax and that being the main reason behind taking the journey.
Noam is described as rich, coming from a wealthy family and being an entrepreneur with many businesses in Pacifica. Noam is also a cyborg who lost an arm and wears a mechanical one. The problem is that all these themes are just mentioned but they are never explored.
For example, it makes no sense for Noam to want to leave ten years of being an entrepreneur in Pacifica just to become involved in a suicide mission to steal critical information from a Puritan Maximum-Security Facility, a faction of cyborg beings obsessed with technology and weapons.
It is explained that Noam feared being found as an anomal as the main reason for leaving Pacifica. However, it's never explained why just buying a plane ticket to somewhere else wouldn’t solve the situation. It could be that Noam is a scammer and being an entrepreneur was just a front, so this might just be an escape. But again, outside maybe two dialogue interactions in the whole game, this is never addressed.
Noam having a mechanical arm is never talked outside a single conversation about how the arm was lost. We never see people’s reactions to meeting someone who wears what seems to be Puritan technology, with whom the American Republic has conflicts. It is also not set up that being a cyborg is normalized within this society. It ends up as another theme that brings nothing to the story.
With this game being so heavy loaded on social politics, I was expecting Noam to be more polished out, but instead is the weakest character of the main roster, proving that good characters are made of well written traits that gives them depth and purpose to make them relatable.
Sai
Despite being one of the more hated characters online, Sai is somewhat relatable. Although there are significant problems with how she was written, many secondary ideas behind her character work. She is well voice acted and brings a lot of energy in the scenes she is in. In the third act, her character falls apart due to inconsistencies in her timeline and motivations, which we’ll discuss later.
Sai is Pax’s goofy friend who tags along because her life is a disaster and she has nothing to lose. She complains a lot and struggles with their fugitive status and crossing the Divided States with forged papers. The stress causes her panic attacks that Pax tries to handle the best she can, a dynamic that strengthens their friendship.
Sai serves as the “muscle archetype” in the group. She can turn her skin to stone using her Vox, but she only uses it at the start of the game, stating that her powers become uncontrollable when she can’t manage her emotions. Despite losing her nerves multiple times throughout the game, you never see her powers again in non-combat situations.
Sai is the most diverse character on the roster. She’s obese, Indian, wears glasses, has a skin disease, has a criminal record, suffers from panic attacks, is a gamer, and is Muslim. These characteristics are sometimes mentioned or referenced but never meaningfully integrated into her character. For example, she frequently wears gaming T-shirts, hinting at her love for video games, but when the crew encounters multiple arcades during their journey, she never shows interest in playing or discussing them. Her most significant trait is her artistic skill, which is well-tied to her backstory. She is always drawing and aspires to create a comic book.
Noam and Sai share the same problem with their lack of depth. It is more evidently seen on Sai as she has all these physical traits as if that was a replacement for developing the character within the story.
Theo
Theo’s character is very straightforward. He needs to get to Nova Scotia for the mission and he is also seeking help for his sister, who has problems controlling her powers. As the mastermind of the mission, Theo’s primary goal is the mission's success, as his sister’s well-being is at stake.
Theo is the most reasonable member of the crew. Depending on how you play, he can either take on the role of the leader or a friend. Within the game, Theo's character works best as he is the one who discusses the critical decisions with Pax. His pragmatic approach and logical thinking make him a central figure in decision-making processes. He also stands out for his valuable skills, including hacking and lockpicking, making him exceptionally useful in the adventuring sections of the game.
His calm demeanor and focus on the mission provide a balance to the more emotionally driven characters, such as Pax and Sai. Theo’s interactions often steer conversations towards practical solutions, grounding the group's dynamic. Additionally, his relationship with Pax is built on mutual respect and trust, as they both share leadership responsibilities and lean on each other for support.
Theo is probably the most relatable of all the main cast, as he is the only one with no powers. He also just wants to get the job done and is not happy about all the shenanigans the rest of the party members constantly get into.
Ziggy
Ziggy is Pax’s younger sister. Although she starts off being very annoying, her behavior is justified because of her feelings of being abandoned by Pax 16 years ago. She quickly calms down after patching up her differences with Pax. Their relationship is one of the best parts of the game, highlighted by their heartfelt conversations.
She is also an anomal who doesn’t need to use her voice to activate her powers, which again breaks what has been established about Vox being about the power of words. Ziggy has the ability to move through space by vibrating, enabling her to pass through solid objects. This is a big deal, as it can be dangerous, like the time when she lost her pinky finger to a wall due to carelessness when she was a child.
I like this character and her dynamic with Pax. She is very naïve, makes tantrums, has a hard time understanding life and gets in love at first sight. The only problem is that she is 31 but she is written as a teenager's story of coming of age.
Early in the game she meets Eli, a young biker that joins the crew. She admits having a crush on him, and it’s shown during multiple chapters as Ziggy tries to get closer to him. I really liked this part of the game as the whole teenage love story was cute and gave a good relief from the more serious themes of the story. Sadly, the dynamic abruptly ends at some point with no conclusion.
Plot Overview
Now that we are setup with all the background around the game, the characters and the story, we will deep dive into the plot and watch for ourselves if Dustborn is a good story-driven game or not.
Issue 0: The Getaway (Sunday Morning, Pacifica)
The story begins in the midst of a getaway, with Pax and her "crew" being hunted by the Puritans as they escape from Pacifica. The scene opens with the characters arguing about something that has gone wrong with the plan. This is where we are introduced to our protagonist, Pax, and the rest of the main characters.
We see Pax's powers in action when she tries to defuse the situation in the car. Her “vocals” allows her to magically infuse words to manipulate people’s feelings or perceptions. Everyone expresses their discontent about Pax using her powers on them, except for Theo, who didn’t notice anything. Theo had never met anomals before and is unfamiliar with their powers, so the group explains to him what just happened.
To explain their powers better, lets compare them to D&D magic. Think of Pax and Noam as bards who cast mind-affecting spells. For example, her "Block" power acts like a Silence spell, causing everyone affected to stop talking. Noam's powers allow convincing people with lies for various effects, sometimes used for deception or defusing a situation, similar to Calm Emotions or Suggestion spells.
Sai’s power is different as she doesn’t have vocal abilities. Instead, she can convert her skin into rock, which doesn’t make sense under the premise of the story of “the power of words.” I think the writers realized this early and decided that instead of rewriting everything, they would just remove anything involved with her using powers, because beside the opening scene, her powers are never referenced again.
After a brief introduction and some minor interactions with the characters, the police start chasing the crew, and the players are given a double choice that leads to different scenarios but the same outcome, they escape.
The story then flashes back to what happened two weeks ago when Pax and her group decided to take on this mission. The scene starts with Pax coming from the toilet, a recurring level in this game. The players get to explore Noam’s house, revealing Noam to be a wealthy person, who loves reading about JFK and Marilyn Monroe. It’s also revealed that real fruit is expensive and unaffordable for common people—this is never referenced again. After a lengthy discussion with Noam and Sai about embarking in the heist, everyone agrees to take on Theo’s mission.
Issue 1: Opening Act
The crew arrives at La Torre, a subterranean farming facility. They meet Luna, the first mission contact from Theo’s plan. She is having an emergency; so, Pax and the crew help her out. Noam and Sai use their powers to assist in the situation, while Theo also helps by using his tech skills.
Pax has our second bathroom scene where she sees a vision of a Lebanon City sign, a creepy kid, and a red energy tree. She talks with Noam about how Sai seems very stressed.
Luna heals Pax’s gun wound with a machine called “Doc,” which is Purity technology that regenerates tissue and can close a wound or injury in minutes. Pax explains to Luna about Anomals, as she has never met one before.
The crew learns that Luna is part of the Weave, an underground network of libraries that stretches across the Divided States of America and act like trade posts for physical books. It is also revealed that the States controlled by Justice are under a dictatorship, but the “President” is stepping down and there are open elections coming up. Luna is convinced that Medina Castillo can win the upcoming elections against the Dictator’s son. It is unclear why this era of change towards democracy isn’t a bigger deal, as it contradicts the loss of hope presented by the main characters.
Police arrives at La Torre, and Pax is asked to gather the group to leave as soon as possible. She finds Sai panicking in the bathroom because of the siren, and Pax is forced to use her powers to make her react. This is one of my first big criticisms about the game design in Dustborn, because most of the time you are given an option to confront situations without using your powers, so when you are forced to use them, it just feels bad. I hated all the times I was forced to use Pax powers because they are mean and using them on your friends feels wrong.
This is also why there are a lot of videos out there that hate Pax because you are forced to be an asshole a few times in the opening chapters, giving the perception that you are playing some kind of bullying girl boss, which is not really the case, as Pax can be nice most of the game. I think the writers should have made sure that Pax was relatable instead of unlikeable, because when you mess with storytelling 101 and you break the rules without knowing what you are doing, then you get the Dustborn effect with people hating your main character and not wanting to play the game further.
The cops leave, and the crew prepares the final details before leaving. Pax finds out that their driver is a robot, and she freaks out, as she doesn’t like them because they are immune to her powers. Theo explains that the plan initially included a human driver, but they have to settle for a robot because of botched heist. I think this one aspect adds a bit of complexity to the usage of the Vox powers and while it never matters on the story, it’s a detail that helps on building the world setting.
On the bus, Pax discusses with the group that there needs to be a deviation from the planned route to the north, to pick up her sister. The crew expresses their disapproval of these last-moment changes to the plan.
Pax composes her first song and then she has a flashback. She meets a scientist who talks about her powers being based on Protolanguage Stems that originated from the Broadcast, an event that gave a few people these powers. It's revealed that this is the only recorded case of people gaining new powers.
During the flashback, Pax starts hallucinating and gets teleported to a black-and-yellow dimension, where she sees another sign of Lebanon City and a big tree of energy that rises up to the sky.
Pax and the crew get detained by the police and use their cover story that they are a band on tour. In an unexpected turn of events, the police make them perform for them. Regardless of the quality of the performance, they let Pax and the crew go. Later at the camp, they get attacked by the Horned Riders and the crew fights them and leave after beating them up.
Issue 2: Ghosts (Monday Morning, Oregon) - 24h
We arrive at Camp Liberty where we can hear some cultish singing from the outside. Pax tries to get in as nobody answers. As far as I know, there are different ways to get in, but I only tried the side entrance, resulting in Noam getting shot. Regardless, both scenarios end with Noam just sitting on the same chair the whole chapter.
After explaining that Pax grew up here, she is let in, and meets Annie, one of her two “moms” who adopted her. Annie is mourning Pax’s other mom and they reconnect after 16 years of separation. Pax discovers the camp has turned into an opium farm and Annie explains that they grow it for medicinal purposes and because they needed the money.
While looking for her sister, Pax goes back to her old place where she finds the jacket she used as a toddler, that apparently still fits her as an adult. I don’t think that’s how clothes work, but whatever. She also finds a portable electronic device called a MEEM, which Pax reveals this was the real reason she came, because it could ensure her financial future once they arrive in Nova Scotia.
Pax finds her sister Ziggy, who is upset with her for leaving all that time ago. There is a flashback that explains the "Echoes", which basically are bad sources of energy that can drive people mad. Here we learn that they can be created out of bad memories, as Pax removes one from her sister that was driving her literally insane.
Pax finds that Camp Liberty’s people have been infected by Echoes too, which are driving the community to collapse. She uses the MEEM to heal the camp while explaining to Sai all about it. This is an excellent written scene where we as the player need to know this information, so Pax giving all this exposition to Sai works perfectly. We also see why Pax considers Sai her best friend, as she is very understanding about the whole situation.
This is the first place we see the gigantic energy tree from Pax’s dreams. It’s been 16 years since Pax has seen it outside her dreams, but she doesn’t reference it or talk about it. You would think seeing such a sight would make an impression, but instead nothing happens.
After cleansing the camp from the Echoes that were making the people hostile towards Annie, Justice attacks the camp, burning the poppy fields. Pax fights them while everyone abandons the camp. Annie tells Ziggy that she must come with Pax. The band flees on the bus and continues its journey, while Justice storms Liberty camp.
That’s the last we see of this camp, which I found to be a very depressing place. A community of middle-aged childless women fighting amongst themselves while trafficking drugs seemed like a terrible place to be, yet Ziggy is reluctant to leave. I really don’t understand what the message or the intention was, or what the writers were trying to convey with this place.
Issue 3: Caretakers (Midday Wednesday, Nevada) - 32h
The robot tells Pax and the crew they need to charge their super long-range Electric Bus at the upcoming service station and that it is going to take around 10 minutes. Clearly, there have been some big strides regarding battery technology in this dimension.
The robot leaves them stranded at the station, so they need to find a way out. Just like in Camp Liberty, if you wake up Noam or not, it changes some scenes, with Noam either staying on the Bus sleeping or staying at the station doing nothing; both paths ending with Noam sitting on the steps of the bus having the exact same conversations regardless of what happened. This is a problem I find with Noam constantly, that the character is written as if not there most of the time. In fact, if you remove Noam from the story, nothing really changes, which is part of the problem with Dustborn overall. There is too much fluff and not enough substance.
Once at the station, there are a few options to get out of there. One is stealing a truck, but your ability to get the crew to do it will depend on how they have developed their Codas. From my playthroughs, this one seemed to be the most consequential scene where the Codas actually played out, which is good game design. Too bad this feature isn’t really implemented much afterwards.
If you can’t steal the truck, Pax starts a fire to draw the bikers so they can steal their bikes. They realize it’s the same gang that assaulted them last night, setting up a cartoonish tone, where beating someone with a bat has no consequences. In my opinion, this didn’t work, as I felt it lowered the stakes of the heist and being fugitives in a covert operation. This whole juxtaposition of modern-day political commentary and the characters taking themselves seriously around a cartoon world just didn’t work for me.
The group steals their bikes and the bikers chase them to get their property back. Out of nowhere, Pax gets an unlimited amount of Molotov cocktails that she throws to defeat them. While different, this biking scene reminded me of Full Throttle, which is an excellent adventure game if you haven’t played it.
The band catches up with the bus and embarks on the mission of finding the robot, the only one with a license to drive the bus. They find themselves at an abandoned Trailer Park and notice that it looks like a movie set as everything about the place seems fake. As they enter the property, they get jumped by an unstable man who has them at gunpoint, but Pax and Ziggy combine their powers to disarm him, revealing an Echo driving him insane. Pax uses the MEEM to heal him from the Echo.
They discover there is a secret passage leading to an underground facility. Pax and Ziggy go down the elevator while Theo and Sai wait on top. They start exploring and discover that the facility is an abandoned school with disabled robots that used to work there. Delving deeper, they encounter the biker gang attacking a person who looks like a biker himself, Pax and Ziggy jump to help. This is where they meet Eli, who explains them that he was raised here as a kid, that this was a facility where they experimented on children to artificially awaken their powers and that he is looking for his long-lost friend from this place.
Eli is another character who, despite being young, appears to be much younger than he is, and seems more mature than Ziggy but still around the same age. I feel like their ages seem unnatural and could have been easily adjusted by changing some minor details in their backstories.
Ziggy and Pax have a bonding experience throughout this whole adventure, during which they patch up their differences with some nice dialogues that show their sibling dynamic. While crossing a rusted beam, Ziggy falls into a room and panics due to her claustrophobia. Pax talks to her and calms her down, then encourages Ziggy to use her powers to move across a wall since there is no other way out. Ziggy is traumatized from losing a finger this way when she was a child but decides to trust Pax and escapes with her help.
They continue looking around and realize that the robots are activating again and start attacking the group. This isn't explained, as the robots were supposed to be for child care and not combat. Initially, the robots appear to have run out of batteries while doing their daily tasks and were abandoned rather than disabled. Despite this setup, the robots start moving again, disappearing before attacking anything in sight. There's never any explanation for all this plot point.
The group finally finds their robot, who explains that this is where they forcibly awakened children's powers. The robot explains that it took the bus because the proximity of the facility activated a hidden protocol inside it that made it come to this room. As with the kids, the machine awakened the robot, implying it became sentient. Pax notices that she can now use her powers on the robot as if a human. The robot tells Pax its name is Caretaker, who used to look after Eli and many other children when the building was operational.
They all leave the underground facilities and regroup at the surface to realize that Noam and Theo have been captured. Pax fights the bikers until Eli stops the fight, revealing that the leader of the biker gang is Eli’s ex-girlfriend. This leads to the realization that it’s all a misunderstanding. After making peace, Pax can decide if they should give them a concert or not.
Issue 4: Promised Lands (Midday Thursday, Utah) - 24h
Pax and the crew arrive at Betty’s Diner. As everyone sits on the table, Pax orders, and the Betty robot detects that Pax is pregnant and she asks it to keep it a secret. This is a big reveal, as it’s been properly set up since the start that she might be talking to her kid when narrating the story and also explains the bathroom scenes.
This is also one of the game’s most glaring narrative missteps, because Noam is an androgynous character whose lack of development and biological ambiguity create significant confusion in the story. The reveal that Pax is pregnant could have been a dramatic and emotionally charged moment, but it instead raises more questions than it answers, like: Who’s the father? Does Pax know? Can Noam even be a father? The story never clarifies, undermining the emotional stakes of what could have been a compelling love triangle or paternity subplot. Creative choices should not come at the expense of narrative clarity or character depth. In Dustborn, this lack of detail detracts from the story, turning what could have been a compelling narrative into a frustrating exercise in unanswered questions.
While in the restaurant, Pax is given the opportunity to spy on Theo, a moment that should carry significant weight as it represents a breach of trust. However, this choice ultimately feels hollow, as the story progresses the same way regardless of the player’s decision, and the details are revealed later anyway. While this might not be entirely evident at first, it’s indicative of a broader issue: many scenes in the game, like this one, feel pointless, adding little to the plot or character development and instead contributing to unnecessary bloat.
We get another bathroom scene that adds nothing to the story. All it does is give you the option to wash your face. Then, Pax drops the mission’s package, and the game forces you to pick it up before you can do anything else. Why is this even here? Is it to show that Pax is clumsy? Or maybe it’s a not-so-subtle reminder to the player that, oh yeah, there’s actually a plot happening. To me, this feels like the Call of Duty “press F to pay respects” meme all over again, a moment of forced interactivity that adds nothing meaningful to the experience that could have been replaced by a simple cutscene.
As Pax goes back to her table, she is stopped by a couple of Justice officers who start questioning her. This scene just feels off, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why this is. For example, the officers start questioning with disinterest and start chatting between themselves about nonsense. At this point, you should get a chance to go back to your table—it’s a restaurant after all and you are not under arrest—but instead the game forces you to stay and listen to them, resulting in more problems.
This is the scene that many content creators reacted to capitalize on hating this game for clicks. To be fair, it’s a pretty funny video, the problem being that it’s out of context and is edited for comedic value. In reality, the scene plays out differently if you're paying attention to the plot. Pax is trying to lay low, so using her powers unnecessarily would only create problems for her. While the scene has different endings, your choices only change some minor details and don’t affect the story overall.
After leaving the diner, the crew discusses the importance of sticking to the plan and their cover. Later they arrive at an abandoned mall where they meet their contact Lottie and her raccoon pet. The crew relaxes and takes the opportunity to rest. There are some good scenes with Eli and Ziggy having fun, and Caretaker exploring her identity as a new sentient being. This falls within the theme of the game and feels well-written. We also get a very weird scene that left me confused, in which Noam sings "Happy Birthday" to the raccoon called “Mr. President”, reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe singing to J. F. Kennedy.
After the celebration, Theo and Pax notice that Lottie has a Puritan computer that could decrypt the package contents to see what information they're carrying. The problem with the plot up to here is that the crew has never expressed any curiosity about the package’s contents up to this point. There’s been no indication that they’re in danger, no interactions with the Puritans since the heist, no signs of being pursued, and no sense of urgency to uncover what they’re carrying. This lack of setup makes their sudden interest in decrypting the package feel forced.
You’d expect this moment to be a significant turning point in the game, where the player must decide whether to jeopardize the mission by decrypting the package or not. However, any sense of agency is stripped away when Pax uses her powers to forcibly convince Theo, regardless of the player’s input. This is one of the most glaring examples of the game’s larger flaws: the illusion of choice. Players are given the pretense of decision-making, but the narrative railroads them into a predetermined path, effectively reducing them to passive observers. This lack of meaningful choice undermines the game’s potential for player engagement and makes the experience feel more like a guided tour than an interactive story.
Pax and Theo use the package in the computer, only to find out the data is encrypted, and they can't do anything with it. This triggers an alarm that lets their enemies pinpoint their location for the first time since the heist. We finally meet the Puritans, the cyborg faction from Pacifica. After a long exposition scene that doesn’t really explain anything, we learn that the Puritans want to cure the “disinformation disease” and want their package back.
Pax defends the crew but finds out the Puritans have an energy shield that makes them immune to damage. Then, Theo uses an EMP device that removes their invulnerability, allowing them to escape.
Lottie is not happy about our protagonists exposing her hideout and ruining her life, which mirrors exactly what happened at Camp Liberty just days ago. After resting, the band plays again as planned.
Issue 5: Yellow Brick Road (Saturday Morning, Colorado) - 24h
Noam alerts the crew of an “anomal” near the tourist facility and insists on stopping the bus to investigate. Despite the presence of two Justice trucks parked outside, a clear sign of danger, the crew debates whether it’s worth risking the mission, with Theo being particularly hesitant. However, the game gives the player no real choice in the matter, forcing you to investigate regardless.
Pax encounters a couple of elderly tourists who inform her that the building is closed, but she continues exploring regardless. Soon after, she stumbles upon a little girl being attacked by Justice officers. The girl displays extraordinary magical powers, effortlessly throwing one of her attackers off a cliff without uttering a word. While this moment is visually striking and introduces an intriguing element to the story, it raises questions about the game’s internal logic. Why does the girl possess such powerful abilities, and how do they fit into the world’s established rules of the “Power of Words”? The scene culminates in a fight with the officers as the girl escapes.
Pax encounters the elderly couple attempting to force their way into the museum, a turn of events that feels jarring and nonsensical. Why would an elderly couple on vacation abandon their food and suddenly resort to vandalism? This moment not only strains believability but also undermines any sense of logic.
Pax eventually finds the girl and notices she has the same tattoos as Eli, implying she was also an anomal produced artificially by Justice. The girl is visibly terrified, and the MEEM reveals numerous echoes surrounding her. Pax clears the echoes, but the girl remains distrustful of Pax and the crew. In an attempt to calm her, Pax uses her new Vox power, Normalize, which has a positive effect on the girl, a stark contrast to the typically negative consequences of her other abilities. Interestingly, this power mirrors Noam’s ability, which seems like a significant development. However, Pax never comments on this similarity, and the power’s effect is inconsistent in future uses.
As the group prepares to leave, they find out that Justice is apprehending the elderly couple who were trying to forcefully enter the tourist facilities. This scene aims to portray the authoritarian regime, but in my opinion, it fails because it's not set-up properly. There were two Justice trucks stationed since Pax and the crew arrived, and the officers were clearly there to apprehend the dangerous little girl, who had already killed one of them. While their aggressiveness is questionable, it is the elderly couple's fault for attempting to commit a crime in front of a bunch of officers.
After departing from the tourist attraction, the group stops at another service station, and Pax gets her fourth bathroom scene. While leaving, they encounter two Justice officers asking the robot attendant for directions as they are investigating the incidents from the tourist facility and they are looking to capture the anomals responsible for them.
The crew arrives at their new contact destination, a Motel that secretly holds another library from the Weave. They look around for people, but they are unable to find anyone. After forcing down several doors, they find a reinforced one that resists Ziggy's abilities, so they go back and locate the keys. Ziggy overcomes her fear of using her powers to pass through solid objects and opens the administration office.
They open the motel’s door, but as they open, their contact shoots Sai with a shotgun. We assume Sai is injured because of the gunshot sound, as there is no visible blood or injury and the characters fail to convey any emotions. This, for me, is also a moment where the tone of this game falls flat: one of the main characters just got shot at point blank and the scene is too tame with no blood with nobody reacting properly. Scenes like this just make me wonder what was the purpose of this game, because it tries to create commentary around controversial political issues, but then auto-censors itself to be PG-16, never defining if it wants to be a serious game or not.
The shooter immediately apologizes and heals her with his Vox power, which cures wounds with poetry. Introducing himself as Sol, he informs Pax and the crew that Justice is shutting down libraries around the Divided States, and they must leave immediately. This type of storytelling reminds me of The Last Jedi where Leia gets thrown into the vacuum of outer space, just to magically come back with no consequences. Another example of a scene where nothing really happens.
Pax is tasked with bringing Sol’s favorite plant, a moment that is framed as a puzzle but offers no hints or meaningful challenge, reducing it to little more than a plot device to move the story forward. Shortly after, when Pax attempts to reunite with the crew, she encounters the officers from the previous station, who have grown suspicious of her. Their interrogation builds tension, but just as it reaches its peak, Sol’s room inexplicably explodes, creating a distraction that allows Pax to escape.
Issue 6: The Bad Lands (Sunday Morning, The Ashes) - 24h
The group enters the Great Plains Exclusion Zone, the place where the Broadcast first happened and the source of Pax’s dreams. I must say this is the most original and coolest setting in the game, the place where all Anomal powers came from. The place looks as if it's in a perpetual sandstorm, and the visibility is very low. Theo calls the place the “Ashes.” Everyone on the bus is telling horror stories, which really helps bring up a mood of creepiness and desolation.
The bus hits something on the road, but when Pax goes to check, there is nothing there. The girl runs out and disappears, so Pax and Eli go after her. They notice that there is a Justice base in this zone, as well as some larger mechanical creatures. After some exploration, they arrive at yet another Betty’s Diner, where they find the girl with a strange person who apparently can read her thoughts. She explains that the girl says it's very important that they go find the Tree.
Justice arrives at Betty's, and the mysterious figure attacks the Justice members, showing off that her Vox power inflicts pain. They run off to investigate the Whispering Tree. Pax feels this must not be a coincidence and decides to get to the bottom of the meaning of her dreams.
After fighting what seems to be cyborg gorillas, they arrive at a Justice facility, which seems to be the source of the original broadcast. Atop the tower, they find a Giant Squid (like the ones we encountered before that fed off echoes). Further in, some Justice officers attack the crew, but the cyborg apes come to the rescue, signaling that the Giant Squid controls them and that it’s on their side. Pax doesn’t know how to communicate with it, so she decides they should play a song using Eli’s illusion Vox. The strategy works, and the gorillas escort them into the tower building. I find this scene too silly and mismatched to the setting. It kind of makes sense to try to communicate using powers by playing music, as it's part of the story’s premise. The execution is bad though as none of the band members are present. It would have made more sense if they were all here and Eli used his illusion to help the band perform powered with Vox powers, making all the previous practices culminate in this show that reveals the origins of their own powers.
Once inside, Pax touches the tree and enters a flashback, meeting her biological mother who explains that Pax was meant to control this power with her MEEM to shape the echoes into new power words. There is mention of a war coming not around power or control, but about the nature of reality itself. Whatever that means, is never referenced again. The narrative around Pax seems flawed to me, as she was left as an orphan unable to care of this important machinery that would determine the fate of the world. It is also never explained why there are cyborgs that use Puritan technology on a facility protected by Justice. The plot here is revealed to be just a bunch of ideas put together without any thought.
After Pax’s flashback, the echoes around the mysterious character clear, revealing Ophelia, Eli's long-lost friend. The echo infection clouded her thoughts, making it impossible to recognize Eli or reality. After an uneventful exit from the facility, the crew leaves the Forbidden Zone.
This is where the game falls apart in my opinion, because nothing of consequence happens after that couldn't have been resolved here. The problem is that Pax’s journey is more about finding herself than the main mission. When she discovers the meaning of her dreams and the source of her powers, the story loses tension. At the same time, we leave the most interesting setting in exchange for a bunch of mundane ones, that we will get to soon.
Issue 7: Let There Be Light (Midday Monday, Iowa) - 32h later
The bus breaks down due to mechanical issues, forcing the group to stop for repairs. They arrive at an abandoned farm and decide to take shelter in a nearby house. This section plays like a classic adventure puzzle, where you interact with objects in logical ways to solve a problem. It’s a welcome change of pace, and the game could have benefited from more of this type of gameplay throughout.
However, this chapter highlights even more inconsistencies in Dustborn's worldbuilding. Sol explains that the farmland is spoiled, which is why the farms are abandoned. But since leaving Pacifica, everything has already seemed desolate, almost post-apocalyptic, yet the group travels on an electric bus and never struggles with power or fresh food, despite agriculture supposedly failing.
The disconnect between the characters and the world is also evident here. This is the first time the Whispering Tree is no longer visible since Pax touched it in the Forbidden Zone. Instead, a massive storm made of echo energy looms on the horizon, seemingly dangerous, yet Pax never acknowledges it.
The game’s ideas aren’t conveyed naturally through the world or characters; instead, they rely on exposition that never pays off. Rather than immersing the player in the Divided States of America through compelling locations, Dustborn keeps its setting vague and uninspired, making it difficult to grasp the true stakes of the journey.
Once Pax opens the house for everyone to enter, Ophelia loses control of her powers, sparking a discussion about whether she should be left behind for the safety of the group. Theo asks Pax to talk to everyone, but despite the various dialogue options, the outcome remains the same. Even if Pax insists that Ophelia should leave, she ultimately stays, making the whole section feel pointless.
There’s a humorous moment where Pax tries to use her Vox on Sai to cheer her up, but it doesn’t work. The issue is that even Normalize, a Vox that was just used positively not long ago, also fails, further highlighting inconsistencies in the writing.
The little girl calls for Pax to catch a bulk of echoes from the storm, seeming to have knowledge of Pax’s powers and her ability to absorb them, unlocking a powerful new Vox called Control. As she receives it, she floats epically before collapsing, at which point Noam steps in to help.
Pax later wakes up to find the girl listening to the baby, implying she can listen to the baby’s powers. There's an optional hide-and-seek minigame where Pax can search for the other characters around the farm.
Everyone gathers for dinner and Eli pushes for details about the heist, which are presented through a turn-based minigame. Sai, for no apparent reason, lashes out at Pax and runs off. This reaction feels abrupt, though there was some foreshadowing. Sai previously wanted to tell Pax something important, and Noam had commented that something seemed off with her since last night.
The group searches for Sai, but she’s nowhere to be found. Unable to wait any longer, they’re forced to leave without her.
Issue 8: Battle of the Bands (Tuesday Evening, Chicago) - 36h later
The group dresses up in some silly outfits for the Battle of the Bands and heads into the city to meet their next contact. Along the way, Pax notices that many citizens are afflicted by echoes, but helping them is completely optional and irrelevant to the plot. There’s also a random fourth-wall-breaking scene. Pax encounters a vagrant anomal who she can try to recruit, but he refuses to join no matter what.
They find the bar where they're booked to perform, but inexplicably, the bouncers won’t let them in, even though they’re part of the main event. The group is forced to use their powers to convince them. Once inside, they realize the entire bar is packed with uniformed Justice officers. Despite this, they stick around, wait for their contact, and perform as planned.
Throughout the game, the crew constantly complains about being broke. Apparently, this ragtag group of middle-aged adults can’t scrape together a few bucks, despite Noam supposedly being rich. It’s also never explained how they manage to pay for restaurant meals or the energy for their vehicle. The reason this stands out is because there's a 2,000-credit prize advertised for the Battle of the Bands, yet the characters never acknowledge it, even if they win. The more attention you pay to these details, the worse the game’s logic falls apart.
After their performance, Eli gets free booze, and everyone except Pax gets drunk—with no option for the player to intervene. This means the crew is voluntarily partying in a room full of what are supposed to be fascist law enforcement officers. Eventually, Theo informs Pax that their contact won’t be coming and that the meeting location has changed.
The party scene has a lot of heart and funny moments, but it doesn’t make much sense within the story. First, you never see any other band members or performances during this so-called Battle of the Bands. Second, the bar is full of law enforcement officers celebrating someone’s retirement. So, which is it? A Battle of the Bands or a private retirement party? Third, why would a group of fugitives choose to party in a bar full of the very people they’re trying to avoid?
As everyone leaves, Pax tries to convince Noam to go, but Noam refuses, too busy flirting with the bartender. This scene is bizarre because it plays out the same way regardless of whether the player romanced Noam or not, completely disregarding player choice and undermining the game’s romance mechanics.
Eventually, Pax convinces Noam to leave, but on their way out, they're stopped by the same Justice officers from the motel. No matter how the conversation goes, Pax and Noam are forced to run. While escaping, the vagrant anomal from earlier goes nova, seemingly sacrificing himself to help them escape. Why he does this is never explained. Even worse, the same officers show up later as if nothing happened, rendering his sacrifice and the entire scene pointless. The crew then escapes via a subway in shock about what just happened.
Issue 9: Rotown (Thursday Morning, Rotown) - 36h
The band arrives at their new contact location in Rotown, yet another abandoned place. This time, it's a factory where robots were once produced. Strangely, the game never explains why production stopped, despite these machines still running essential services like diners and service stations.
Everyone is in a bad mood after the vagrant’s supposed sacrifice the night before. Pax and Theo head deeper into the factory to meet their contact, Desmond. He was supposed to show up at the bar but bailed when their cover was compromised by the Justice officers. Despite what happened, Pax is still annoyed that Desmond didn’t take the risk of meeting them there, which feels oddly self-centered given the circumstances.
We also meet Nainai, another anomal who needs help getting to Nova Scotia. Introducing a new character this late into the game feels exhausting, especially when they exist more to check a box than to meaningfully contribute to the plot. Also, she’s introduced as a GILF, which really makes me question the intended tone of this game.
After an oddly long conversation about allergies that adds nothing to the story, Desmond finally explains his plan: he’ll smuggle the group across the border in a truck behind the factory. With that settled, Pax and Theo head back to get the others.
As they head out, they are ambushed by Justice, and once again, everyone is captured except for Pax. CT crashes the bus into the barricade to create a distraction, giving Pax a chance to fight back. A series of combat encounters follow as the anomals try to regroup. Praetor Walker comes back to confront Pax and CT joins the fight along with some robots as backup. During the fight, Pax is grappled by Praetor Walker and demands to know why he is after them. His response is surprisingly reasonable.
At this point, depending on your choices, the group has been involved in a hit-and-run accident, caught at an illegal opium-producing camp, committed arson at a service station, provoked an accident with two officers and destroyed private property (Betty), bombed a motel, trespassed on a secret research facility, caused an international conflict between Pacifica and the American Republic by making the Puritan soldiers invade Justice territory in pursuit of them, caused a person to “nova,” and are actively protecting the little girl who killed an officer by pushing him off a cliff in the mountains; so yeah, Praetor Walker has a point.
Pax and Eli combine their Vox using Pax’s new power, Control, leading to a pretty cool scene where Bituman, the asphalt god, wreaks havoc on Justice forces, allowing Pax to escape.
As she tries to regroup, Prefect Kim tackles her and stabs her in the belly, only to then not finish the job, instead opting to wait for a train to hit her. Why stab her at all if you’re just going to wait around? To make things worse, the train moves comically slow due to poor animation, making the entire scene feel unintentionally hilarious rather than tense.
Deus Ex Machina CT pushes Prefect Kim aside and throws Pax off the railroad tracks, self-sacrificing in the process, though it feels unnecessary, as there was clearly enough time to just move out of the way. Ziggy and Eli arrive to help Pax, but in a moment straight out of Palpatine telling Anakin to leave Obi-Wan behind, Eli tells Ziggy to forget about CT and focus on Pax. This feels out of character for Ziggy, the group’s mechanic, who doesn’t even attempt to repair CT, at the very least, they could have taken the robot’s head.
The chapter ends with Sol using his Vox powers to heal Pax as everyone flees the scene.
Issue 10: Final Battle (Tuesday Morning, New York) - 96h
Pax wakes up in the hospital, held by the Praetor Walker and Prefect Kim. The chapter opens with an announcement from the official government emphasizing their support for DEI and inclusivity initiatives and endorsing Medina Castillo, the opposition for the next democratic elections that wants to demilitarize the country. All this is contradictory to a fascist regime and shows once again the lack of consistency in Dustborn’s writing. It’s also a perfect example of the game’s unapologetic stance on the studio’s personal politics, which sparked the whole controversy surrounding it.
We are told they are using a new drug to suppress “illegal language” that nullifies Pax’s ability to use her powers. Walker knows Kim tried to commit murder on a pregnant woman but they act like it’s nothing; they sort of apologize but not really. Praetor Walker then explains to Pax that he means no harm, but that too many people have died already by Pax’s actions and that it’s their responsibility to put a stop to them even if he knows they are not monsters.
Pax counter-arguments that Justice is still experimenting on kids on facilities like where Eli was raised and that Justice’s intentions are about helping themselves by weaponizing anomals. Praetor Walker doesn’t believe what Pax is saying, but they are interrupted by an attack by Puritan forces.
If you're wondering how we got here, then you're feeling the same as everyone else who got to this point in the game. The scenes are so disjointed that it feels like you skipped a whole chapter. Not only were you captured and shackled, but you are also freed by your captors in the same scene.
As Pax tries to escape the hospital, Ziggy, Eli, and Sai rescue her. How or why Pax was captured is never explained. Once they escape, Sai reveals she's been a traitor all along and leaves with Sol to help the Weave as a double agent.
There are a bunch of scene transitions as the group keeps traveling towards Nova Scotia. There are a few cinematic scenes that also keep bringing new themes into the game, like some abandoned oceanic power plants.
There is a final dinner scene with what is left of the group, where the writers try to set up a "remember the good times" feeling with everyone singing along. The problem is it just doesn’t fit in the timeline as Pax has just been stabbed and captured, Sai betrayed the group, Sol left, and CT is dead.
To add insult to injury, Pax wears a T-shirt that says, “That’s all Folks!”, a direct reference to the ending of Looney Tunes cartoons. This choice feels jarring and out of place, highlighting the game’s tonal inconsistency. Dustborn wants to be taken seriously as a narrative-driven experience, yet moments like this undermine its credibility and create a disconnect between the story’s intent and its execution.
After another disjointed scene, the group is separated and gets ambushed by the Puritans, but this time Praetor Walker drops from the sky and helps Pax escape. He has found out that Justice has indeed been lying about the experiments on kids. He warns them that they must leave as fast as possible, and the crew runs to shore.
As they arrive at the docks, they find the Overseer who has captured the group yet again. Remember her? The hologram that appeared for a few seconds in the mall? Well, she is back to be the last enemy and the climax of the game!
She reveals that the information they are carrying can help uncover the secrets of the protolanguage and that they are receiving help from the Herald, a childlike figure next to her that she apparently knows nothing about. It’s all a bunch of gibberish because nothing about the plot is ever explained except that they have been carrying a codex, but it’s also explained that they don’t need the data, they just don’t want it leaked.
The whole exposition just raises more questions, like: Who is this child-like creature? If the crew has been just carrying information, then why didn’t they just upload it to the internet? They have long-range EV buses that travel thousands of miles that charge in 10 minutes and a whole generation of human-like robots, but there is no internet? It just doesn’t make any sense.
In true bad-showdown style, everyone just stares at each other while Pax talks to her crew for minutes, as if they aren’t in immediate danger, giving them personalized pep talks based on their Codas. Despite the situation, there's no urgency—just a long-winded motivational speech in the middle of a standoff. This somehow gives Theo the courage to take the EMP device from his pocket and activate it.
After they defeat the Overseer, Theo immediately tells Pax that if something goes wrong with the mission, she must let his family know about Nova Scotia to save her sister. And then, in possibly the most baffling decision of the entire game, Theo—the smartest of the group and the only one with no powers—casually sprints after the mysterious childlike entity, despite knowing nothing about it, tries to attack it ... and gets instantly disintegrated.
Pax and the girl then use their power to amplify the baby’s power, who sends the entity flying away until it disappears. The remaining characters decide, depending on their Codas, if they are coming to Nova Scotia or not, and the game ends. For real, we never get to our destination.
There is a post-credit scene where the robots take CT's head into what seems the heart of the old factory, where it looks like the robots are making CT their new god. This is the only coherent part of the ending, as it at least resonates with CT's conversation with Noam during the picnic. It also sets up a sequel.
Narrative Shortcomings
Being a story-driven game, the writing is one of the most important aspects, and sadly, this is where Dustborn is the weakest, especially towards the end. It gives the impression that the game was rushed out with many story elements left unfinished. Even when the story is more refined, many character-related decisions show a lack of understanding of what makes these types of games work.
For example, let’s start with Pax, our protagonist, who is introduced as a con artist using her powers to rob people. The plot establishes that she starts with only two power words, Block and Push, but in the comic prelude she uses Hoax, a power acquired much later in the game, showing a lack of continuity from the get-go.
To add to the problem, the main objective—Pax's journey to becoming a better person—is never clearly explained. Her character arc revolves around personal growth, with the game mechanics reinforcing this, but you only realize it near the end of the game when you get the companion scores. This was a common issue highlighted in early video reviews of Dustborn, as most people think you need to respond as quickly as possible making Pax interrupt others or using her powers on her friends, not knowing that just letting listening brings the best outcomes. This directly affects the player experience if they can’t connect with the character driving the plot, potentially causing them to stop playing.
Pax should have been more relatable by default. Instead of introducing her as someone who robs people and then parties with the money without remorse, the writers could have given her more sympathetic struggles, like working a dead-end job and using her pregnancy as motivation to turn her life around.
When you pay attention to the details in Dustborn, many elements feel like they were taken from an early draft rather than a polished script from a professional studio. It’s possible that development issues led to major cuts, but regardless, setting up a story about the “power of words” only to introduce characters with abilities that don’t require words highlights a fundamental lack of narrative cohesion.
The worldbuilding is also underdeveloped. The game hints at intriguing ideas but never explores them, while continuously introducing new themes right up until the final moments. For example, the mission map shows that many coastal regions have been submerged and that Kansas is now engulfed in a permanent dust storm—but that’s all we ever learn. How did this happen? Is it related to the country’s separation? By the time the credits roll, the game has left so many unanswered questions that you’ve already stopped caring.
Lack of Direction
While the writing bears some responsibility for the game’s issues, it’s not the sole culprit. Dustborn suffers from a lack of focus, diluting its potential in a sea of underdeveloped ideas and unresolved plotlines. There are aspects I enjoyed, such as some of the witty banter and dialogues. However, the game’s structural problems and scattered narrative hold it back from telling a compelling story.
In my opinion, the game should have opened with the heist, immediately showcasing the characters’ abilities, personalities, and dynamics through action and dialogue. This would also be the perfect opportunity to introduce the main antagonist, setting up the stakes and conflict for the rest of the adventure.
Streamline the Conflict
The Justice faction feels unnecessary and dilutes the narrative. Removing them and focusing solely on the Puritans as the primary antagonists would tighten the story. Multiple confrontations with them would reinforce the danger of the journey and the band’s desperation to reach a safe haven. The band gimmick adds nothing to the core plot, cutting it would allow the story to focus on discovering the source of their powers rather than a destination that never materializes.
Give Meaning to the Characters
If Theo’s death is essential, it should happen earlier in the story to give the characters time to process the loss and create tension about who might be next. This would also allow the group to grapple with the emotional fallout, making the stakes feel more personal and urgent. Alternatively, Sai could sacrifice herself for Pax, completing her redemption arc after her betrayal. This would not only add emotional weight but also reinforce the idea that no one is safe, heightening the tension for the rest of the journey.
Tighten the plot
Many subplots feel disconnected and unresolved, cluttering the narrative without adding meaningful depth. Cutting these and focusing on the core story would give Dustborn much-needed cohesion. Additionally, the characters should be more tightly aligned with the main plot, ensuring their arcs contribute meaningfully to the overall story.
There are simply too many characters who join the crew without adding value. If the entire premise revolves around using fake IDs and visas to cross borders, why would they risk picking up undocumented individuals who could jeopardize the mission and their lives? Characters like Sol, Eli, Ofelia, Nainai, and others feel unnecessary and underdeveloped. Instead of introducing so many support characters, the story could merge their roles into one or two well-defined companions who are part of the mission from the start. This would streamline the narrative and make the group’s dynamics more coherent and impactful.
If the story is built around the idea of the Power of Words, then all characters' abilities should reflect it in some way. However, characters like Ziggy and Sai don’t rely on words for their powers, which undermines the theme. The game needs to commit to either fully embracing the "Power of Words" concept or abandoning it altogether. If the theme is essential, then Pax’s powers should remain unique in their connection to words, while other characters’ abilities should be reimagined to align with the concept. This would create a more cohesive and believable world.
Climax at the Energy Tree
Ziggy should be a teenager and the fish out of water instead of Eli, serving as a better vehicle for world-building while organically reconnecting with Pax throughout the adventure. The Energy Tree should always be a focal point in conversations as the group gets closer, looming larger in the sky. Rather than an afterthought, it should serve as the climactic destination, where all character plotlines converge.
Here, Pax would unlock her ultimate power—not just for herself but to buff her friends in a way never seen before. This newfound strength could unite the group against the Puritans, creating a satisfying and emotional climax.
Conclusion
Is Dustborn the worst game ever made? Not at all, but it’s far from being a good one. It introduces a few interesting ideas to the story-driven adventure genre, such as the cinematic fixed angles for dialogue scenes and the conversation-interrupting mechanics. Visually, it has a distinct comic-book-inspired aesthetic with solid artistic direction reminiscent of Telltale Games.
However, Dustborn stumbles in nearly every other major aspect, especially storytelling. The narrative feels like no idea from the brainstorming phase was ever cut, resulting in a complete lack of focus. It’s also missing basic features of the genre, like scene skipping, which have been industry standards for decades. The combat is shallow, the minigames are forgettable, and the tone is all over the place, never settling on a clear atmosphere.
The story completely falls apart in the second act, feeling rushed and unfinished. As a road trip story, it suffers from poor pacing and a lack of resolution, ultimately failing to deliver a satisfying adventure. The idea of using words as magical spells in a modern setting is interesting, but the writers constantly break their own rules about how powers work, making the concept feel pointless.
One of Dustborn's biggest flaws is how it treats its characters. Instead of giving them meaningful depth, they often feel like a collection of surface-level traits. Take Theo, for example—he’s portrayed as Mexican, and as a Latino myself, I’m presumably meant to feel represented but personally I couldn’t care less about his heritage as it plays no real role in the story, making it an empty detail. Compare this to Grim Fandango, a game that fully embraces its Mexican-inspired setting and folklore, weaving them into its narrative and world-building. Dustborn doesn’t do this, making its characters feel more like diversity checkboxes than fully realized people.
The game also seems confused about its own story, with elements that feel completely disconnected from the main plot. At its core, Dustborn is supposed to be about Pax becoming a better person and learning to use her powers in a positive way. But this central theme is buried under unnecessary subplots and inconsistent character arcs.
Do I recommend Dustborn?
If you're looking for a game that leans heavily into inclusivity, social media politics, and gender ideology, featuring neopronouns and the option to romance a trans character, then this game might have something unique to offer you. For everyone else though, Dustborn is a mixed bag of good ideas, terrible decisions, and poor execution. Even if you love everything about its themes, there are far better games that explore similar topics in a more compelling way.
The game is almost always on sale at 60% off, but even at that price, it’s hard to recommend as there are cheaper and better alternatives, like Life is Strange or The Walking Dead: Season 1, which offer stronger narratives, better character development, and more meaningful choices. If you’re after a good adventure game with a compelling story there are plenty of choices from the catalogues of LucasArt’s and Telltale games.
Dustborn isn’t so bad it's good, it’s just boring. While there are a few positives, they aren’t enough to salvage the experience. The game reminds me of The Room with its endless scenes of characters talking about mundane topics, but where nothing substantial ever happens. However, unlike that movie, it lacks the unintentional charm that makes it ironically enjoyable.
I wanted to like this game, but it failed to capture me. Even though I don’t think Dustborn is as bad as some make it out to be, it’s nearly impossible to recommend as there are far better adventure titles available. Even if you’re desperate for a narrative-driven game, you’re better off revisiting the classics or exploring modern titles that deliver a compelling story.
Final Thoughts
This video was an incredibly time-consuming endeavor, spanning over three months of research, rewrites, replays, and re-recordings to ensure a thorough and factual review. Throughout this process, I revisited classic adventure games and rewatched a variety of road trip movies, to ensure I had a fresh perspective for comparison. Spending so much time with Dustborn allowed me to evaluate the game from multiple angles, resulting in what I hope is a nuanced and well-rounded conclusion.
Creating this review was also a fascinating personal experience. In today’s polarized gaming discourse, where extreme opinions often overshadow facts leaving the games in the background, I wanted to uncover the truth about Dustborn myself. I’ve tried to present all the information here based on facts, with all sources listed in the video description.
I want to finish this video by saying that I purposely did not censor myself because I’m just tired of the sterile style of YouTube nowadays. This decision means there’s a good chance the video might be demonetized or hit with copyright claims, but I felt it was more important to provide context when necessary than to play it safe.
Finally, it is my intent to make this channel grow, but never at the expense of quality. If you’d like to help shape its future and support what I’m doing, feel free to check out my Patreon.
Have a good one, and thanks for being here!
Sources
- Concord (Wikipedia)
- The Ten Reasons PlayStation’s ‘Concord’ Has Failed Disastrously
- A Video Game Flopped Harder Than Anything At The Box Office This Year
- Concord on PS5 and PC shut down by Sony in biggest PlayStation flop ever
- Firewalk Studios Officially Closing
- Dustborn Wiki
- Funding from the European Commission
- Funding from the Norwegian Film Institute
- US “Counter-Disinformation Game” (Official Document)
- The U.S. Government Spent Over A Quarter Million Dollars On A “Counter-Disinformation Game”
- Dominique Tipper Talks About Recording the Songs
- Abbey Road Studios Tour
- All Concord Characters
- Concord Gameplay
- Dustborn (Wikipedia)
- Dreamfall Chapters (Wikipedia)
- Music by Simon Poole (Dustborn OST)
- Kid Katana Records - Dustborn OST
- Charlotte Hatherley – Good Ways to Cry (Wikipedia)
- Dreamfall Funding
- Dustborn "Trigger" Ability
- Press F to Pay Respects
- Interview: Dustborn | BBC News
- Interview: Quantic Dream
- Crowd Reaction to Dustborn reveal trailer | Gamescom 2023
- Ragnar Tørnquist Talks About the Backlash
- Norwegian Original Version
- Dustborn Director’s Interviews Backlash
- PSU’s Interview with Red Thread Games
- Smash JT - Ragnar Tørnquist: Red Thread Games Founder Outed as Hypocrite
- ‘Dustborn’ Developer Appears to Confirm Game Features Stolen Assets
- Investigation on Activist Backgrounds of Developers
- Best of the Worst: Suburban Sasquatch (Special thanks to /u/AmityvilleName for their help in locating this clip, it saved me countless hours)
- Call of Duty: E to Pay Respects
- Leave Him (Palpatine)
- Dungeons and Dragons 5e Spells
#Dustborn #StoryDriven #Adventure #Indie #InDepthReview #Analysis #DeepDive #PowerOfWords #NarrativeDriven #RedThreadGames #QuanticDream #UnityEngine
