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Dustborn Review: A Deep Dive into the Disappointing Mess
Alright, buckle up, folks, because we’re about to take a ride down a road filled with frustration, confusion, and the occasional eye roll. If you're thinking of grabbing Dustborn, well, hold up! You might want to hear me out first. I recently played this game, and to say it was a letdown would be putting it nicely. So, let's get into it.
Opening critique of Dustborn being poorly designed
The Premise: Good Intentions, Bad Execution
So, Dustborn had a pretty interesting premise at first glance, right? A story-driven, post-apocalyptic adventure about a group of outcasts traveling across America, dealing with shady governments, and using words as literal weapons. Sounds kinda cool, doesn’t it? I thought so too. But trust me, what could have been a solid game ended up being an absolute mess.
The game tries to juggle a lot of heavy political themes like censorship, refugees, and manipulation, but it never really lands any of them. It's like the developers had a really strong idea, but they couldn’t figure out how to express it in a way that felt, I don’t know… genuine? Instead, it all comes across as forced, like they were trying to shove these ideas down your throat instead of letting you naturally engage with them. More on that in a bit.
The Characters: Unlikable and Bland
Let's talk about the characters first — because, oh boy, where do I even start with this?
You know how in some games, you just love the characters, even if they’re flawed? Like, you don’t necessarily have to agree with their actions, but you still feel for them? Yeah, that’s not happening here. In Dustborn, the characters are either obnoxious, painfully bland, or just downright unpleasant.
Ugly character designs in Dustborn
Pax: The Manipulative Protagonist?
Okay, Pax. She’s supposed to be the main character, the one we’re supposed to root for. But instead, she comes across as this manipulative, borderline bully, using her powers to literally push her friends around. Like, what the heck?! The game encourages you to use your powers to influence others, but it feels really uncomfortable because the developers also preach about how they’re against bullying. The hypocrisy here is wild.
Main character Pax being manipulative
I mean, I get it, people in a post-apocalyptic world aren’t going to be all sunshine and rainbows. But Pax doesn’t even have that “lovable rogue” charm that some morally gray characters do. She just feels… mean? And not in a fun way.
The Rest of the Cast: Who Are These People Again?
Then there’s the rest of the crew. Honestly, I’ve already forgotten most of their names. That’s how forgettable they are. You’ve got a bunch of companions who are supposed to be these unique outcasts with different abilities and backgrounds, but they’re written so lazily that none of them stand out. One of them is this big brute with zero personality. Another is the “quirky” one, but it’s like they just googled “quirky character traits” and threw them all into one person. They’re all just walking tropes.
Characters engaging in dialogue
And don’t get me started on the dialogue. It’s so cringey. I get they were going for that edgy, “we’re outcasts fighting against the system” vibe, but it just falls flat. Every time a character opened their mouth, I found myself rolling my eyes so hard that I thought they were going to get stuck in the back of my head.
The Gameplay: A Snoozefest with Rhythm Mechanics?
Now let’s get into the gameplay, which is supposed to be the part where the game shines, right? Wrong.
Rhythm Mini-Game: Why Does This Even Exist?
So, one of the core mechanics in Dustborn is this rhythm mini-game. Yeah, you heard me right. A rhythm mini-game… in a narrative-driven adventure game. What? Why? It feels so out of place, like they just slapped it in there because they couldn’t come up with anything better. But here’s the kicker: there are no consequences for failing. You can totally mess up the rhythm, and the game just lets you move on like nothing happened. It’s like they knew the mechanic was bad and didn’t even care enough to make it remotely challenging.
Rhythm mini-game in Dustborn
I’m not saying every game needs to have Dark Souls level difficulty, but come on, at least give me a reason to try. It’s like they’re telling you, “Yeah, this mini-game sucks, but don’t worry about it. You don’t even have to engage with it.” Then why is it even there?!
Combat: Floaty and Uninspired
The combat is another area where the game fails to deliver. It’s this weird, floaty, almost turn-based system that just feels bad. There’s no weight to anything. When you land a hit, it doesn’t feel satisfying. When you get hit, it doesn’t feel like anything happened. You know that feeling when you punch someone in a game, and it feels crunchy and impactful? Yeah, you won’t find that here.
Combat section being unsatisfying
The powers you use are supposed to be based on words, which is a cool concept, but in practice, it’s so underwhelming. You’re just throwing out random words like “hate” or “fear,” but they don’t seem to have any real impact on the gameplay. It’s like the game wants to be deep, but it ends up being shallow.
The Story: Padded and Pointless
The story, which should have been the saving grace of this game, is another huge disappointment. It drags on and on with these long, drawn-out scenes that add nothing to the plot. Like, I get that they wanted to flesh out the world and the characters, but it just feels like filler.
A scene with unnecessary padding
There are so many moments where I found myself thinking, “Why is this scene even here?” It’s like the developers didn’t trust the player to understand the story, so they felt the need to over-explain everything. And yet, despite all the exposition, there are still massive plot holes and inconsistencies. Characters make decisions that don’t make any sense, and the story just kind of meanders without any real direction.
By the time I got to the end, I was just done. I didn’t care about the characters, I didn’t care about the world, and I certainly didn’t care about the message the game was trying to send. It was just a slog to get through.
The Political Themes: Clumsy and In-Your-Face
Alright, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the political themes. Now, I’m not against games tackling political issues. In fact, I think games can be a great medium for exploring complex topics like censorship and refugee crises. But Dustborn does it in such a heavy-handed, clumsy way that it just comes across as preachy.
The game is constantly throwing these messages at you, but it doesn’t give you any room to actually think about them. It’s like the developers are shouting, “THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BELIEVE!” without giving you the chance to engage with the ideas on your own terms. It’s not thought-provoking; it’s just annoying.
And let’s not even get into the hypocrisy of a game that’s so against bullying, but then encourages you to use your powers to bully your friends. It’s like the game is constantly contradicting itself, and it just leaves you feeling confused and frustrated.
Production Value: A $30 Game That Feels Like It’s Worth $5
And then there’s the production value. Look, I’m not expecting every game to have a AAA budget, but if you’re going to charge $30, you’d better deliver something that feels worth the price. Dustborn looks and feels cheap. The character models look like they were thrown together in a rush, the environments are bland and lifeless, and the animations are stiff and awkward.
Description of cheap production value
The game was apparently funded by multiple governments, which is… interesting? But honestly, I have no idea where that money went, because it sure didn’t go into making the game look or feel good. It’s like they spent all their resources on the concept and then just half-assed the execution.
Sound Design: Flat and Forgettable
Even the sound design is disappointing. The music is forgettable, the voice acting is mediocre at best, and the sound effects are just… there. There’s no life to any of it. You know how some games have soundtracks that just stick with you? Yeah, this isn’t one of those games. I couldn’t hum a single tune from Dustborn if my life depended on it.
Final Thoughts: Move Along, Nothing to See Here
To sum it all up, Dustborn is a game that had potential but completely squandered it. The characters are unlikable, the gameplay is boring, the story is padded, and the political themes are handled so poorly that it feels like the game is lecturing you rather than engaging you.
If you’re thinking about picking this game up, I’d honestly say save your money. There are so many better games out there that actually respect your time and intelligence. Dustborn is a game that tries to be deep and meaningful, but ultimately, it’s just shallow and frustrating.
So yeah, if you’re looking for an engaging, thought-provoking experience, this isn’t it. Move along, folks. There’s nothing to see here.
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