Dustborn Review: Supernatural Road Trip Through an Alternate America

The story begins on the road, miles out from a state border in an alternative US. The stakes are clear from the start, even if other elements are shrouded in mystery: Pax, the player character, is a Black woman in her 30s who has recently completed a heist with her friends. The border signifies freedom, while the police car trailing them signals trouble.

Pax and her companions are known as Anomals, individuals who possess manipulative vocal abilities called vox. Pax’s abilities can make people feel guilt or shame, using techniques named “trigger” or “cancel.” Her ex-partner, Noam, has the power to soothe using an ability called “gaslighting.” Dustborn is clear in its messaging. As the story progresses, you’ll meet characters who have fallen victim to weaponized disinformation.

The vox abilities come into play in certain situations, especially during time-sensitive dialogues. Selecting a dialogue option allows Pax to ponder the outcomes before committing – should she stop someone with a “block” or provoke them with a “trigger”?

This feature is particularly handy, especially when one-word dialogue choices are unclear. During my playthrough, this initial encounter with the police ends with an irate officer stepping onto the highway, only to be hit by a truck. This scene sets the tone for many tense encounters that the group faces on their journey to deliver a stolen data drive to Nova Scotia, Canada.

One impressive aspect of Dustborn is how it remembers your choices. Whenever a character references a past event influenced by your decisions, a small comic book icon appears. This often occurs multiple times in a single conversation, making the narrative feel truly interactive.

The game also features hack-and-slash combat, although it can become monotonous. If it’s not to your taste, you can reduce the frequency of these encounters. Given that the group travels under the guise of a touring punk-rock band, there’s a minor rhythm game segment. It’s a fun diversion, though the songs are somewhat lackluster – perhaps intentionally so, given the band’s fake nature. Still, hearing “born” rhymed with “born” three times is grating.

Dustborn will undoubtedly ruffle some feathers with its overt political statements, such as the notion that Nazis are bad. However, it doesn’t delve much deeper. The setting itself doesn’t hold up to scrutiny – a paranoid JFK resurrects Nazi Germany after surviving his assassination attempt. The game fails to capture the true horrors of Nazi Germany, despite references to book-burning and “the fight.” Numerous ideas are juggled – robots, a near-apocalyptic event, totalitarian dangers – but none are given adequate space.

Real-world issues are often given a supernatural twist. For instance, later in the game, players can use a device to heal individuals infected with disinformation. The game depicts them having epiphanies like “Wait, the woke mind virus doesn’t exist! What was I saying?” Turning genuine struggles against disinformation into supernatural events does a disservice to the real issues. Moreover, the game doesn’t address racism, which feels oddly absent. Every team member comes from a minority background, yet this diversity isn’t commented on, which feels unrealistic.

Despite these shortcomings, the character writing is consistently strong. Dustborn emphasizes characters talking candidly about their feelings, enriched by regular campfire check-ins after each mission.

The primary issue with Dustborn lies in its balancing act between serious topics and the supernatural. It alternates between fun moments, activism, and drama, but never quite finds the right balance. For instance, a community tragedy is followed by a raccoon’s birthday party. The game becomes more enjoyable when not taken too seriously. The best moments emerge when Dustborn embraces the silliness of its supernatural elements. While you might expect a tense journey across the US, what you get is more akin to an interactive Marvel movie. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Dustborn releases on 20 August for £34.99.

Source: The Guardian