As a seasoned gamer who’s seen my fair share of combat systems, I must say that Dustborn’s fight mechanics left me yearning for a bit more depth. Don’t get me wrong, I relished every chance to taunt my foes with Pax’s Vox abilities, but after a while, the combats started feeling monotonous. I wish there were more upgrades or complexities to keep things interesting.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” That’s the opening to the Gospel of John. I’m not particularly religious despite my parents’ best efforts, but I thought of it often as I played Dustborn, the newest game from Red Thread Games, the developers behind Draugen, Dreamfall Chapters, and Svalgard. In Christian and Jewish myth, something Dustborn openly references, God literally speaks the universe into being: “Let there be light.” For as long as we have been able to tell stories, words have had power, so much so that it is impossible for many to conceive of a story, perhaps the most important story, the story of why we’re here, without language. Human beings are storytellers. We define reality through language. It is how we see ourselves, and the world. In the Old Testament, God destroys the Tower of Babel, fearful of what humanity, united by a single language, might accomplish. Maybe there’s a story there, too.
In this story, Dustborn unfolds in a world where words hold real, tangible power. The setting is an alternative America, where instead of John F. Kennedy’s assassination claiming JFK himself, it was his wife, Jackie Kennedy, who lost her life. As a result, the landscape is vastly different from our present-day reality. California has broken away from the Union and become a technocratic corporatocracy known as Pacifica. The remnants of the American Republic are under strict control by Justice, an authoritarian military/police force that maintains a firm hold on the populace.
In this story, you take on the role of Pax, the head of a unique group known as Anomals, individuals whose speech can manipulate both perception and truth. Due to their extraordinary abilities, they are detested by most people and relentlessly pursued. These outcasts have managed to snatch encrypted information from the Puritans, a fanatical group fixated on technology who rule Pacifica. Their objective is clear: evade Pacifica, journey through the American Republic disguised as a touring punk rock band, deliver the data to Nova Scotia, and establish a permanent exit from the United States. Only by succeeding in this perilous quest can they achieve true freedom.
Similar to any Anomal, Pax’s abilities, referred to as Vox, hold significant influence. If she commands you to move, you will obey, although her powers extend beyond personal control, allowing her to negatively affect other people’s emotions. However, it isn’t just Pax who possesses these unique abilities; her close-knit group, or found family, each has their own distinct form of Vox. Sai, Pax’s best friend and a gifted artist, can alter her density and weight using her Vox, transforming her skin into stone for enhanced strength and durability, although she often grows weary of being asked to open doors and move heavy objects. Noam, who has a complicated relationship with Pax, has the ability to soothe people, detect other Anomals, and empathize with others’ feelings. Theo, though not an Anomal himself, is a skilled software engineer with extensive connections, enabling him to coordinate this extraordinary team towards their destination in Nova Scotia.
As a passionate fan, I must say, that indeed, you begin with this crew in Dustborn, but as any captivating RPG unfolds, you’ll gather more companions along your journey. One such addition is Ziggy, Pax’s sister and an exceptionally skilled mechanic who can vibrate through solid objects at blinding speed due to her unique abilities. Your motley crew, a blend of diverse backgrounds and personalities, is as eclectic as it gets.
In many video games, you rarely encounter casts like Dustborn’s. Given my upbringing traveling across different parts of the US, several of these characters reminded me of friends I had made along the way. However, it wasn’t just their resemblance to people I knew that drew me to this group. The characters in Dustborn are exceptionally thoughtful and skillfully written, standing out among those I have encountered in video games. Moreover, their personalities evolve based on your interactions with them.
In the world of Dustborn, nearly every encounter you have with a character influences their Coda – a personal trait that shapes their self-perception and behavior. For instance, treating Theo more as a teammate than a boss could encourage him to involve Pax in leadership matters, making him feel included and fostering openness towards you. Ignoring Noam’s advances regarding Pax might lead him to become more contemplative. Encouraging Sai to think carefully before acting would make her more deliberate in various situations and more critical of your decisions when appropriate. Engaging with these characters and witnessing their transformations throughout the story was, without a doubt, my favorite aspect of Dustborn.
In Dustborn’s narrative, there are pivotal instances, or turning points, that significantly alter the storyline, yet most of the gameplay transpires in small, everyday moments – conversations around campfires, meals at diners, or shared rides on the tour bus. These moments allow each character to evolve and grow gradually over time. I find this interactive structure refreshing, and I wish it were more prevalent in other games.
As someone who’s spent countless hours navigating through complex dialogue systems in various games, I can’t help but appreciate the thoughtful design of Pax’s conversation mechanics. It’s refreshing to have a clear understanding of what a character is thinking, avoiding any missteps that often occur with other game developers like BioWare. This feature not only enhances the immersive experience but also beautifully complements the comic book aesthetic of Dustborn.
What’s a little less cool is the combat. Don’t get me wrong: a lot of Dustborn’s gameplay is solid. I enjoyed the Guitar Hero-themed music sections where you can write songs, rehearse, and play shows as the band quite a bit, and I even liked the songs. I also liked exploring the environment, finding upgrades for her bat, and using Pax’s ME-EM (pronounced meme; think of an off-brand but charming Game Boy, and you’ll get the idea) to find Echoes — remnants of the mysterious Broadcast that gave Anomals their powers thirty years ago and infect people in the modern day with disinformation — and forge them into new Voxs she can use in combat.
The fighting itself is a blend of ordinary and extraordinary elements. Dustborn plays similarly to many action games, allowing players to attack, defend, dodge, and throw Pax’s bat, reminiscent of Kratos’ weaponry. When Pax’s provocation meter becomes full, she can select an opponent and engage in a series of quick-time events for substantial damage. However, if this is executed poorly, Pax may stumble over her words, utter something humorous like “you’re stupid,” and you must wait before another attempt can be made. I didn’t mind these mishaps as they added some humor to the gameplay.
Apart from attacking opponents, you can also employ Pax’s Vox abilities to repel enemies, boost your teammates, trick them into attacking others or themselves, and create the illusion that they’re on fire. Choose wisely when using Vox, as coordinating with a friend for a follow-up attack can be decisive in critical situations. Your Vox gauge can be replenished by striking enemies with your bat, but it regenerates slowly, making strategic positioning essential during key battles.
Although I found pleasure in mocking adversaries with Pax’s Vox abilities and my own combos, Dustborn’s combat leaves me wanting more. While the game does offer additional Vox powers as time passes and upgrades for your bat to enhance combo hits or provide a parry option, it lacks complexity, and the improvements feel insignificant over time. The combat could also be smoother in my opinion. To clarify, Dustborn’s combat isn’t poor by any means, and I appreciated the challenging boss battles; however, after prolonged play, it becomes repetitive, and I yearn for more substance to keep me engaged.
I also wish Dustborn’s ambient and combat dialogue didn’t interrupt itself quite so much. Dustborn’s cast is always talking, especially in combat, but taunting an enemy or using Pax’s Vox brings the banter to a halt so she can, you know, taunt enemies or say the right words. This means that the dialogue starts and stops a lot, generally with characters saying something like “So…” or “Where was I?” before picking back up at the start of the interrupted line. This also happens with ambient dialogue when you’re in the world, as characters will stop talking and greet you when you get too close, causing the ambient dialogue to pause and restart. This isn’t a big deal; Dustborn’s writing, especially its dialogue, is largely excellent and sounds the way people actually talk, aside from the odd clunker of a line. The performances are also excellent, and I sat through every piece of optional dialogue I found because I liked it so much. But it is an issue I wish wasn’t there.
Getting started is usually straightforward, and first impressions often stick in our minds more than final ones, unless they’re particularly poor. However, endings can be challenging. I must admit that certain elements of ‘Dustborn’ didn’t quite resonate with me: the overarching plot became a bit too intricate for its own sake, and it seemed to linger on for longer than necessary. There’s also a particular conversation that heavily foreshadows a future event, which diminishes the tension in the scene. If this conversation occurred a few hours earlier, I believe it would have left a much greater impact.
Instead of having a fixed conclusion, I appreciate the open-ended nature of the story. Just like the characters you engage with, Pax embodies all that you’ve molded her into at that specific moment. The decision she makes at the end is not dictated by an arbitrary choice such as picking a color or choosing a door, but rather it aligns with the person she has evolved into. What will linger with me is the journey itself – heartfelt conversations around campfires, on park benches, at the back of the bus; these exchanges between friends have a profound influence on their future selves. The narrative of Dustborn isn’t always subtle; it serves as a game that highlights the potency of words, illustrates the dangers of misinformation, and demonstrates how our actions and speech can affect others. It also emphasizes the strength found in staying true to oneself and standing up for what one believes in.
In a unique manner, Dustborn doesn’t just tell a story; it deeply embeds its themes within every aspect of the narrative, inviting us to ponder our surroundings, contemplate our own identities, and consider the impact of our actions on the world we inhabit. This sets it apart from many other games. Although it may stumble at times, its missteps are insignificant compared to the many things it gets right. It serves as a potent reminder that our words and deeds hold power. As Hemingway put it, “The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.” This game underscores the idea that a better world can be achieved if we muster the courage to create it, if we can find the right phrases to give voice to our vision. Let’s bring forth light.
Dustborn is available on August 20th, 2024 A code was provided by the publisher for this review.
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2024-08-14 23:28