Probably the only good thing i can think of for the game, is it has a quirky graphical design that reminds me of TellTale games.

But otherwise it doesn't have any redeeming qualities that i've seen.

yeah ... but... there's No Way this went out the door, without David Cage himself looking at it, looking at it some more... and then saying, "Oui!... I want ALL of this tethered permanently to my Brand" ... XD

I genuinely thought that this "game" was a 4-Chan mickey take when I first saw it. Needless to say, I don't want my entertainment trying to ram political messages down my throat, so I won't be spending any money on this.

It's a shame - I quite liked Longest Journey and was disappointed to find out that the writer was associated with this one.

[Deleted]

From the above linked April 5 2019 interview:

"Ragnar Tørnquist: I wake up and look at Twitter every morning, and I read the Washington Post every morning, and it’s all that concerns me ..."
and
"Ragnar Tørnquist: ...our next game—we’ve started work on it already—that’s the game I decided, when Trump was elected, that we had to make ... So it’s set in our version of America, ten years into the future, and we’re excited about that."

Might want to read the whole thing though, to get the complete picture.

The same studio that brought us "Press X to Shaun?"

This game looks agressively unappetising, like a mother force feeding her child a bland and banal boiled vegetable. I wished to make an attempt to an initial assessment on this game without having to indulge in politics, and judge it solely on its graphical and sound design, as well as the game play - but having learned more about the title that has become an impossibility. Being a largely story based titles inspired by recent political events, its political agenda is integral to gameplay, insidiously ingraining itself into every design decision.
It went from being simply an uninteresting game that I have no strong feelings for or against, to being something bizarre and unsavourary that leaves an unappealing aftertaste in the mouth.
It's hard to not refer to it as "woke" when one of the primary selling points for the game is a "diverse cast of characters", instead of a compelling story; where weaponising words isn't a persuasive manipulator of some kind, but is just throwing a fit and calling people racist. It is also, at least in part, government funded. I think I'll just stick to reputable old games or indie games, rather than modern, government funded swill. I still find it hard to believe that I'm not being trolled, even the Steam page advertising the game looks satirical...

It is a shame.

TLJ and April Ryan will always have a special place in my gaming imaginary but that appreciation is now somewhat tarnished.

That's quite telling.
Especially for how certain gameplay elements, mechanics and the game as a whole turned out.

I don't mind politics and ideologies worked into games, it's all a matter of how you do it and that it doesn't tip the scales in favour of one particular side.
Of course it can also be left out altogether but if it isn't and in particular real-life or current year politics and ideologies are put into the game you've got to offer opportunities or make it possible to assume the point of view from all sides of the spectrum for a balanced experience. Like Baldur's Gate 3 or Disco Elysium managed it quite elegantly.

Want to roleplay a liberal, conflict-averse hippie that just wants everybody to get along - sure have at it.
Want to roleplay a anti-authoritarian, progressive activist dedicated to "smashing the state" 24/7 - sure have at it.
Want to roleplay a nationalistic fascist with quite the conservative view on things, not shy of resorting to violence to enforce it - sure, have at it.
Want to roleplay a closet/open racist and fall in with fellow supremacists, in order to establish a new world order (or ensure the segregational status quo) - sure have at it.
etc.

Dustborn here doesn't let you do that and instead chose to opt for only one possible way to play, resulting in rejection from not only the politically/ideologically opposed third but likely also the moderate centric third of the spectrum.
And not to forget - the remarkably low sales, of course.

But according to Ragnar Tørnquist it looks like that was the plan all along.

Except he had done video interviews about the game before it was released, (i.e., you can look for those videos on YouTube.) In the interviews he talked about having evolved from just being the regular white man to becoming woke, enlightened, and better than everyone else for it... as if he was high on a cocktail of hippy drugs. It is those interviews that he did with the lead voice actress. She was even more woke and delusional than he was. The interviews were like two delusional person talking about some religious or cult experience rather than making a game. They actually, truly believe there was a huge market of audiences who were thirsting for their way of seeing and thinking things. They must have come from a different multiverse and timeline.

So, he was dead serious about making the "wokest game ever."

If he had not gone full crazy in those interviews, the publisher (Quantic Dream) might have been able to salvage the game by re-marketing it as a satire of the woke culture.

What I find so disgusting is these types whine about lecturing and teaching us when there were games covering serious issues before this but they used subtext.
Look at FFVI and the main protagonist, she is a Metaphor for mixed race, Black notably, with her conflict of identity. I mean when you see her introduced at first they talk about having to put a slave collar on her. Then you see the story of her parents later and it really brings it all home. I am oversimplifying as there are all the events that bring it to that final stage.

Some people suggest it should have been called 'Antifa - the game'. Which it effectively is from what i've seen covered.

A company that has made smaller, interesting story-driven indie games goes "all in" and makes... this. Ugh. My face hurts (again).