Dustborn faced intense criticism upon release, often labeled as one of the worst games ever made. However, much of the backlash was driven by unfortunate timing, as it launched during a period of growing frustration among gamers over the increasing presence of radical political themes in the industry. Additionally, its release came just days before Concord, one of the biggest flops in gaming history, further fueling excessive negativity and rage-bait content, unusual for an indie title. In reality, is not a disaster, but rather a mediocre game, which is a big burden in an industry overflowing with great choices. As a narrative-driven experience, it suffers from poor writing, weak character development, and a lack of understanding from its own writers. The game relies heavily on exposition, violating the basic storytelling principle of show, don’t tell. Instead of experiencing the world, players are simply told about it. Gameplay-wise, it's a very shallow game all around as everything lacks depth. The combat is repetitive; the RPG elements fail to evolve over time and the band dynamic is atrocious. One of the game’s core mechanics revolves around using language as a weapon, allowing players to influence others through dialogue-based interactions. While this concept is intriguing, its execution feels underdeveloped, often reducing choices to simplistic outcomes rather than meaningful player agency. Visually, it has strong artistic direction, with comic book-inspired aesthetics, solid voice acting and brings a few new ideas to the genre. However, these elements can’t compensate for the narrative collapse in Act 2, leading to a rushed, unsatisfying ending, a road trip story where you never reach the destination. Ultimately, Dustborn is a niche game. Even for those who appreciate its themes, the story’s structural failures make it a frustrating experience. For a full breakdown, check out my in-depth review at Nines.tv or search "Nines TV Dustborn" on YouTube.
