Dustborn is a game with a lot going on. A complex, politically messy alternate-earth setting, persecuted misfit heroes with vocal-based superpowers (it’s all rather X-Men, social justice commentary and all), conspiracies, adventures, a heist getaway plan that includes a pop-punk band tour across America—all of that and a bag of chips, wrapped in a sharp comic book aesthetic and told through a mixture of bantery, Bioware-ish RPG-lite action and Telltale-style episodic decision making.
Red Thread Games (the studio behind Draugen and Dreamfall Chapters, headed by veteran videogame wordsmith Ragnar Tørnquist) might have bitten off a bit more than it can reasonably chew. All those disparate elements can grind awkwardly against each other in places, and the combat is undeniably stiff and janky, with sassy battle-chatter frequently interrupted or cut short. But somehow, Dustborn holds together well enough to be an enjoyable romp, thanks in large part to an unusual focus on the moments where you’re not doing very much at all.
