That Telltale choice-heavy, heavily narrative-driven style of game has been noticeably lacking in the gaming world since the company went through its difficulties in 2018. There were some attempts at a resurgence, but they all fell short. Recently, a new contender has entered the field, bringing some much-needed fresh blood to both the choice-heavy and superhero genres of gaming. Dispatch is an episodic Telltale-style comedy about a superhero who goes behind the desk as a dispatcher.
The game has two episodes out so far, with more on the way, and it has us here at PlayRatedGames very excited for the future of the genre and whatever else AdHoc Studios is working on. Dispatch follows the story of the unfortunately named Robert Robertson the Third. Robert is a third-generation superhero who fights crime and protects the innocent as legacy superhero Mecha Man. Robert has no superpowers and heavily relies on his high-tech mech, the Mecha-Man suit (he’s like Iron Man, but broke).
Mecha-Man is taken out of active hero work after his suit is damaged beyond his ability to repair during a battle, and he is relegated to the role of call center worker at SDC. This organization dispatches superheroes where they’re needed. The first two episodes only covered some character introductions and Robert’s first day on the job. However, if they’re anything to go by, we’re in for a treat with each episode.
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Dispatch Gameplay
There is not a lot to say about the gameplay; with games like Dispatch, you’re more in it for the story (there’s even an option at the start of the game to turn off quick time events). However, what little hands-on gameplay we get to do is great. The QuickTime events are fun and responsive, albeit hard to read at times.
It’s still a bit early in the game, so choices and story progression seem very tutorial-esque. Still, you feel the weight of your decisions, so choose wisely. The in-game SDC Dispatch UI is absolutely fantastic. You really feel the stakes when deciding which heroes to send to each call.
You can also help out the heroes in the field from behind the desk by hacking into systems through a mini-game. This feature makes you feel even more like part of the team (it’s not for me, though).
Story
The story is where Dispatch truly shines. Reminiscent of the early MCU mixed with Invincible, the story is hilarious, capable of drawing out a chuckle at any moment with a well-placed line or action.
The voice acting from veterans like Aaron Paul (Mecha-Man), Laura Bailey (Invisigal), and Jeffrey Wright (Chase) was phenomenal, as expected. I was also pleasantly surprised by Charlie White/Cr1TiKaL as Sonar and Sean McLoughlin/Jacksepticeye, who plays Punch-Up.
The world of Dispatch is truly captivating, and I can honestly see myself reading comic books and absorbing other media of not just the characters within this story but of any character within the wider Dispatch Universe.
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What I Don’t Like
The weekly episodic release style is fascinating and different, but I’m greedy, and I want more. I wish there were an option to skip the wait for extra money. It also feels a bit wrong to pay full price for a game only to wait weeks before you can complete it. If you have this issue, my advice is to wait until every episode has been released before jumping in; might take a while, though.
I mentioned it before, but I am not a fan of the hacking minigame. I must add that it feels very much in line with the game and Robert’s character. It makes you feel like part of the action and not just some guy behind a desk barking orders. So it’s not really an issue with the game; this is just a personal gripe.
Final Thoughts
Dispatch has been a fun experience so far, and I look forward to getting my hands on more episodes (although I am considering waiting for all the episodes before jumping back in). From the story to the style to the characters and even the larger Dispatch Universe, it might be early, but I’m completely hooked.
