Dispatch Review
When the credits rolled on my first playthrough of Dispatch, I sat in silence for a moment, not because the game had ended, but because I immediately wanted to dive back in and see how different my choices could have made things. That's the mark of something special. AdHoc Studio, formed by veterans of Telltale Games, has delivered a debut that doesn't just honor the legacy of choice-driven adventures, it actively pushes the genre forward with exceptional voice acting, writing that balances dick jokes with genuine emotional weight, and a dispatching system that keeps you engaged even when you're not making dialogue choices.
The premise hooks you immediately: you're Robert Robertson, aka Mecha Man, a superhero whose career takes a hard left turn when his suit gets destroyed. Instead of saving the day in a giant mech, you're stuck behind a desk at the Superhero Dispatch Network, coordinating the Z-Team, a group of reformed villains trying to prove they can be heroes. What follows is part workplace comedy, part redemption story, and entirely compelling.
More Than Just Choosing Dialogue
The core of Dispatch revolves around dialogue choices that shape Robert's personality and his relationships with the Z-Team. You'll decide whether he's self-deprecating, accusatory, or somewhere in between, and these choices genuinely matter. What most players miss is how the game tracks your consistency. The Z-Team responds differently based on whether you've been supportive or harsh, creating character dynamics that feel earned rather than scripted.
The dispatching system is where Dispatch differentiates itself from pure visual novels. Between story beats, you'll manage your team's missions in real-time, sending heroes to handle emergencies across the city. The key here is that the story doesn't stop during these segments; characters continue talking, relationships develop, and you're forced to multitask between listening to crucial dialogue and managing mission logistics. It's a brilliant way to maintain narrative momentum while giving you something active to do. I'd never imagine saying this, but dispatching superheroes was surprisingly… fun.
You'll want to pay attention during these dispatch sequences because characters sometimes get stuck and need your guidance to proceed. These decision points can affect mission outcomes and team morale, adding another layer of consequence to your choices.
Each episode runs about an hour, structured like a TV series with high-quality cutscenes and clear UI during dispatch sections. The pacing is snappy, perhaps too snappy for some, as episodes end just as you're fully invested. I started playing right before the last two episodes released, and I was hooked waiting in anticipation the same way you would wait on a TV series. That episodic feeling in particular was weirdly refreshing, especially if you were joining in on the social media fun with predictions.
Exceptional Graphics & Audio
For an indie studio's debut, Dispatch's presentation is stunning. The art style captures a vibrant, stylized superhero world that feels distinct from the usual aesthetics. It personally reminded me a lot of Invincible's art. Character designs are expressive and varied, from the hulking presence of reformed villains to the sleek design of active heroes. The cutscenes maintain consistent quality throughout all episodes, with smooth animations and dynamic camera work that rivals much larger productions.
The voice acting deserves special recognition. Every performance feels authentic, with actors bringing genuine personality to their characters rather than just reading lines. The casting of Jacksepticeye alongside professional voice actors works surprisingly well, adding to the game's self-aware charm. The banter feels natural, the emotional moments land with weight, and the comedic timing is consistently sharp.
The sound design complements the voice work perfectly. Mission alerts, UI feedback, and environmental audio create a convincing dispatch center atmosphere. The music shifts appropriately between workplace comedy vibes and superhero action sequences, though it never overpowers the dialogue,which is exactly right for a narrative-focused game.
Real Depth Beneath the Jokes
Here's what makes Dispatch special: it's crude without being juvenile, and funny without sacrificing emotional depth. The writing is self-aware enough to pull off constant swearing and crude humor while still delivering moments of genuine vulnerability.
The Z-Team members are initially abrasive, fighting for dominance while you try to wrangle them into something resembling a functional unit. What could have been a simple redemption arc becomes something more nuanced as you discover each character's motivations, fears, and reasons for joining the phoenix programme. The game doesn't shy away from showing that rehabilitation is messy and non-linear.
Robert himself is more than just a player insert. Your choices shape his personality, but the game also explores his own need for redemption after losing his suit. The parallel between his journey and the Z-Team's creates thematic resonance, elevating the workplace comedy premise into something more meaningful.
The episodic structure works in Dispatch's favor, with each episode ending on hooks that make you immediately want the next one, and I personally loved sitting through the credits and finding out my stats and decisions compared to the rest of the playerbase. If you're interested in exploring different relationship dynamics, the romance path guide shows just how much the narrative branches based on your choices.
Strategic Depth & Performance
While Dispatch isn't a strategy game in the traditional sense, there's genuine strategic thinking required in managing your team. You'll need to balance hero cooldowns, match abilities to mission types, and sometimes make tough calls about who to send where. The game rewards players who pay attention to team dynamics and individual character strengths rather than just clicking through missions randomly.
The meta-strategy of shaping relationships through consistent dialogue choices adds another layer. Building trust with certain team members opens new options in later episodes, while antagonistic relationships create different story branches. It's not just about seeing all the content; it's about deciding what kind of character Robert becomes and living with those consequences.
Dispatch ran smoothly on my PS5 with no technical issues, and most users reported similar experiences across platforms. Load times are brief, and the game maintains consistent performance even during busier dispatch sequences. The occasional character pathfinding issue during missions is the only recurring technical problem, and it's minor enough that it doesn't significantly impact the experience.
The replayability factor is substantial. Multiple dialogue paths, different relationship outcomes, and various mission results mean your first playthrough only scratches the surface. The trophy/achievement list encourages experimentation with different approaches (I'm 2 trophies away from the platinum), and the relatively short episode length makes replaying specific sections to see alternate outcomes less daunting than in longer games.
The game's structure also makes it accessible for players who might be intimidated by choice-driven games. You can't really fail; choices lead to different outcomes rather than game overs, and the autosave system means you're never punished for experimenting.
Verdict: A New Benchmark for Interactive Storytelling
AdHoc Studio hasn't just made a good Telltale-style game; they've evolved the formula into something that feels genuinely next-generation for the genre. The combination of world-class voice acting, writing that knows when to be crude and when to be heartfelt, episodic drops, and gameplay systems that keep you engaged between story beats and creates an experience that justifies the hype.
The brief episode length and underwhelming quick time events (if you choose to play with them turned on) were the only real drawbacks, and they're minor compared to what Dispatch gets right. This is a game that respects your choices, rewards multiple playthroughs, and delivers characters you'll genuinely care about by the end.
Whether you're a longtime fan of choice-driven adventures or someone who's been waiting for the genre to evolve beyond its Telltale roots, Dispatch is essential playing. It's the most fun I've personally had with a choice-based game since Detroit: Become Human, and it sets a new standard for what indie studios can achieve in this space. I never thought I'd have fun dispatching superheroes, but I truly did.
