Dispatch (2025): Your Choices Matter

In a world where every decision counts, Dispatch is more than a game; it’s a dive into the chaos and challenges behind shaping your own fate.

AdHoc Studio (formerly Telltale Games) released the first two episodes of Dispatch (2025), a workplace comedy videogame following the story of Robert Robertson III (Aaron Paul), a retired superhero who navigates his new job working as a dispatcher for the Superhero Dispatch Network (SDN) on October 22, 2025. The following episodes were subsequently released weekly in pairs from October to November. The game succeeds due to its riveting characters and choice-driven narrative; it showcases brilliant writing. However, the game is hindered by a lack of replay value.

The plot of the story depends strongly on the player’s gameplay choices, though the background remains constant. Robert’s story starts with him seeking to avenge his father, who was killed by a supervillain named Shroud (Matthew Mercer). However, when Shroud places a bomb on Robert’s mech suit, Robert is forced to retire. Luckily, he is then given the opportunity by famous superhero Blonde Blazer (Erin Yvette) to work for the SDN as a dispatcher for the Z-Team, a group of supervillains that the SDN has tried to reform. At his work, Robert sends these heroes to assist people when they call the SDN for help. As the story continues, the player is given the option to pursue a romance with either Blonde Blazer, Robert’s strong yet sweet boss, or Invisigal (Laura Bailey), a rebellious, snarky member of the Z-Team.  As Robert reforms the Z-Team and manages his relationships with other members of the SDN, he spends his time trying to build a new mech suit so he can finally take Shroud down.

Dispatch’s gameplay is unique; it primarily relies on quick decision-making, especially when allowed to choose dialogue options. The player uses dialogue options to choose what Robert says and does, affecting the ending the player ultimately gets. However, there are also parts that more actively engage the player. For instance, the player must play as Robert during his dispatching shifts, typically twice per episode. As Robert, the player must strategically choose which heroes to send for each incoming call based on their stats and powers. These tasks can be especially difficult later in the game, as they require knowing how to manage one’s team’s cooldowns and resting times to avoid injuries on the missions. There is a hacking minigame during missions the Z-Team is sent on and occasionally between cutscenes. In these games, the player must navigate pathways and complete quick time events, raising both the stakes and difficulty level. Gameplay only makes up about half of Dispatch, as the other half is cutscenes. The cutscenes are what push the story forward, revealing new lore and expanding the narrative of the story.

Dispatch also excels through its characters. In fact, the characters are one of the strongest parts of Dispatch. Their personalities are incredibly developed and go far past the surface-level traits one could assume about them. The Z-Team’s banter is entertaining, adding to the game’s comedic flair. Robert’s friendships—or rivalries—with them only intensify this. Each member of this team is fleshed out thanks to their dialogue and feels unique. They all add something to the story: for instance, Flambae (Fahim Anwar) has an unreasonable hatred for Robert throughout the first half of the story, resulting in an incredibly comedic relationship between them. Meanwhile, Malevola (Alanah Pearce) and Sonar (Charles White) are close friends throughout the story, their synergy prevalent in how they interact and constantly defend each other. Whether the player decides to pursue Blonde Blazer or Invisigal, both of their stories are equally interesting; Blonde Blazer’s story is focused on her insecurities about not having superpowers, whereas Invisigal’s is focused on her wish to be good. The build-up between them and Robert is slightly rushed, though, with many developments feeling sudden.

Despite the game’s stellar characters and engaging gameplay, it does have several issues. The worst problem lies with the unskippable cutscenes. The cutscenes may seem minor, but they present a glaring problem: the entire point of a choice-based game is the ability to pick different paths for your character and explore various possible outcomes, but the cutscenes force the player to sit through essentially an eight-hour movie each time they want to see the results of a dialogue option, detracting from the game’s replay value. Additionally, there is no way to lose the game. While an uninterrupted narrative can be incredibly enjoyable, the challenge in video games is what makes them fun. In Dispatch, the story always progresses—even if you fail every event or consistently send the wrong hero to missions. The only thing motivating the player to do well overall is how much effort they’re willing to put into the game. This is a double-edged sword, however, since the low challenge level lets more players of all skill levels play the game. 

Dispatch is by no means perfect. This game’s ability to combine engaging gameplay with a compelling, choice-based story is the primary reason for its success, even though the inconveniences within make it less enjoyable at times. Its characters have charm thanks to their distinct personalities and relationships, making them a staple. This has built anticipation for a sequel, providing an opportunity to fix the flaws previously seen. Even if there are underlying problems, the heart behind Dispatch makes it worth playing.