Dispatch Review: More Than Just a Game, It’s a Hilarious, Heartfelt Redemption Story

Dispatch is a sharp, witty, and deeply charming interactive narrative experience that confidently revives the episodic adventure game genre made popular by studios like Telltale. Developer AdHoc Studio delivers a story that perfectly blends the absurdity of superhero fiction with the mundanity of a workplace comedy, all while examining themes of redemption and second chances. The Story: A Hero’s Downgrade The game takes place in a captivating, bizarre version of Los Angeles filled with superpowered beings and all manner of extraordinary humanoids. Our protagonist is Robert Robertson, formerly the armored hero "Mecha Man." After a career-ending accident, Robert is forced to take on a soul-crushing job as a call center worker—a "Dispatcher"—for the SDN organization. Adding insult to injury, Robert is put in charge of the "Z-team," a group of barely reformed, snarky, and temperamental super-villains. The core of the game is watching Robert grow and the Z-Team evolve across eight compelling episodes. The writing is grounded and witty, and the sizable cast is brought to life by heartfelt performances, including a standout, nuanced turn by Aaron Paul as Robert. Gameplay: Two Sides of the Job Your time in Dispatch is split into two distinct, yet interconnected, activities: Interactive Narrative: Most of the game consists of beautifully animated cutscenes where you select dialogue options and complete Quick-Time Events (QTEs), similar to The Wolf Among Us. Decisions often trigger an "X Person remembered that" notification, though choices more often lead to unique jokes or character moments than game-shifting consequences. Crucially, the ending still feels true to the player's choices for Robert. Dispatch Minigame: This is the game's unique, tense core mechanic. You must use your mouse and wits to monitor a city map for hazards and efficiently assign the Z-Team heroes to handle the jobs before a timer runs out. You must match the mission requirements to the individual heroes based on their stats and special skills (like Prism's ability to extend job timers or Invisigal's speed boost). Failure can lead to heroes getting injured, while success earns experience points for permanent stat boosts. The interactive narrative and the dispatching minigame cleverly inform each other. For instance, low team morale impacts the minigame, causing heroes to be disobedient, which successfully conveys Robert's on-the-job frustration to the player. Minor Roadblocks The only weak point noted in the review is a secondary hacking minigame that Robert performs. This activity, which involves rolling a 3D object through a cybernetic maze against a ticking clock, can feel overwhelming and is considered the "least compelling" distraction in an otherwise excellent experience. Verdict Dispatch succeeds because it portrays its morally ambiguous characters with empathy, showing them as complex, emotionally complicated souls rather than one-dimensional brutes. The blend of dark humor and sincere interactions, bolstered by a strong voice cast, makes the game an emotional rollercoaster that sticks the landing.