There was a time when Telltale Studios gave gamers some of the most frustratingly fun experiences around. Experiences so frustratingly fun that other studios like DONTNOD and Deck Nine Games followed. It was a glorious time when studios regularly filled the gaming landscape with well-crafted narrative adventures. Then they mostly went away. Seriously, if you’re a fan of this genre, you know when one comes out because you are starving for a new experience. Well, good news, hungry people, it’s 2025, and AdHoc Studios wants to ask a question. What if instead of releasing a game that was frustratingly fun, they just released a game that was… fun? Is that something you’d be interested in?
I won’t lie, trying to talk about the first episode of Dispatch is challenging. All I want to do is run down every moment beat by beat and explain how much fun it is, but at the same time, the last thing I want to do is spoil even the simplest of story moments for anyone curious about the game. But I mean, come on! There’s that moment in the factory. Plus the guy in the mask! Those henchmen!? What about when…
Clearly, there’s a lot to talk about, even for the first episode. And with everything introduced, I found myself wanting to learn more about the world. Not just what was currently going on, but the past too. Every small piece of lore crumb the game dropped, I was quick to pick up and remember. I think what worked so well for me is that the game has a similar approach to world-building that something like Invincible does. Yes, the world is full of superheroes, but it’s still a world that’s full of rules. Where do people go and eat? How does everyone pay for everything? Dispatch seems to take a look at the worlds of DC and Marvel and give them a proper, real-world coating that manages to never forget the fact that it’s still a superhero story meant to be fun.
One of those heroes that fills out the world that I’m definitely comfortable talking about is Dispatch’s main character, Robert, AKA Mecha Man. One of the biggest problems with games that try to create that superhero dream is that they typically fall short because gamers all want and expect something completely different from the experience. Some people want to be Wolverine, while others want to be their own original character that gets to fight alongside the X-Men. Because Dispatch takes place in an original world, having to play as Robert does a great job of trying to solve that problem.
Robert, unlike most characters we meet in the episode, is a hero with no powers. Instead, his abilities come from manning the Mecha Man suit that has been in his family for generations. By being powerless, I believe that it makes Robert a much easier character to relate to. I may not know what it’s like to control a giant mech, but I do know what it’s like to feel outmatched or like my best isn’t good enough. And while I’m sure some people still looking for that perfect superhero experience will be frustrated by the lack of customization for Dispatch’s main character, I think the character does a great job of satisfying players who are just looking for a reason to punch crime in the neck.
What was that about Frustratingly Fun???
Earlier, I mentioned the frustratingly fun games of the genre, and I think it’s important to mention just what that means and how AdHoc has seemingly solved the problems of the past. Whether it was Life is Strange or The Walking Dead, I remember finishing an episode and being thrilled with everything I had just experienced, only to find myself waiting months on end for the next release. The reason I never finished the highly acclaimed Wolf Among Us was for this exact reason. The first episode was released on October 13, 2013, and episode 5, the finale, didn’t come out until July 8, 2014. I don’t care how good a game’s story is; trying to keep momentum and interest for that long is nearly impossible.
Thankfully, Dispatch looks to solve this problem by releasing two episodes every week. While I understand not everyone is a fan of an episodic formula in video games, at the very least, we can all agree that keeping everything consistent and releasing so close together means that people like me, who most certainly would lose interest, no matter the quality, are guaranteed to see Dispatch’s story to the end.
Why’s it called Dispatch?
And while I’ve already stated I’m not going to discuss the story, at least for today’s review, one thing that I have to mention before I go is something that shows up near the end of the episode. The game is called Dispatch after all, so where’s all the Dispatching? While the first episode only teases the mechanic, the concept of being a 911 dispatcher responsible for sending superheroes out on jobs you think they’re most qualified to do is a lot of fun. For anyone who recently played the remake of Final Fantasy Tactics, I was reminded of the Errands system within the game, where you can send party members out on different side jobs for experience and gold. While I don’t think I’ll be collecting any gold for rescuing a cat out of a tree or stopping bank robbers, it was nice to see a type of game mechanic that I enjoy quite a lot, given a unique twist and some modern polish.
Final Thoughts
Dispatch is a fantastic entry in the narrative adventure genre that looks to remind people of a time when games like this could be considered for Game of the Year. With a wonderful cast of characters, an interesting world, and promising gameplay, it looks like AdHoc might be on the verge of an all-timer for the genre. I might end up eating my words by the end of Dispatch’s journey, but as of now, it’s on its way to becoming one of my favorite games of the year. That’s why I’m giving Episode One of Dispatch…
Thinks of a Thoughter 