While I won’t spend as much time talking about episode 2 as I did episode 1, I can safely say that after completing the first two episodes of Dispatch, my hunch about AdHoc’s first game being a game of the year contender was right on the money. Perfectly mixing comedy, drama, and action, everything Dispatch has attempted to do so far has been as close to pitch-perfect as it gets. There’s just one thing that I could see getting in the way for some long-time narrative adventure fans, and well… let’s get into it.
It is called Dispatch after all
Where episode one merely teased the dispatch gameplay, episode two puts it front and center. While I’m sure some fans of the genre would prefer the episode to focus more on dialogue choices, I think the game does a great job of introducing a large cast of characters all within a limited amount of time, while building on a fun game mechanic.
The first time players are introduced to dispatching, it’s very straightforward. A woman’s cat is stuck in a tree. Your job is to pick a hero best suited for the task. As long as you choose correctly, job well done. In episode two, though, dispatching expands nicely into a much more fleshed-out mechanic. Not only are you tasked with sending out the best hero for the job, but you quickly learn that each hero has their own secret perks.
Invisigal is more of a loner, so sending her out on a job alone results in her completing tasks faster than the others. Another hero, depending on whether they’re the number one or number two on the job, will gain either an attack or mobility boost. On top of keeping track of everyone’s perks and abilities, the more you send a hero out on a successful job, the faster they level up. And what’s great about that system is that you can take a hero in any direction you want. Do you want to try to make someone a glass cannon with ultra-mobility? Have at it. That said, not having a well-rounded cast of heroes could end up coming back to haunt you.
Besides dispatching, there’s the hacking mini-game. Now, I didn’t mention this in my review of episode one because I wanted to see how much it would be used in future episodes. I can now safely say that it’s a very simple but fun addition that manages to give players a nice breather from the long sequence of dispatching that appears in episode 2. Dispatch isn’t looking to re-invent the wheel when it comes to the hacking mini-game, but there’s just enough there to deliver an enjoyable experience.
What about the story?
I was curious why Dispatch decided to release the episodes two at a time, and now that I’m finished, I completely understand. Dispatch is probably the first narrative title I’ve ever played where I’ve considered replaying an episode. Yes, you’re getting just under two hours of gameplay every week, but because they’re cut in half, each episode feels like it comes and goes so fast that you’re almost tempted to replay the experience and see what other outcomes your choices could have led to.
And I briefly mentioned them earlier, but the large cast of characters that get introduced in the episode are instantly memorable. Whether it was Waterboy or Chase or Roy, every time the game introduced a new character, I couldn’t wait to meet them again and learn more about them. And lastly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the final moments of episode two. I went in thinking that whatever the moment was, it had to be something that brought me back. Surely, it would be some intense cliffhanger that kept me waiting for episode three, right? Instead, episode two ends on this bizarre sequence between three characters that has a mix of underlying anxiety, humor, and a bit of fear. This awkward moment is encompassed by this distorted music that only adds to the uneasiness the scene brings. Honestly, when it was over and the credits started to roll, I felt more motivated than ever to see what next week brought simply because I felt myself asking, “What the hell was that?!”
Final Thoughts
The plan was to write a shorter review that explained why I thought episode two was just as good, if not better than the first episode, and I now realize I couldn’t stop my fingers from explaining just how much fun I’m having with this game. If, for some reason, you’ve read my first two reviews for Dispatch and you still haven’t played, you’re missing out on one of the year’s best experiences. That’s why I’m happy to report that Dispatch Episode Two is getting…
Thinks of a Thoughter 