Dispatch Reviews

Dispatch is no repeat of the tired, mature superhero story, but rather a heartfelt adventure about former villains looking for a second chance. With a cast of lovable characters voiced by an all-star cast, impressive interactive gameplay, and all wrapped in a gorgeous animated art style, AdHoc Studio's debut title is the underdog of the year that has reopened the door that I thought was long closed on the episodic, choice-based narrative genre.

If you love the grounded side of superhero fiction, the real people living under all that cape-and-chaos, Dispatch might be your next obsession. From the minds behind Critical Role, this half–visual novel, half–dispatch sim lets you juggle emergency calls, office drama, and superpowered coworkers. Just remember: HR doesn't look kindly on incinerating your coworkers.

Dispatch is one of the most charming, engaging, and well-written games of the year. It might be a comedy, but it doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. You must take on the role of a mentor to a team of misfit heroes, all while navigating your own demons, not to mention the actual demon on your team. The character arcs and the team's overall arc are so satisfying and effective. I knew early on that this was a game I would play multiple times to see where different decisions would lead me. AdHoc Studio has instantly made a name for itself with this debut game.

You would think that a Telltale-style episodic adventure game wouldn't take off in this day and age, but Dispatch will prove you wrong (and offer an incredibly endearing story to boot).

If you want a new superhero episodic series with great dramatic moments and laughs, Dispatch is fantastic. However, if you want a game that plays as whimsically and enjoyably as it presents itself, then you may be disappointed. Give Dispatch a shot though because it's definitely an enjoyable ride you'll want to play repeatedly.

What happens when you get ex-Telltale games and Ubisoft developers and give them complete freedom to create something entirely new? You get Dispatch, a superhero workplace comedy in the same style as Telltale games. In a year of huge surprises, like Expedition 33 and Arc Raiders, it might actually be one of the biggest surprises. I didn’t expect too much going into Dispatch, but not only does it continue the legacy of Telltale games, but it might also be my favourite entry since Wolf Among Us.

Dispatch is absolute cinema, literally and figuratively. AdHoc has truly crafted a delightful experience with its workplace-comedy superhero narrative, one that features a strong cast of well-written and eccentric characters, making you eager to meet them again like long-distance BFFs. The gameplay can be slightly tricky to grasp, but ultimately becomes a hyper-engaging burst of time-based unit management. Each character is so lovable at heart that you won't even need a lengthy backstory for context. And with a writing direction that strongly emphasizes character relationships and banter with one another, it is one of the most cathartic video game experiences that I had this year, making me grateful for every minute I spent with Robert and his crew, as well as making me want to support AdHoc in any way possible in a plea for making another season on these whimsy goofballs.

Dispatch is a very uneven experience. It has polish in some places but severely lacks it in others. It has great characters but you don’t get to spend much time with the good ones. The dispatching segments can be fun but feel somewhat shallow. The game has sparks of absolute brilliance, though can use those sparks to start a dumpster fire. It’s worth playing and enjoyable for any fans of narrative focused games or superheroes, but might be memorable for the wrong reasons.

Dispatch is a sharp-witted workplace comedy that charms with its smart dialogue choices, great writing, and lovably aggravating cast.

With its stunning presentation, brilliant writing and engaging gameplay, Dispatch is one of the best interactive narrative games ever made. It's impossible to play this without growing to love its characters.

The spirit of Telltale Games' excellent episodic storytelling feels alive and well in Dispatch, a superhero adventure by developer AdHoc Studio.

Dispatch takes the foundation built by Telltale Games and runs with it, creating one of the best games in the genre and one of the best titles released this year. The incredible cast of characters, brought to life by great writing, a beautiful art style, and a fantastic team of voice actors, is so charming and lovable. Even if the gameplay is kind of lacking, the dispatching mini-games and emphasis on player and dialogue choice are so much fun to engage with. In a time when the superhero genr...

Dispatch is full of heart and jokes, and it's one of the best superhero TV shows around.

Video games have been trying to compete with film for years. Some developers hire A-list actors, pile on cinematic spectacle, and chase Hollywood flash like a cartoon coyote chasing its prey. While trying to compete with film, games have often adopted the language of cinema. Dispatch offers an alternative. Instead of imitating movies, it borrows liberally from prestige television, showcasing character-driven storytelling, slow-burn drama, and high emotional stakes that tighten with every epis...

Dispatch is everything it needs to be and more. The vocal performances are emotive and captivating. What’s more, the title boasts a compelling story and excellent presentation; it does its damnedest to make your choices actually matter when tailoring your story. Dispatch is busy with heart, charm, and narrative weight.

With smart, witty writing delivered by top tier talent, Dispatch tells a gripping story that will have you laughing out loud and gawping at the consequences of your decisions in equal measure.

It only takes playing through one or two episodes of Dispatch to realise that this superhero comedy-drama has bags of potential. But spread between a total of eight instalments, does it stick the landing?

Dispatch is possibly the greatest narrative game ever made, if only they could smooth out the actual dispatching. I absolutely love this world, this story, and these characters. I just don't like the parts where I am scripted to fail, and I further don't like that those parts ultimately don't matter. Whatever, ignore my whining. This is a great game.

Dispatch is a great adventure game that effectively uses and plays with superhero tropes to craft a memorable narrative, led by excellent performances. A couple of the choice-based outcomes are a bit confusing, but that isn’t enough to derail this strong title from hitting most of its targets.

Criticisms about the illusion of choice and dialogue aside, Dispatch is off to a decently strong start. Even if my decisions really don’t matter in the long run, I’m still interested to see where Robert’s journey takes him and try out more dispatch jobs. Hopefully, there’ll be more interesting plot diversions and consequences resulting from my decisions, but those can be made up for if the overall plot, like a superhero arriving to save the day, sticks the landing.