Experience a Telltale-like game that elegantly mimics television storytelling, and to top it off, it integrates an engaging management simulation element.
Hop Onboard Dive into Dispatch, the debut game from AdHoc Studio, an assemblage of seasoned vets from Telltale Games' heyday. Showcased at our very own PC Gaming Show, Dispatch boasts a demo available on Steam Next Fest, and frankly, I'm left yearning for more.
I've held a torch for Telltale's golden era—The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us were gripping dramas that struck a chord when "your choices mattered" was still a fresh concept. The debate on whether they truly delivered on this premise is debatable, but their allure was undeniable.
However, their animation left room for improvement. It wasn't bad, per se, but it didn't meet the standards of a playable movie or TV show. That said, Dispatch, according to the demo, has fixed it—not just meeting, but surpassing Telltale's marks. This game goes beyond imitating their glory days; it's actively working to better them.
In Dispatch, you play the washed-up superhero Robert, formerly known as Mecha-Man. After his power suit broke and financial woes compel him to take a job with SDN, a company that dispatches superpowered convicts, he's tasked with handling crimes around the city.
Touching on the Telltale-esque aspects of Dispatch, the game excels. It oozes charm, looking stunning with a budget-backed shine. Characters are expressive and vibrant, the environments are colorful, and facial expressions mimic comic book stills.
Voice-acting is top-notch, too, with a blend of experienced gaming talent like Laura Bailey and TV stars such as Aaron Paul, who's proven his voice-acting prowess in shows like Invincible. JackSepticeye and MoistCr1TiKaL also make notable appearances.
Dispatch offers buttery-smooth dialogue choices, unlike in traditional Telltale games where there's a slight hiccup when picking a dialogue option. With Dispatch, the script flows naturally, rendering the UI subtle as to go unnoticed during dialogue selection.
The demo also reveals the other half of the game's structure: dispatch management simulation. When it's not entertaining with witty banter and flawed superheroes, it puts players in a dispatcher role. When you join the SDN, you're tasked with assembling a team filled with different stats, and you'll need to manage them to tackle various missions.
This isn't a mere Telltale-style mini-game to keep things moving. It's a mechanically dense, intricate process. Each team member comes with passive abilities that can impact their performance, and they can be leveled up to enhance their individual stats.
Each mission's success depends on matching your team's stats to the mission's requirements. This demands guesswork based on mission vibes. If a feline abduction call requires a tactful, agile hero, you might struggle if you send a slow, uncharismatic one.
Complications may arise, such as team members initiating distractions, wandering off, or insisting on taking specific jobs. Occasionally, you'll encounter dialogue choices, and picking a suitable hero for the job could lead to automatic success.
DISCLAIMER: As the demo is limited in size, the fate of Dispatch remains uncertain. However, AdHoc has certainly grabbed my attention, and the game, planned for a 2025 release, alreadystands out among promise-filled indie titles.
Stay tuned for updates on sale dates, Epic Store free games, and more!
Writer's Corner:Meet Harvey Randall, a seasoned game writer whose obsession with video games began when he implored his parents for a World of Warcraft subscription at 12. Since then, he's been hooked on Final Fantasy 14, TTRPGs, and various indie titles. His work has been featured on Techradar, The Escapist, Dicebreaker, The Gamer, and Into the Spine, among others. He's eager to sink his teeth into anything fascinating, with a particular penchant for RPGs, soulslikes, roguelikes, deckbuilders, MMOs, and weird indie titles.
- The environment in Dispatch, reminiscent of comic book stills, is colorful and vibrant, showcasing the game's charm and attention to detail.
- In Dispatch, players have the opportunity to place a bet on their success, as the dispatch management simulation aspect requires strategic team management to ensure victory in challenging missions.
- Harvey Randall, a seasoned game writer, finds the entertainment value in Dispatch, with its blend of engaging dialogue, expressive characters, and the balancing act of superhero dispatch management.
- As Dispatch, with its promise of improved animation and immersive gameplay, ventures into the competitive gaming season of 2025, it looks set to become a contender for capturing players' hearts and minds, much like Telltale Games in their golden era.
