Dispatch is a great example of how far interactive storytelling has come, especially in the superhero genre. Developed by AdHoc Studio, the game features heroes with unique personalities. It’s set in a world where superheroes are commonplace, and you play as a retired hero who now works as a dispatcher for the SDN, sending them to deal with emergencies.
What truly makes the game shine is its supporting cast, featuring both well-known voice actors and comedians new to gaming. ComicBook recently spoke with some of the stars of Dispatch about their experience with the game’s blend of workplace humor and superhero action, how the story’s branching paths helped them develop complex characters, and what kind of games they’d like to see AdHoc Studios create in the future.
Dispatch Is Invincible Is By Way Of Office Space
Superheroes are everywhere in popular culture these days. While there’s debate about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and how James Gunn will change DC films, shows like The Boys and Invincible continue to keep the genre popular with audiences of all ages. Dispatch offers a unique take, blending the humor and action of The Incredibles with the workplace dynamics and relationships of The Office, creating a funny and surprisingly touching experience.
The game revolves around a team of coworkers involved in the Phoenix Program. Players control Robert Roberson, also known as Mecha-Man, but the supporting characters are equally compelling, each bringing a unique blend of wit, sarcasm, and empathy to their superhero roles. Invisigal, in particular, is a standout – a modern take on the classic troubled antihero. Voice actress Laura Bailey felt confident about the character once she saw the vision the development team, AdHoc, had for her.
Honestly, I was most thrilled about getting to work with Nick and Pierre again! I’ve collaborated with them on other Telltale games before, and they’re an incredible team. They’re just masters at creating memorable characters and writing fantastic stories. Seriously, nobody nails comedy in video games like they do. So when they asked me to be involved, I was beyond excited – I couldn’t say yes fast enough!
Erin Yvette agreed, explaining that she joined the project to play the character Blonde Blazer because of the talented team involved. She said that when you find a creative team you love, you’ll do anything for them. The team behind AdHoc is one of those for her and her colleague – they were so excited by the project they were eager to participate.
Honestly, I’d never actually been inside a video game before, which was a little wild! Playing Flambae on the Z-Team, I’m basically the team’s firecracker – both in personality and what my character can do. It’s been amazing getting to explore this whole new world. I was blown away by how massive the game is, and all the incredible people involved – Aaron Paul, Jeffrey Wright, seriously talented voice actors. Coming from stand-up comedy, every new thing I learned about this project just made it even cooler, and that’s exactly why I jumped at the chance to be a part of it.
Joel Harver, known for his humorous YouTube videos about video games, plays the role of the insecure Waterboy in the game. He shared his enthusiasm for games with branching storylines, explaining that he loves how they let players influence the narrative. He’s a big fan of storytelling in general, and finds it particularly enjoyable to make choices in games and consider the alternative outcomes. He appreciates that, unlike real life where decisions are permanent and can be difficult, video games offer the chance to rewind and try a different approach, making the experience really fun and he feels privileged to be a part of it.
Travis Willingham praised Nick Herman, Pierre Short, and the entire creative team at AdHoc for the success of the game. As a co-creator and star of both The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein, Willingham believes the game’s strength lies in its blend of over-the-top superhero action and relatable workplace humor. He pointed to his character, Phenomaman, as an example, noting the characters operate in an office setting with everyday struggles, but also possess incredible powers and personalities. Willingham felt AdHoc did an excellent job of maintaining this balance – keeping the tone grounded most of the time, but allowing for complete freedom when the action moved outside. He especially lauded Dispatch, saying it was exceptionally well done.
For performer Alanah Pearce, it’s simpler to portray believable characters when she connects with their humanity. She believes the key to the success of the game Dispatch is keeping even outlandish characters emotionally real—like her character, Malevola, a demon. This relatability comes from finding a core human truth and staying true to it. Pearce notes the game’s strong writing and branching storylines actually help actors, providing context and deepening their understanding of their characters. Seeing how choices impact Malevola, for example, gave Pearce new insights into the character, creating a fuller, more complete picture – something that doesn’t always happen when developing a character in other mediums.
The same realistic and relatable approach extends to the character of Coupe, a ballerina who is also an assassin, and has a dry wit. Mayanna Berrin, who plays Coupe and also writes, does comedy, and does voice acting, was drawn to the project because of how authentic and natural it felt. She explained that often there’s pressure to force a specific interpretation onto a character, but this project allowed the actors to bring their own personalities to their roles, making them more relatable and allowing the audience to really connect with them. The story’s branching paths also presented creative opportunities for Berrin, who enjoyed finding unexpected or interesting angles, even in familiar situations – that’s where the real fun lay.
Thot Squad, the artist behind the character Prism, praised the game for feeling genuinely relatable and authentic, especially in how it handles superheroes and character interactions. They felt the well-written and perfectly timed dialogue really pulled players in, and the directors gave the actors plenty of freedom to improvise and create believable performances. This approach, they explained, is what sets the game apart. Unlike older superhero stories – like the 1960s Batman, which focused on simple crime-solving – this game feels much more realistic and grounded in how people would actually behave.
Secret Identities and Surprises Behind Every Mask
What makes Dispatch really stand out is the surprisingly human side of its characters, even behind their initial appearances. After playing the first four episodes, I was impressed by how many emotional and funny moments the game delivers, both for the player and the characters themselves. Some of the twists even genuinely surprised the cast!
I absolutely love Blonde Blazer! What’s so cool about her is that she’s not just this perfect, shiny superhero everyone expects. As an actor, Yvette really dug into the idea that there’s so much more to her. It was great to see the script support that too! She’s genuinely fun to be around, doesn’t get easily upset, and she’s clearly been through a lot. She’s got this amazing ability to be both warm and kind, but also really playful and quick-witted – she can tease you right back! But underneath it all, she’s a real person with her own fears and insecurities. It’s so refreshing to see a character who isn’t just a one-dimensional hero; she feels totally fleshed out and real, and that was a huge relief and a joy to play.
The actors discussed the biggest surprises during development, but were careful not to reveal too much about the game’s plot. Bailey, who voiced Invisigal, described the character as initially appearing tough and guarded. However, she was surprised to discover a softer, more vulnerable side to Invisigal, describing her as having a ‘chewy marshmallow center’ beneath the hard exterior.
Willingham playfully pointed out that the character’s name, Phenomnaman, hints at his appearance – a typical, powerfully built superhero. However, it’s the character’s inner struggles that make him compelling. Phenomnaman is an alien who struggles to understand humans, emotions, and social cues. He constantly battles with feelings, romance, and simply trying to connect with others. Willingham believes this internal conflict makes the role particularly rewarding for an actor.
Honestly, playing the Waterboy was surprisingly easy in some ways. The directors at AdHoc really encouraged me to just be myself with the character, and that’s what ended up making him feel real. I initially tried to create this super awkward, high-pitched guy with a really noticeable stutter, but they told me to dial it back. It hit me then – I was already a pretty awkward person! I didn’t need to act awkward. It was like, less is more – the character was good just being me. It was a fun surprise to realize how much of myself was already in the role, and how much more grounded it felt when I stopped trying to force it.
Cantstopolis remembered when he first started working on Flamebae, the developers were looking for a character with a lot of swagger and confidence – something he felt he could easily deliver. However, he was surprised by the moments of genuine emotion and realistic dialogue. He noted that this level of depth is unusual for video games, and that the game successfully blends a fantastical setting with relatable, human experiences. He felt the game was innovative in its approach to storytelling.
I was really struck by how Malevola handled betrayal in Dispatch. It wasn’t something that had to happen, but the way it played out added so much depth to her character. Each new reveal felt like a puzzle piece falling into place, and the writing was just fantastic – I loved getting those little bits of information. And Mayanna felt the same way about Coupe! She said a single line in episode four completely changed how she saw Coupe, and it made her rethink everything she’d written so far. It opened up so many exciting possibilities for the rest of the story, and she was thrilled to explore them.
The performer was captivated by the character Prism’s confidence and freedom of expression, something she found empowering compared to her own life. She admired Prism’s ability to act and speak her mind without worrying about consequences, even in a professional environment. Playing such a bold character gave the performer hope that she could also be more assertive and stand up for herself. While it doesn’t necessarily mean being confrontational, it’s about advocating for your needs and refusing to hold back – something she believes is particularly rare for women, especially women of color. She appreciated that Prism fully embraced this unapologetic attitude.
Inspired by studios like Telltale and looking ahead to AdHoc’s potential, the creators of Dispatch brainstormed exciting new directions for narrative games. Bailey playfully mentioned wanting to create a game based on Critical Role—which AdHoc is actually working on! She also expressed a desire for a *Pride and Prejudicestyle game, hoping to immerse players in a Regency-era romance.
Yvette and Pearce both felt the horror genre could be more exciting with this new game style. Pearce wanted to see classic slasher elements, saying, “I’d love a game where you’re running from villains like Jason or Freddy.” She’d also enjoy something lighter, like the movie Monsters, Inc. Yvette, on the other hand, wondered what it would be like to experience horror from the perspective of the monster. “Imagine a story-driven horror game where you are the killer, like someone wearing the Scream mask,” she suggested.
Willingham was impressed with the AdHoc team, believing they had the potential to create fantastic games across different genres – he specifically mentioned a noir story, a western, and a fantasy game, admitting his fondness for the latter. He emphasized that their success wouldn’t depend on sticking to one genre, but rather on having a diverse range of characters, settings, and creative options. He was particularly struck by the high quality of their work and suggested they explore just how far they could take it.
Harver and Canstopolis both envisioned games inspired by popular movies. Harver proposed a game similar to Godzilla, but experienced from the perspective of people trying to survive the monster’s attack. Canstopolis, on the other hand, wanted a game in the style of Jackie Chan’s Rumble in the Bronx.
Berrin excitedly shared her desire to experience a comic book convention, imagining the energy of fans, the different communities, and getting a peek behind the scenes at the panels. She felt the large scale of these events would be a fascinating backdrop for a story. However, Thot Squad offered a surprisingly simple yet compelling idea: the movie Titanic. She pointed out the numerous moments where events could have unfolded differently, and whether Rose survives, making it a great story concept, which her fellow cast members readily agreed with.
The first two episodes of Dispatch are now available to play.
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2025-10-21 18:13