Dispatch Episodes 1 and 2 Set up One Superb, Side-Splitting, and Superpowered Story (Review)

by

Since Telltale Games closed down in 2018, narrative adventure games have evolved. Players now expect more than just a basic story, and games need truly exceptional writing to stand out. Recent titles like 2023’s Star Trek: Resurgence and The Expanse – both made with help from former Telltale employees – were solid, but didn’t really make a splash. Dispatch, another game created by people who used to work at Telltale, avoids this pitfall. Its first two episodes are a strong start, offering a promising superhero story that could set a new benchmark for the genre.

The first episode of Dispatch immediately showcases the game’s strengths. It starts with a therapy session, then quickly shifts gears with humor and action, hinting at deeper themes to come. In just three minutes, the intro packs in a memorable interrogation, several great jokes, a look inside the main character Mecha Man’s mind, and a suggestion of a larger threat. It’s a remarkably well-crafted opening, both in terms of writing and in establishing a very high bar for the rest of the game.

Rating: 4.5/5

Pros Cons
Whip-smart writing filled with clever jokes Some quick time events are hard to read
Fluid animation and a vivid art style make every scene sing
Dispatching heroes is surprisingly deep and easy to understand
Sublime pacing that moves scenes along quickly
Expertly sets up near-term and long-term conflicts with well-orchestrated cliffhangers

Dispatch Is Funny Like Few Other Video Games

All of these elements, and others, consistently contribute to the game’s quality. Dispatch is brilliantly funny, thanks to its sharp writing, perfect comedic timing, and lively animation. The humor isn’t just varied – ranging from quick, clever comebacks to slapstick – it feels meticulously crafted and refined. Every joke feels polished and intentional, a far cry from rough drafts, and the overall result is a level of humor rarely seen in video games.

The game’s animation is remarkably fluid and detailed, surpassing what’s typically seen in video games. Unlike many animated shows and games, it avoids repetitive motions and maintains consistent quality throughout. Most games don’t consistently display their highest level of animation detail. For instance, the Like a Dragon series or Ghost of Yotei might feature stunning cutscenes one moment, but switch to less detailed animation shortly after.

It’s common for large role-playing games to occasionally have less detailed animations, simply because it’s not realistic to have top-of-the-line visuals in every scene. However, for a smaller game focused on cutscenes, prioritizing animation quality is a good decision, and it really shows in Dispatch. The game already has a stunning, comic book-inspired art style, and the smooth animations and well-composed camera angles perfectly complement it.

Dispatch Nails Its Characters Intros

While beautiful art and animation are important, Dispatch offers a genuinely compelling story to match. The game follows Robert Robertson – a name the characters playfully tease – as he struggles with his role as Mecha Man, a hero similar to Iron Man. The weight of his family’s history and his own feelings of not being good enough give the story a heartfelt core, which hopefully future chapters will explore further. These personal struggles are set against the backdrop of a larger, looming danger.

It’s challenging to balance personal stories with larger conflicts, but the game Dispatch manages it well. It wisely focuses on making players care about the main character, Robert, before introducing a bigger, more complex plot with high stakes. The first two episodes cleverly prioritize Robert’s internal struggles, while still giving other characters enough screen time to make an impression. These quirky, superpowered individuals use humor and charisma to briefly stand out before stepping back and letting Robert remain the central focus.

Dispatch quickly draws players into the story and characters, largely because of its excellent pacing. The game avoids unnecessary delays or distractions like pointless mini-games, and keeps things moving with minimal loading screens. Each episode is relatively short, lasting just under an hour. This focus on efficiency is key to the game’s success, creating lean, exciting episodes that often end on cliffhangers, leaving players eager for more. If the episodes were longer and filled with unnecessary puzzles, it would ruin the fast-paced, thrilling experience that makes Dispatch so enjoyable.

Dispatch‘s Dispatch Mechanics Are Unexpectedly Solid

Look, I’m usually not a huge fan of puzzles in Telltale games – they often slowed things down. But honestly, the gameplay in Dispatch is surprisingly good! Since I’m playing as a dispatcher for superheroes, I get to jump into these mini-games where I have to send the right heroes to different emergencies. It’s not just random, though – each crisis needs someone with specific skills, so you really have to think about who you’re sending where. It actually adds to the experience instead of dragging it down.

The game offers a surprising amount of strategy, requiring you to understand each character’s abilities, manage their recovery times, and carefully consider your approach. Unlike many games in this style, there’s no single ‘right’ way to play, which feels refreshing. While quick time events still appear, they’re fairly standard. The real highlight is the tactical gameplay, which feels meaningful because it connects to the story and isn’t just about fast reactions. It’s unclear how impactful sending out teams will be in the long run – or if choices will affect the narrative – but even in this early part of the game, it adds a lot of depth, something you don’t often find in this genre.

The first two episodes of Dispatch are exceptionally strong, raising expectations for the rest of the season. The show boasts a witty script, excellent humor, a fast-moving plot, surprisingly detailed dispatch sequences, and beautiful animation. It’s already becoming one of the best superhero stories out there. While it remains to be seen how future episodes will develop or if certain storylines will be fully explored, these initial episodes are remarkably impactful – landing with the force of a superhero’s blow.

A PS5 copy of Dispatch was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.

https://comicbook.com/gaming/feature/dispatchs-strategy-game-great/embed/#

Read More

2025-10-25 21:42