Dispatch Episodes 1 & 2 Spoiler-Free Review

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Dispatch is a superhero game with a twist: you don’t play the hero, but the person behind the scenes. Each episode takes about an hour to complete, and you control Robert Robertson (voiced by Aaron Paul), also known as Mecha Man. After his mech suit is wrecked, he takes a job managing a team of… well, let’s just say unconventional, former villains at the Superhero Dispatch Network (SDN).

Dispatch, available on PC and PlayStation 5, is a unique blend of strategy, storytelling, and humor, reminiscent of a prime-time TV drama – but with superheroes. You play as the person deciding where to send these heroes, managing their personalities and trying to guide them to success from behind the scenes. The big question is: does the developer, AdHoc Studio, successfully recreate the captivating storytelling found in games like The Wolf Among Us, The Walking Dead, and Batman: The Enemy Within?

Dispatch Spoiler-Free Review: Episodes 1 & 2

Dispatch immediately stands out with its stunning visuals. It’s reminiscent of Invincible in style, but the environments, shadows, and lighting have been noticeably refined. While the art style won’t be for everyone, I think it’s one of the most visually impressive games released this year.

The first episode introduces Mecha Man and explains how you lose control of your suit. Gameplay starts slowly, focusing on setting the stage and giving you a feel for the game rather than immediately throwing you into the action. You’ll also meet key characters like Blonde Blazer, Chase, and the team of heroes you’ll be leading.

Right from the start, you’re faced with a lot to consider – the characters’ feelings, their struggles with who they are, and the goals of the organization they’re working with. This team, a group of former villains assembled as part of a government project called Phoenix, each has a unique history and set of skills you’ll need to understand. When managing your team, keep five key stats in mind: Combat, Charisma, Intelligence, Strength, and Vigor.

The game is built around a straightforward but rewarding cycle: you send your team of former villains to deal with different problems. You’ll choose who to send based on their skills – some tasks are small, like helping someone cross the street, while others are huge, like fighting fires. Each villain has unique strengths and weaknesses, and some work better together when tackling challenges as a team.

When your shift finishes, you’ll receive a summary of how well your tasks went and how the team performed overall.

The game features quick-time events during cutscenes, but you can thankfully turn these off. I’d suggest doing so, as they can be disruptive. Honestly, they feel unnecessary – like they were added just to pad out the gameplay rather than enhance it.

The game also features hacking minigames, which appear occasionally in the first two episodes and offer a welcome change of pace. The developers plan to include more of these minigames later in the game, and make them more challenging for players.

A Story Worth Loving With Great Acting To Boot

Considering the developers previously worked at Telltale Games, it’s expected that Dispatch focuses on choices and conversations that change the story. I can’t say much about those choices without giving away spoilers, so I’ll avoid specifics.

After just two episodes, the game’s choices haven’t fully come into play, but they definitely matter. The game lets you know characters will remember your actions, and while some decisions have immediate effects, it feels like the bigger consequences are still to come. This creates a strong sense of anticipation and makes you eager to see how things unfold, which seems to be exactly what the developers intended.

Dispatch strikes a great balance between serious moments and witty humor, making it really engaging to watch and listen to. It quickly becomes clear that Paul was the ideal choice to play Robertson – his performance feels perfect from the start, even within the first half of the first episode.

The voice acting is fantastic across the board. Jeffrey Wright perfectly embodies Chase’s rough personality, and Charles White (MoistCr1TiKaL) really captures Sonar’s arrogance – he’s quickly become a favorite character, even with limited appearances. Even smaller scenes, like the one with Royd in the bathroom, showcase the depth of Dispatch’s personality.

Since the show could still take unexpected turns in the remaining six episodes, I’ll share a complete review and my final thoughts—including spoilers—after all episodes are available on November 12th. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the rest of Robertson’s story plays out until then.

We received a PC copy of Dispatch for review. You can find details about our review policy here.

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2025-10-21 17:19