Hardest Choices In Dispatch That Will Keep You Up At Night

I want to be clear: I really, really love Dispatch. I enjoyed a lot of Telltale’s story-driven games when they were popular, even the ones that didn’t get as much attention, like Game of Thrones and Guardians of the Galaxy. But Dispatch feels different – it’s truly special. It’s made by a new team, but many of the developers used to work at Telltale, so it’s natural to compare the two, and the comparison actually fits well.

Dispatch shares similarities with other games, featuring timed dialogue options, quick-time events, and a system where characters remember your choices. However, it also stands out with its beautiful, film-like animations and a unique gameplay style where you send teams of heroes to deal with problems across Los Angeles. The game is full of difficult decisions – some truly heartbreaking – that significantly impact the story. While many choices matter, a few were particularly tough, leaving me questioning whether I’d made the right call long after I’d made them.

Major Spoilers Ahead for Dispatch

Throw Water Or Alcohol At Flambae

One Option Is A Lot More… Bombastic

This choice doesn’t significantly affect the story, mostly changing a few conversations and when Flambae appears. He confronts Robert at a bar, trash-talking him. Robert, fed up, throws a drink at Flambae – either water or the strong alcohol Blonde Blazer was drinking, as her abilities prevent her from getting drunk.

There are two ways to deal with Flambae’s flames. Water would put them out quickly, which seemed like the most obvious choice. The other option—using more fire—didn’t actually bother Flambae much, as he’s clearly accustomed to being ablaze. However, after remembering he was a member of Z-Team from Episode 2, I started to think I should have just used the water in the first place.

Kiss Blonde Blazer Or Let The Moment Pass

The Beginning Of An Office Romance?

Choosing to pursue a romance with Blonde Blazer is a significant decision in the game. Attempting to kiss her won’t go well – Robert will be rejected. It’s revealed that she’s already in a relationship, which is unfortunate.

What’s clever about this story is that if you’re trying to build a relationship with Blonde Blazer – as I was – you’ll naturally choose to kiss her. But when she rejects you, it immediately makes you worry you’ve messed things up, not just for the character Robert in his pursuit of Blazer, but also for his chances at succeeding in his new job. It all works out in the end, and it turns out pursuing this path with Blazer is actually the best option, but I was definitely questioning my choices as the first episode ended.

Tell Invisigal To Disarm Granny Or Take Out The Thief

Did I Screw Up Already?

On Robert’s first day, Invisigal quickly proves to be a bit difficult. She prefers to work independently and doesn’t really follow orders, making her the opposite of a team player. Naturally, she’s the one involved when Z-Team faces their first real supervillain, Lightningstruck. Think of him as a mix between Spider-Man’s Shocker and Mega Man’s enemies – a powerful and dangerous opponent.

The mission began as a simple break-in investigation at a donut shop. When Invisigal arrived, she found the shop owner, an elderly man nicknamed “Granny,” unconscious on the floor. After quickly confirming he was still alive, she searched for the attacker and found him – Lightningstruck – emerging from the back kitchen (it was unclear what he was doing in there). Invisigal immediately hit him with a tray of donuts, knocking one of his weapons away. During the ensuing struggle, Granny managed to grab the dropped weapon and started a standoff with Lightningstruck. I had to choose whether to disarm Granny, fearing he might accidentally shoot himself, or focus on taking down the villain. It turned out that Invisigal always did the opposite of what I instructed, and the mission failed regardless of my decision. At the time, I was certain I’d made the wrong choice, and it cost us the mission and damaged Invisigal’s trust in me.

Cut Sonar Or Coupe From The Team

Did I Just Kickstart A Supervillain Origin Story?

In Episode 3, you’ll need to decide which team member to remove. Blonde Blazer believes this is the right thing to do, and she’s correct – the team is disorganized, doesn’t follow instructions, and is constantly arguing with each other and Robert. Removing someone will show them that there are consequences for not performing well. If they want to be heroes, they need to meet certain standards, and those who can’t won’t stay on the team.

Throughout most of the episode, Invisigal seems like the clear choice to eliminate – she’s the weakest player and doesn’t collaborate well. But a late change of heart boosts her ranking, leaving Coupe and Sonar in last place. I personally chose Coupe, and I shared Blazer’s feeling that she still seemed untrustworthy. However, eliminating Coupe carries a risk: she’s likely to rejoin Shroud and become an enemy. Sonar, while clumsy, would probably be a less threatening villain. Ultimately, whoever you choose will turn against you in Episode 8, and both confrontations are great. But Sonar’s fight is particularly impressive. If you’re undecided, I recommend eliminating Sonar just to experience that amazing battle.

Recruit Waterboy Or Phenomaman

Do I Want To Work With Depressed Superman Or The Lamest Guy Ever?

Episode 4 flips the script from Episode 3, giving Robert the chance to add a new teammate after making a cut. Unfortunately, the available candidates aren’t very impressive. One option is Phenomaman, who is basically a Superman-like figure – an alien with super strength, flight, and laser vision. However, he’s incredibly depressed after a breakup with Blonde Blazer and is listlessly walking along the highway, seemingly allowing cars to hit him.

I had a tough choice to make between two potential teammates: Waterboy, the janitor, and Phenomaman. Phenomaman is incredibly powerful when he’s on his game, but right now, dealing with his instability just didn’t seem worth it. Waterboy… well, he shoots water out of his mouth and is always soaking wet, and he’s definitely the most awkward person you’ll ever meet. Honestly, he’s not much help in a fight. But he’s reliable, and that mattered to me. Robert later put it perfectly: Waterboy is the only one who deserves to be there. Unlike the rest of the team, he isn’t a reformed villain. He just genuinely wants to be a hero, to help people, and do the right thing. Once you pick one, they’re with you for the whole game, and I often found myself wondering if I should have gone with the more powerful, but unpredictable, superhero instead of someone who was still learning.

Go To Dinner With Blazer Or A Movie With Invisigal

Here Goes Nothing

In the game Dispatch, you’ll encounter your first big romantic decision at the end of Episode 4. Robert gets invited on two dates – a movie with Invisigal and dinner with Blonde Blazer. The date you choose will determine which character you pursue a romance with, and it’s difficult to change your mind later without replaying the episode. This is particularly true for Invisigal; going to the movie is the only way to start a romantic relationship with her, while you’ll have other opportunities to influence your connection with Blazer throughout the game.

I preferred Blazer, as I mentioned earlier. I was already a fan of her before Invisigal appeared, and the relationship between Invisigal and Robert felt risky. Invisigal consistently struggles with feeling accepted in the story, and while dating her boss might temporarily help, it could ultimately make things worse. Although there’s a power imbalance between Robert and Blazer too, they started dating before Blazer became Robert’s boss, which made that option seem a little more reasonable, at least from a professional standpoint.

Tell The Z-Team That Robert Is Mecha Man Or Not

Everyone’s Past Lives Might Make This Awkward

What makes the Z-Team so appealing – and unpredictable – is that most of its members used to be villains. Everyone loves a good redemption story, and Dispatch features seven of them. But there’s a twist: Robert used to be a superhero, and a very famous one at that. He was Mecha Man, a legendary hero passed down through three generations of his family. Unfortunately, the Mecha Man suit was destroyed, and Robert couldn’t fix it. This means there’s a good chance Mecha Man actually fought – and possibly injured – some of his current Z-Team teammates in the past.

Revealing Robert’s identity to the team is incredibly difficult. He’s hoping to earn their trust, and they’re asking about his past as a superhero as a way to decide if they can trust him. But it’s hard to believe someone who was once their enemy could now be a teammate. While honesty is probably the best path to a positive outcome, one team member reacts very badly to the news. It turns out Mecha Man recently defeated Flambae, and understandably, Flambae is upset about working with someone who used to be his opponent. They might be able to resolve their issues later, but at first, it seems like keeping Robert’s history hidden might have been a better choice.

Side With Chase Or Invisigal At The Party

This Decision Feels Heavier In The Context Of What Happens Next

So, things were rough for Robert after his Mecha Man suit malfunctioned – he was pretty down for a while. The Z-Team, being the awesome guys they are, decided to throw him a ‘housewarming’ party to lift his spirits. The thing is, Robert’s been pouring all his cash into keeping that suit running, and his place is… well, let’s just say it’s seen better days. He didn’t even have a bed! Royd stepped up and offered to host, telling everyone to ‘bring a lamp.’ Apparently, they all took that very literally, and things got a little… chaotic. It was a sweet gesture, though, even if it was a bit much!

The party was okay, but things took a turn when Chase had too much to drink and confessed his distrust of Invisigal. He publicly accused her of being a hopeless thief, which was awful. Afterwards, Invisigal tried to steal the Astral Pulse – a unique power source for Robert’s Mecha Man suit – on her own, and quickly found herself in danger. Chase used his super speed to save her, but it came at a cost. Using his powers so frequently has caused him to age rapidly, and this time, it left him collapsed and weakened. While he couldn’t have left Invisigal to fend for herself, it felt terrible to have scolded him at the party, especially knowing it might have been one of the last conversations he ever had with Robert.

Cut Or Defend Invisigal

Do The Right Thing, Or Be A Good Boss?

Most of Z-Team is furious with Invisigal for going after the Astral Pulse by herself, especially since it nearly cost Chase his life. They feel she acted impulsively and want Robert to remove her from the team – and they have a point, considering Robert previously removed Coupe/Sonar for a much smaller mistake. They’re now questioning whether they can rely on Invisigal when she’s willing to take such big risks.

Invisigal acted with good intentions, trying to help Robert get the Astral Pulse he needed for his Mecha Man suit. She even earned his gratitude, as he’d been upset with her for leaving on her own. While her impulsive actions led to Chase having to rescue her, she didn’t ask him for help, and he clearly disliked her. No one, not even Robert, expected Chase to risk his life for her. This makes the decision to discipline or defend her difficult. If Robert lets her off the hook now, his future reprimands won’t be taken seriously. The problem is, supporting her will lower team morale before the final mission, while cutting her means losing her help during that same mission. This choice also significantly impacts the story’s ending.

Give Shroud The Astral Pulse, The Prototype, Or Both

It All Comes Down To This

Shroud, the villain in Dispatch, isn’t a major presence throughout most of the series, but he’s incredibly effective in the final two episodes. He’s a real threat in Episode 8, consistently anticipating the Z-Team’s actions and always staying one step ahead. Even after the team destroys his spider-like robot, he manages to kidnap Beef, Robert’s dog, and demands the Astral Pulse in return.

Robert has three options when dealing with Shroud: give him the Astral Pulse, give him Royd’s flawed prototype, or give him both, hoping Shroud picks the wrong one. Ultimately, Shroud loses regardless of which item he receives. However, choosing to give him both triggers a unique cutscene, making it worthwhile just to see that extra content. While the outcome is similar, the decision feels important at the time. Giving Shroud the Astral Pulse isn’t a good idea, and since he’s just learned about the prototype, trying to trick him with that feels too risky. Knowing this, giving him both seems like the best course of action, but waiting to see what happens creates a really tense moment.

2025-12-08 23:09