Dispatch is the first game from AdHoc Studios, a company made up of veterans from TellTale Games, Ubisoft, and Night Dive Studios. The first two episodes were released on PC and PlayStation 5 on October 22nd, with 8 episodes planned. AdHoc will release two episodes a week, with the last two episodes dropping on November 12th.

Meet Robert Robertson III

The first episode introduces you to the main character of Dispatch, Robert Robertson III, voiced by Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). When you meet Robert, he is the independent superhero named Mecha Man. This first episode is the tutorial episode, teaching you the ins and outs of the game. Much like a TellTale game, which is definitely at the root of the experience, dialogue choices are very important. On top of what your character says, multiple quick-time events can affect how the rest of the episode plays out. Some minigames require certain keystrokes to get by.

The main plot of the game is right in the title. You are a superhero dispatcher, but you do not start as one. Being able to see how that comes to be is quite satisfying. The writing is excellent, and the folks at AdHoc definitely know how to spin a tale. The characters in the first episode are compelling and over the top, which adds to the entertainment value. It is a good introduction to this alternate reality of Los Angeles and the world that is full of superheroes.

As the episode winds down, you are given an actual dispatching tutorial to go through. By the end of it, you will have a good understanding of how to send a superhero on a job. What this episode does not do is introduce you to your team fully. While you meet some of them, the second episode does an actual introduction to each one and throws you into being a dispatcher.

Second Episode

The second episode throws you right into the action. With the tutorial finished, it is time to get to work. Your first day at the office has you running into a familiar face. If you played the demo of the game, you will know who this is referring to since this portion is part of the demo. (We meet Jeffrey Wright’s character.) The writing between him and Aaron Paul is good for laughs, especially because Wright’s character is full of sass, contrasting Paul’s dry humor.

Once you enjoy some great banter, you are then given the dossier for your superhero team. Each hero has a pentagon skill chart. The five skill categories are Combat, Intelligence, Charisma, Mobility, and Vigor. They have their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as quirks that make them better for certain jobs. Once you meet them, your first day continues with your first real shift. This gives you the chance to get to know your heroes better, level them up a few times, and see which heroes work best in those particular jobs. Sometimes you need a fine-toothed comb, and others you need a bulldozer.

Your heroes, being former villains, will talk smack and try and make your first day miserable. They will also attempt to request jobs. What jobs you send them on, and what you say to them, will affect your relationships with that hero in future episodes. The dispatch system is quite simple to use, and much like most TellTale-like games, you will spend most of your time clicking your mouse button or primary controller button. Navigating the whole system becomes like clockwork. Like any new game, it took me a few tries to remember to click everything I needed to and who was best for what. Once I figured it out, it became easier and my team was met with praise. Of course, the insults were still flying in.

Ready for the Rest

I’m a big fan of The Wolf Among Us and other TellTale games, and Dispatch has been a fantastic game. The first two episodes are everything I could have asked for in this type of experience. I had also played a bit of the demo, so I knew that the team at AdHoc had put a lot of love into this title. With the next episodes dropping on October 29th, I can’t wait to play and be a part of the rest of the story.

You can play the first two episodes of Dispatch now when you pick up your copy on Steam or PlayStation 5. Stay tuned for more Dispatch coverage on Nerd Reactor.