Once upon a time, Telltale was on top of the world. The beloved narrative-driven studio crafted adaptations for The Walking Dead, Jurassic Park, Game of Thrones, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more. But the studio shut down in 2018 after financial and workplace issues, and while games like Life Is Strange have tried to fill the gap — it wasn’t until now that I realized how much I missed the Telltale experience. Dispatch, a devilishly fun twist on the superhero story, finally feels like the true successor to Telltale — and a strong argument for the continued viability of episodic games.
Those old Telltale games were what I’d call “appointment playing,” something you made time in your schedule to play. I remember genuinely looking forward to the next episode, speculating on how my choices would play out, and being excited to see how other players reacted. And yes, Telltale’s games were often about the illusion of choice rather than actually diverging story paths — but it was effective.
The crux of it all is that most Telltale games simply told good, well-written stories with lovable characters, and the nature of the narrative choices had you agonizing over what those characters thought. Through the episodic structure, you get the chance to sit on those choices and character interactions — extra time to think about how these characters make you feel. Dispatch nails all of those things, and in turn, the intrinsic feel those Telltale games had. But Dispatch doesn’t just harken back to Telltale, it feels like it genuinely advances the formula in some compelling ways — at least so far. And that does make sense, as the developer AdHoc Studio was founded by veterans from Telltale, Ubisoft, and Night School.
In Dispatch, you play as Robert Robertson, the third generation of a powerless superhero named Mecha Man, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. Think of it like Iron Man, but a family heirloom. After catastrophically losing a fight, Robert’s suit is damaged beyond repair, and in a twist of fate, he’s offered a job as a dispatcher at the Superhero Dispatch Agency, leading a team of reformed supervillains. He’s the guy in the chair, essentially.
Dispatch takes its workplace comedy shtick seriously, and that’s why it works.
What results is a remarkably compelling story setup that feels like you mixed The Boys with a workplace sitcom like The Office — and boy does it work. There’s a real edge to the writing in Dispatch, expertly straddling the line between light humor and obnoxious edginess. Like so many workplace comedies, Dispatch is about the interplay between characters — particularly the conflicting ideas of Robert’s view on heroism, juxtaposed against a real, rough-around-the-edges supporting cast.
There’s a witty edge to the writing in Dispatch, too, making sure you aren’t idling too long until the next story choice or gameplay elements. For example, in a scene near the end of the second episode, one of your “employees” is in a struggle with a robber at the nearby donut shop, and during this five-minute scene, you’re making crucial decisions on how to support, while also playing a hacking minigame to get into the sprinklers.
The other factor here is how well Dispatch packages everything, layering in some fun little gameplay elements. While you could watch footage of this game and straight up think it’s an animated show on Adult Swim or something — the game wants to make sure you’re still staying invested in the experience.
Dispatch is elevated by its gorgeous presentation and stellar voice performances, with a cast that includes Aaron Paul, Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, and more.
Outside of the choose-your-own-adventure kind of format, the main gameplay crux is strategic segments where you’re picking up missions on a map, and trying to send the right heroes to solve them. Each hero has their own stats and specialities, so it comes down to picking the right delinquent for the job, and sometimes dealing with the consequences. But the choices you make, and how your team sees you, can also play into these dispatcher sequences.
But equally interesting to me is how snappy each episode feels, packing in some exposition and then getting right to the point. And because of that focused structure, the game’s first few episodes have all been able to strike different tones. The first is that heavy Telltale world-building, the second functions like an on-the-job orientation, and the third dives into commentary on corporatism and layoffs in a superhero world.
Dispatch integrates just enough elements to keep gameplay interesting, while not hurting the story’s pacing.
And I think that’s part of the beauty of episodic games, being able to explore different tones and storytelling styles within the framework of one game. And in the case of Dispatch, it already feels like it’s enriching the characters and world. Despite this being a brand new IP, the game does a masterful job at illustrating a larger superhero world — and making you feel like you’re just a small part of it. There’s a simplicity that makes Dispatch shine, just being able to sit back and soak it all in.
It’s a little bizarre that I feel like video games are now the place where episodic stories can really shine, because of the way we as players digest them. Compared to the TV and streaming scene, which has become hyper-obsessed with binging things in large volumes. I want something that’s spread out. I want something that I can think about and engage with for weeks. That’s much the same reason why Star Wars: Andor feels like such a massive success, because its core messages and delivery are all wrapped around having to sit with each episode and digest it.
Of course, Dispatch’s big test will be if it can maintain that vibe across eight episodes, spread out week-to-week. But for now, Dispatch has grabbed me hook, line, and sinker — and I’m already looking forward to making time for the next two weeks to “tune in” to the new episode.
