Dispatch's Episodic Format Respects Your Time
There are countless games available, and AdHoc Studio's debut title, Dispatch, doesn’t waste any of your time. The Shacknews team knew AdHoc Studio as a group of former developers from Telltale Games, Ubisoft, Night School Studio, and others, but Dispatch still managed to surprise most of us. With a schedule packed with major AAA releases and beloved indie games, their debut almost went unnoticed.
It took Donovan Erskine repeatedly mentioning the game in Slack before the staff started paying attention. By his third mention, I decided, “Enough people are talking about it, why not? Let's give it a shot.” I’m glad I did, especially because catching up with Dispatch required very little time. Unlike many other games, this format is efficient and could be a model for future narrative-driven titles.
Polished Animation and Storytelling
I approached Dispatch with little prior knowledge, only having seen a few promotional images. I was immediately impressed by its polished animation style, reminiscent of content you'd find on YouTube or streaming platforms. It resembled typical Telltale Games visuals but set in a superhero universe.
Engaging Characters and Plot
After a lengthy cold open, the story shifts focus to Robert Robertson, who lives a quiet post-superhero life before being recruited to serve as a dispatcher for reformed supervillains.
"Enough people are talking about it, why not? Let's give it a shot."
Author's summary: Dispatch offers an engaging superhero narrative with polished animation, delivered in an episodic format that respects players' time and stands out in a crowded market.