Work in a Dysfunctional Superhero Call Center in Dispatch
- Manage ex-villains on missions as ex-hero Robert Robertson.
- Cast includes Aaron Paul, Jeffrey Wright, and Laura Bailey
- Launches Oct. 22 on PC/PS5, with two episodes weekly for four weeks.
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Up, Up, And Away
AdHoc Studio, which includes former Telltale, Night School, and Ubisoft devs, has beamed its own version of the Bat Signal into the skies of the video game industry. Answering the call for justice is Dispatch, an interactive narrative game set in the SDN (Superhero Dispatch Network). It features a star-studded voice cast and is set to launch on Oct. 22 on PC and PS5. It’ll also follow an episodic schedule, with two parts released every week for four weeks.
Dispatch follows Robert Robertson, once known as the hero Mecha Man. After his battle suit is destroyed by the evil and mysterious Shroud, he’s forced to take a job with the SDN. It’s here that players take control of Robertson as he’s tasked with managing a roster of former villains, sending them out on missions and managing the branching narrative where every choice matters.
“It’s been incredible seeing the response to Dispatch,” AdHoc said in a press release. “We know we’re making a weird thing, so watching hundreds of thousands of people check out the demo and actually connect with it has meant a lot to everyone on the team. We’re listening, we’re reading everything, and we’re just really grateful for the support.”
Hey, It’s That Guy
Dispatch’s voice cast is filled to the brim with familiar names. Robertson is voiced by Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, with his mentor Chase given the dulcet tones of Jeffery Wright (The Batman). YouTuber MoistCr1TiKaL is a literal bat man, Sonar, and Laura Bailey (The Last of Us II) voices the feisty Invisigal.
Some of the cast are also linked with Critical Role, the Dungeons And Dragons roleplaying webseries that has since grown into a production company. This is behind numerous comics, the animated Legend of Vox Machina series, and the forthcoming The Mighty Nein adult cartoon.
Dispatch also has an established pedigree in terms of writers and directors, too, as devs who worked on this were also responsible for The Walking Dead, Tales from the Borderlands and The Wolf Among Us, all of which were well-received by players and critics. Like those games, Dispatch often presents players with multiple choices in any given situation, from conversation to action, all of which can impact the overall story.
This Looks Like a Job For HR
In terms of overall gameplay, Dispatch requires players to use a strategy map to send would-be heroes off on missions, whether that’s stopping a robbery, fighting gangs, or something a little more extravagant. Each team member has their own foibles that will need managing, too, so colleagues who rub each other up the wrong way don’t cause friction and jeopardize missions.
Successful missions will also mean that it’s possible to upgrade characters’ skills and abilities. Conversations with team members can also open up new story paths, including negative consequences, and all of this while Robertson tries to rebuild his mech suit and reputation.
Don’t Binge It
Telltale Games were known for pioneering the episodic format, and Dispatch also follows suit. AdHoc recently revealed that it’s going this route as it wants players to have the chance to digest the game and discuss it, as if it were a TV show.
“We’ve always loved the promise of the episodic model for games – the conversation and speculation it generates, the discrete bite-sized pieces of content that are easier to consume, and if you get to it late, it allows you some time to catch up with everyone and not feel like you’ve been completely left behind.”
Parts one and two will be available at launch, with the rest following in two part releases on Oct. 29, Nov. 5, and Nov. 12. AdHoc hasn’t revealed details on what to expect in each episode, but titles are available to give players a hint of what to expect.
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