In the world of superheroes, few roles are as essential as the man in the chair. They provide information to the heroes, instructing them where to be and what to do to save as many people as possible. No hero is complete without their own ‘man in the chair.' Now, the game “Dispatch” lets you sit in the chair yourself.
“Dispatch” is a game recently released by “AdHoc Studio” that lets you fill the role of Robert Robertson (Aaron Paul), the superhero Mecha-Man, who has fallen on rough times.
After his suit was damaged beyond his ability to repair it, he was given the opportunity by the Superhero Dispatch Network to serve as logistical support to train a group of reformed supervillains. In exchange, the SDN will help him repair his suit and return to his superhero career.
The game was released episodically, with two episodes released every Wednesday. The first two episodes, “Pivot” and “Onboard,” were released Oct. 22, followed by “Turnover” and “Restructure” Oct. 29 and “Team Building” and “Moving Parts” Nov. 5. The final two episodes, “Retrospective” and “Synergy,” were released Nov. 12.
The gameplay of “Dispatch” plays out more like a TV show than a traditional game. It's an interactive story where you sit and watch as the plot unfolds. Occasionally, you can make choices that will affect the direction the story will go.
While not all the choices you make are going to make a major impact on the narrative, occasionally you will have to make decisions that drastically alter the direction the story goes.
When you're not watching the story play out, you get to act as the superhero dispatcher. As calls come in, you must send your team of heroes out to deal with them. Certain calls require certain skills, leading to specific characters being better equipped to perform different tasks. Pick the right hero, and your odds of succeeding go up, as well as your rewards.
Joining you on this eight-hour journey are the members of the Phoenix Program, the group of supervillains Robertson is in charge of. Their number includes the thief Invisigal (Laura Bailey), egotistical hothead Flambae (Lance Canstopolis) and the demon sorceress Malevola (Alanah Pearce). Other key characters include retired hero Chase (Jeffery Wright), Robertson’s new boss Blonde Blazer (Erin Yvette) and awkward janitor Waterboy (Joel Haver).
Every major character is incredibly well-written and enjoyable to watch. Robertson, while being a model leader to the Phoenix Program, is struggling with issues of self-worth after losing his suit. Invisigal, while initially brash and obtrusive, slowly becomes a respectable hero as the story progresses. Even Chase, a cranky old man with a sailor’s mouth, has his own unique quirks that make him fun to be around.
The plot itself is fairly standard, although that’s not to the detriment of “Dispatch." It comprises a good amount of classic superhero tropes mixed in with some office comedy. That simple addition allows the game to stand out in the seemingly endless number of superhero content available.
Another aspect of the game which allowed it to stand out was the addition of the ever-classic trend of romance options. “Dispatch” has two potential love interests in the form of Invisigal and Blonde Blazer. Both love connections lead to interesting story paths and are very rewarding to watch.
These two romantic options led to an intense back-and-forth in the “Dispatch” community. Those who liked Invisigal tended to think Blazer was too generic, theorizing she was potentially a spy. Those who liked Blazer believed Invisigal was too edgy and generally unlikable. This difference of opinion ultimately led to copious amounts of memes and debates among those who played the game.
This debate only further highlighted why the game works in many peoples' eyes. Every path, every choice and every character is so well written that every path has its own merit. Even if the same major events happen in every playthrough, there are enough unique and compelling moments in each route that players can easily be heavily invested in all of them.
“Dispatch” is a fantastically written adventure. Filled with plenty of laughs, sincere characters and classic superhero action, the game is a wild ride the entire way through.
Whether you’re in it for the heroics, the humor or the heart, “Dispatch” proves that sometimes the most powerful place to be isn’t on the battlefield; it’s in the chair.
4.5/5
