Dispatch: Somebody Save Me

 

Clenching my controller, credits roll, outro music plays over a summary of my game decisions. Tones, rhythms merge eliciting the emotional pitch of game events. Almost like a wave, its energy submerges you and lifts you forth above the water. You float, buoyed by a strong emotional high.

A continue button crawls upward. I rush to select it and am pulled forward again; Propelled by this very immersive, alive world. 

Dispatch is a rare game. One that will stay with me for a while. This isn't something I write lightly. It comes rarely but this is one of a handful of times I can recall this sensation; a longing for these characters and world as the story ends. I'm utterly engrossed in it, hurtling towards the next episode. Is it the palpable relationship development, modern context and sensibilities, or is it simply a work of narrative magic? I don't know. I do know that I keep racing towards it as if I'm really there as ever more a part of Robert Robertson and Z team's lives and story.  

Bravo, Adhoc Studios. Bravo!

"There's a party going on right here"

This goes beyond watching a movie. You are the decisionmaker in what happens, elevating this from other narrative genre titles. There is a thin line between where art feels real enough to blur reality; deep emotional ebbs and turns flow through evolving character relationships. It's surreal. It's only a game, a fictional interactive narrative. But a sense of longing hits. You miss it when it ends. Wishing you could go back and experience it all again.

It's the secret to a great game: emotional connections to our real world reflected against great storytelling. 

I admit I'm biased for a narrative-strong game. It speaks to me. Yet there is beauty in many forms. Is there not a sense of serenity connecting rows of blocks in Tetris?  

The late-night office glow, sadly recognizable, yet relatable

Why Dispatch works (and why it is great)? A superhero work comedy on the surface, unwraps into a deep episodic character driven story. Gravitas. There is weight behind the shots fired between characters. Revealing their fears, showcasing the complexity behind their personal decisions. It's something we can all relate to.    

The eclectic cast of nuanced characters forms the core appeal. Yet, it's an intimately personal story of our protagonist, Robert. You shape his decisions and plot relationship growth by your conversation choices. Time is fleeting. You have fifteen, twenty seconds to decide a conversation response. This dynamic cultivates your authentic version of the story. Overthinking is deterred, fueling replay potential. Analysis paralysis mitigation activated! 

Dialogue is authentic, even when characters are inauthentic to one another. You feel like you've had these conversations just in different contexts. From small fun-time humor to big team decisions, there is a true lived-in feeling here. A contemporary way folks communicate, verbal and non-verbal, digital to in-person, that is an unsung special quality to the game.

No talking. Vibes are speaking.

 

Robert is interesting. He carries the hero legacy of 'Mecha Man' from his father, and his grandfather, but is forced to navigate a new purpose after a setback. Does he want to be Mecha Man? What does it mean to him to be a hero? Why do it at all? Disruption challenges him in a new capacity. Hence, the stage is set for you experience as Robert. 

Voice acting is superb. Organic and layered, conversations effortlessly move between levity and seriousness. Casting was an interesting experiment between traditional actors, traditional video game voice actors, to social media / YouTube personas. It's a wonderful marriage and speaks to the craft brewing at AdHoc. 

There are high profile names attached to Dispatch. Aaron Paul, Jeffery Wright to name a few. Yet amongst the entire cast, they interplay beautifully with one another. Flambae, Prism, Malevola, hell, a talking pile of mud named Golem all are unique and entertaining. There is something here to explore these characters further. Hopefully soon. Season 2? Please and thank you.

 

Nuanced are the potential romance pathways between Blonde Blazer and Invisigal. Captivating are both their stories. Ad Hoc doesn't play favorites. You're compelled between these two, being pulled into both their words. Blazer being the noble, mission-driven / organized focused one seeking something beyond her leadership role. Invisigal, misunderstood and labeled wrongly, looks for acceptance and to be seen more than a past villain. Erin Yvette (Blazer) and Laura Bailey (Invisigal) are outstanding and give grounded performances. You truly seesaw between two. Because they are both gripping and interesting characters.  

Dispatching, hacking mini-games, and conversation choices (plus quick time actions) are the components that round out the experience. Like a warm delicious pastry, blend and bake at 425, and you have the beautiful, tasty twinkie that is Dispatch.

We're all been there. It's all about the twinkie.

Dispatching serves as the tactical game element, providing something for strategy enthusiasts without an overcomplicated game mechanic to alienate casual gamers. Which Z-team member has enough charisma to uplift an auditorium of young kids? Is there someone strong enough to help move a monster off a beach? Choose the right hero to dispatch where based on his or her stats, deciding who is the most likely to succeed. Dispatch doesn't spell out who's the best fit. But it does provide text clues for each call. Small RPG elements via leveling up heroes, plus hero synergies, help make this game dynamic more than one-sided.  

Dispatch away!

Visually, Dispatch is beautiful and stunning. Creators described the art style as a Neo Noir western anime (per the Digital Artbook) ((Yes, I paid extra for it and it's so worth it)). As a scour the internet, I've discovered they deployed a small animation studio from Thailand, Igloo studios, to craft the visuals. They use light poignantly. The dichotomy between light and darkness is tugged and pulled beautifully. It brings out the noir-feel setting appropriate for a fictious Los Angeles.

"Easier if we fly"

The orchestral score and licensed songs pull on the emotional cortex. They interplay and volley against one another. The synth 80's orchestral brings a youthful, hopeful sound even when the story seems dire. It accentuates and enriches everything, like a guide, reminding you where to feel based on the story pitch. It's swatched against contemporary tracks, creating even more of lived-in feel. All I can say is, "Pound Cake!"      

Let's do the happy ending

Dispatch reminds us, even with our flaws there are strengths we have to release onto the world. Even humorous cynics like Chase crack a beam of optimism. Although he doesn't see it with everyone at first. He comes around. The game's sardonic, best bud words hold true, "You were always good. That was always in you." 

Keep up then and enjoy Dispatch.