Things Are Getting Real in Dispatch

Just last week I talked about how much I was enjoying the slice-of-life elements of Dispatch and how the game was at its best as a workplace sitcom. We all knew the good vibes couldn’t last though, and episodes 5 and 6 represent the big story turn.

But first, Dispatch was kind enough to give me all the nice, gooey feelings I was hooked on in episode 5, before things started getting serious after that. After three whole of episodes of Robert settling into his new job and getting to know the Z-Team members, it’s finally time for the big bonding event: a night out at the bar after work. Now that the Z-Teamers have gotten to know Robert a little better, they feel comfortable enough to invite their supervisor out for drinks, and of course I accept with no hesitation.

The catch? The hangout is at a supervillain bar.

As soon as you step in, Robert gets shoulder-checked left and right by all sorts of shady looking dudes. People are rude, giving him the stink eye, and it’s clear that poor Robert doesn’t belong at all, though he’s holding his own. It’s here that we get to see the Z-Teamers really come into their own. Golem sits outside because he can’t fit through the door, Flambae and Prism love karaoke, while Malevola arm wrestles everyone who so much as even looks her way.

Episode 5 marks a big turning point for Dispatch, as this is where Robert needs to decide if he’s all in with the team or not. From a quick conversation with Invisigal who tries to convince him to just tell the team what his superhero identity is, to an all-out bar brawl that culminates in a comfy 3am taco session on the streets, Dispatch once again excels when its focus is on the character dynamics.

By the time episode 6 comes around and Robert suffers yet another setback with the Mecha Man restoration project, the entire team is ready to shower him with gifts and a good time at his apartment, along with a plan to find another Astral Pulse required to power up the suit. Normally, these happy clappy team-bonding moments would have me rolling my eyes, especially as someone who definitely leans towards the cynical and more jaded side of things, but Dispatch earns every one of those happy clappy moments.

It definitely helps that the game’s soundtrack has been killer so far, and it never gets old watching the team interact with each other and banding together to help Robert out. I can’t help but wonder if they’d still get together like this if I hadn’t chosen to tell them about Robert’s identity. I suspect things would’ve played out the same way, but I do wonder if these moments would feel less genuine had Robert not opened up to them.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though, as Chase is quick to remind Robert that the Z-Teamers are not like them. They’re not real heroes like he and Robert used to be. Once again, Jeffrey Wright nails the performance as the jaded older mentor who just wants what’s best for Robert, and ends up feeling like he’s a little stuck in his own ways. This is where Dispatch finally gets serious as it brings the Shroud plot back once again, and the stakes get higher.

Without getting too into spoiler territory, Dispatch‘s quick pace continues to work in its favor, and somehow, the story doesn’t feel rushed at all. While the episodes often leave me wanting more, they’re also well-paced and end at great stopping points, which is served by the fact that episodes are released on a weekly basis. The final turn in episode 6 promises a much darker finale than perhaps most players might have been expecting, but if you take a look back at everything that’s happened so far, the threads make sense. Every character has been barreling towards their natural conclusions since day one, and all that remains to be seen is whether Dispatch can stick the landing.

A review code for the game was provided by the publisher.