Ben Atkinson
‘Choice-based narrative’ is a video game genre which is difficult to define, and even harder to review. While I love games that fall into this category, I’ve always struggled to explain the reasons why. What actually is appealing about watching a series of cutscenes with intermittent gameplay segments? In AdHoc’s newest (and debut) project Dispatch (2025), I think I’ve found my answer.
*Spoilers for Dispatch (2025) ahead!*
At the risk of stating the obvious, there are three main criteria for this genre: the choices, the narrative, and the game. In my view, there are particular projects which embody each of these. For choice, Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain (2020) and Detroit: Become Human (2020) are outstanding examples of how to craft an experience where your choices genuinely affect the story, with there being over 40 unique endings in the latter. For narrative, any of Telltale’s many choice-based projects prioritise their engaging stories, with the standouts being The Walking Dead (2012), Batman: The Telltale Series (2016), and The Wolf Among Us (2013). For gameplay, one might think of projects which contain choices but aren’t your typical choice-based experiences, like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) or Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2013). Each excels at one or two of the criteria, but none – in my opinion – incorporate all three.
Enter Dispatch, the 2025 release by AdHoc Studio which has stormed onto the gaming scene, selling over 2 million units in its first month and gaining a nomination for ‘Best Debut Indie Game’ at the Game Awards 2025. It’s half a ‘superhero workplace comedy’ where you play as Robert Robertson (voiced by Aaron Paul) in dispatching superheroes to crime scenes, and half a dramatic, romantic story with some fairly heavy moments (episode 6; if you know, you know). The core gameplay loop revolves around the dispatching part, and it’s a neat piece of management-sim game design which breaks up the story heavy cut-scenes whilst still being relevant to them. In general, the story, the animation, the voice-acting, the gameplay and even the soundtrack have all been subject to acclaim from critics and gamers alike.
Now, despite the praise its earned, players aren’t undivided. As is natural with a game that focuses so much on the story (feeling almost like a tv show sometimes), there are the light-hearted disagreements – such as over which romantic option is the better choice – amongst fans, but also some more serious critiques.
When looking at the themes and characters more closely, I’ve come to the same conclusion about most of these problems: I understand why they’re there
On Metacritic, users are unhappy with the lack of significance to the choices you make throughout, ranging from the Quick-Time-Events during action scenes to the larger choices. Most choices don’t affect the story, even though it seems like they should, and Episode 8 follows an almost identical structure no matter what you do (with some details changed here and there). Furthermore, some players have criticised the romantic aspects of the story (mild spoilers here): Blonde Blazer (voiced by Erin Yvette) and her underdeveloped arc, Invisigal (voiced by Laura Bailey) and her inappropriate, over-sexualised behaviour, the game’s ‘bias’ towards one over the other, and a couple of scenes which would no doubt constitute major HR violations.
But, when looking at the themes and characters more closely, I’ve come to the same conclusion about most of these problems: I understand why they’re there. For example, that graphic episode 4 cold open with Invisigal may seem bizarre, but when paired with her ending that same episode… I get it. Invisigal’s arc (at least in my interpretation) is about finding her value outside of her sexuality, and discovering that she can be a hero. I think the many HR violations she commits line up with this well.
The main criticism I agree with is how Blonde Blazer was handled. She was awesome, but I wish she’d been given more depth. In terms of the inconsequential choices, you can’t ignore the fact that AdHoc is a brand-new studio, founded by ex-Telltale employees laid off by the company, who were consistently on the verge of layoffs throughout the development process. Despite this, they still made a game with beautiful animation, multiple endings, and a gripping story: a story that, in my opinion, easily measures up to the old Telltale giants (despite the final two episodes feeling slightly rushed).
So if Dispatch’s narrative is on Telltale’s level – and the reviews support me on that – then its choice-based mechanics and gameplay certainly match or surpass Telltale games. The original 2012 Walking Dead game, which is a seminal work in its genre, didn’t exactly excel in either category, with the gameplay mostly consisting of walking around looking at things, and your choices making even less of an impact than in Dispatch. Similarly, despite Detroit: Become Human having a much more complex set of endings and paths, its gameplay doesn’t measure up to Dispatch either. Once again, there’s a lot of walking around (with some more creative detective/chase scenes thrown in). I prefer Dispatch’s solid, central gameplay loop. And in terms of games like The Witcher 3, Dispatch may have a weaker gameplay system in general, but it beats them all with its choices.
Choice-based narrative games are so difficult to put together, especially when you’re trying to make all three criteria great… Dispatch is the first game I’ve played which seems to prioritise all three
I hope my point is becoming clear here. Choice-based narrative games are so difficult to put together, especially when you’re trying to make all three criteria great. Most games choose to compromise and sacrifice at least one: Telltale prioritised the story, Detroit: Become Human prioritised the choices, and The Witcher 3 prioritised gameplay. Dispatch is the first game I’ve played which seems to prioritise all three. You can’t come in expecting an exhaustive, challenging gaming experience, nor can you come in expecting a TV-show-esque cinematic experience (the people who do are normally the ones leaving Metacritic comments infuriated by all the good reviews), but you can certainly enjoy how well Dispatch splits the difference.
For me, this game is in no way overhyped. In this article, I’ve talked mostly about its overall composition, but the details are really what had me hooked. The ragtag group of ex-supervillains that make up the central ‘Z-team’ are each such interesting, unique characters, and they create moments which will no doubt make you smile as you play. It feels like being able to actively affect the storyline of the latest Invincible-esque superhero TV show. I can only hope that AdHoc and other studios will come out with more choice-based masterpieces in the near future – until then, I’ll have my fingers crossed for another season of Dispatch.
Ben Atkinson
Featured image courtesy of Ahmed Atef via Unsplash. Image use license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article photos courtesy of @theadhocstudio, @critical_role and @iglooostudiobangkok via Instagram. No changes were made to these photos.
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