We at Shacknews love a good story, and once upon a time, Telltale Games told those stories. It crafted unforgettable narratives in games like *The Walking Dead*, *The Wolf Among Us*, *Batman*, and more. However, it’s been a while since we’ve seen that signature storytelling. The convoluted and unfortunate ending of Telltale is a story for another time, but what emerged in 2025 is truly special.
AdHoc Studio, a band of mostly former Telltale Games talent, formed to create something new and original. Like the group itself, they developed a game about second chances—a game where players get to try again. In 2025, that pursuit resulted in the impeccable first season of *Dispatch*.
Much like the Telltale games that came before it, *Dispatch* is a choice-driven narrative adventure. Players take on the role of Robert Robertson, AKA Mecha Man. He’s the Iron Man in a world where heroes work for companies that assign them hero duties, while villains run organized gangs—at least in Los Angeles.
At the beginning of *Dispatch*, Robert loses his suit. After being beaten down by his nemesis, he’s ready to call it quits. That is, until he receives a call from a local hero dispatch with an intriguing offer: oversee a group of reformed villains attempting to become heroes, and in return, they’ll fix Robert’s Mecha Man suit.
The cast of *Dispatch* is a huge part of what makes the game incredible. AdHoc Studio brought together talents from *Critical Role*—including Matt Mercer and Laura Bailey—as well as popular creative voices like Jacksepticeye, MoistCr1TiKaL, and Alanah Pearce. Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul rounds out the wild and diverse cast as Robert.
Every performer delivered fantastic performances in their roles, making it easy to root for—or against—characters at any stage of the game. Undoubtedly, many of us had a favorite hero we wanted to see succeed, and *Dispatch* gave us countless moments to help or hinder them.
What’s more, the choices felt rich and meaningful, sending players down wildly diverse paths depending on the routes taken. At the end of each episode, players were shown how others chose in that nostalgic Telltale fashion, adding fun to the community experience where fans discussed and debated pivotal decisions.
But *Dispatch* isn’t just Telltale in new drapery. AdHoc Studio elevated gameplay in ways that fit the aesthetic and kept players engaged. The main loop revolves around directing heroes to jobs based on their individual talents. Timing calls and managing travel between sites created challenges to ensure the right expertise was available when needed. Leveling up heroes, figuring out their synergies, and navigating on-the-fly troubles was a blast—if sometimes frantic.
Robert is also a tech-savvy character who excels at hacking, a gameplay element woven heavily into his role as dispatcher. There are numerous moments where Robert takes matters into his own hands through a hacking mini-game that complements the overall narrative and gameplay.
At nearly every turn, *Dispatch* impressed, excited, amused, stunned, saddened, and satisfied. The interweaving of characters and the choices surrounding them make for one of the most entertaining stories of the year. We found ourselves eagerly awaiting each new episode, debating whether to pick Coupe or Sonar, Waterboy or Phenomaman, and playfully poking fun at each other over romances or keeping things professional.
More than anything, *Dispatch* tells the story of a group of underdogs dealt a bad hand who rise to become something bigger and better. Because in this story, loss is never final—unless you let it be. There’s a profound beauty in that redemption, carried forward by an excellent cast and engaging gameplay.
For that and much more, we at Shacknews proudly congratulate AdHoc Studio and *Dispatch* as our Game of the Year 2025.
https://www.shacknews.com/article/147237/shacknews-game-of-the-year-2025-dispatch
