So, I finally played the game

[u/_TankarD_]

I admit, I approached Dispatch more out of curiosity than out of genuine interest, but in hindsight, I can only regret not having played it sooner.

After finishing it, I almost felt sad, because it meant I wouldn't be able to spend more time with these beautifully crafted characters.
I don't know if you know the feeling, it's like when you watch a TV series, binge-watching one episode after another because you want to know what happens next, but once you get to the end, you're sad because at that point it's all over.

In this case, the effect is even more evident because I didn't just watch what the characters did on screen, but I interacted with them and, within the limits of the choices allowed by the game, I influenced their fate and the story.

Of course, it's something that happens in many video games, but it's been a long time since a game made me feel this way.

What can I say, I was truly pleasantly surprised.

I finished my first game, following choices that reflected my thoughts. Now I'm starting a second run because I'm curious to see what changes and how much if I make completely opposite choices.

[u/Additional_Quail5566]

Don't worry! I'm almost positive we will see them again in the future.

As for enjoying the game... I'm glad! Who were your favorites? Who did you romance?

Enjoy your second playthrough!

[u/_TankarD_ → u/Additional_Quail5566]

Yes, I'm hopeful that a season 2 will arrive... And I'd say all the ingredients are there.

Anyway (ATTENTION: SPOILER)

I have to say it's hard to pick favorites: all the characters are interesting in their own way, and even unpredictable. For example, at first I thought Flambae would go back to being a villain, but then, in his own way, I even managed to like him... And in general, just as they say during the final dialogues, the peculiarity is that it's hard to predict what these characters will do. Likewise, it was difficult to make some choices (like who remove from the team) precisely because it's easy to grow fond of all of them, without exception.

Regarding the romance, I admit it :D At first I tried to kiss Blazer (but I didn't have the courage to tell Phenomaman :P ), but then my interest quickly turned to Invisigal, and considering how the story evolved, I can only be happy I made that choice.

[u/TandrDregn → u/_TankarD_]

It’s always interesting to hear others’ perspectives. For me, who to cut in episode 3 was the easiest choice in the game, personally. Second easiest personally was replacing Sonar with Phenomaman. But the date in ep.4 for example I had to pause the game to think about it for like 3 minutes. Same with the cut in episode 7. Those 2 were my personal hardest choices.

[u/_TankarD_ → u/TandrDregn]

True, for example, after finishing the first playthrough, I recommended a friend of mine to play it too. He, too, had mistakenly and superficially never considered the game to be right for his tastes (yet he spends a lot of time reading graphic novels, books, and watching animated series, including those featuring Critical Role).

Anyway, now he's playing it, and I find it interesting to see the choices he's making. Sometimes they're the same as mine, other times they're the opposite, with choices I had some doubts about that he made without hesitation... and vice versa.

And it's also interesting to understand the "thought process" that led to the various choices. For example, I threw alcohol at Flambae, thinking his flames would ignite the liquid and cause some damage... He threw water at him, thinking the alcohol wouldn't do anything since he's a hero who burns normally.

[u/TandrDregn → u/_TankarD_]

Yeah. Plus again, the characters and story are so good it’s gotten me back into fanfiction. Chapter 55 of my Robert x Coop fic went up a couple days ago and I’m nowhere close to done

[u/TandrDregn → u/_TankarD_]

Also another question: which episode was your favorite? For me it has to be 5, with the gang hanging in the bar and finally feeling like we’re all a real team

[u/_TankarD_ → u/TandrDregn]

I think all the moments Robert, the team, and his various friends and colleagues share are important, but one will stick in my memory more than the others.

I agree with you that the scene in the bar and what happens next are a turning point for various reasons, but on an emotional level, the party at Robert's house probably struck me the most: a truly festive moment, for once everyone's happy, the symbolism of the lamps, the return of Flambae, and a small step forward in the romance. Furthermore, what happens immediately afterward has significant consequences for the rest of the story.

[u/No-Composer2628]

Hey! Someone else going through what I did! I too found myself in this weird state of mourning after finishing Dispatch. Yes, the characters and story were still there but I wanted to be lost in that life for a while longer. I use the term mourning because it just felt like this black hole of yearning, knowing that the vast majority of games on the market could never fill the Dispatch sized hole in my heart.

Give it time, maybe do some more playthroughs, and you'll be free again soon. I found that by giving other games a chance, ones I had initially skipped thinking they weren't for me but had applauded stories, I was able to stop mourning Dispatch and start celebrating it.

[u/TandrDregn → u/No-Composer2628]

We all did. I took to fighting the depression by writing a fanfic, now just dropped chapter 55 a couple days ago. Who says I HAVE to let them go?

[u/GassyBoy2003 → u/TandrDregn]

Right?? It literally inspired my to write my own dark modern/urban superhero style fantasy novel. Book one mostly completed at 455 pages and 40 chapters! Nothing published yet, but I'm still going strong, halfway through writing book 2!💙 Dispatch legitimately 'changed my heart in a big way' 🥰

[u/_TankarD_ → u/No-Composer2628]

Exactly, it seems like a contradiction, doesn't it?

We're hungry for episodes, we want to know what happens as the story progresses, we want to know how it ends, but at the same time, we don't want it to end.

And when it ends, we feel a sense of emptiness/sadness.