7 reasons why Dispatch is the perfect game for your Christmas break

When is a video game more like a TV series? How about when it comes in episodic chunks, grabs you with a gripping story, and boasts a properly starry cast?

In Dispatch, you take on the role of a down-and-out former superhero (played by Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul), who lands an office job after his heroic career abruptly ends.

From your computer, can you dispatch a team of reformed villains and save the city from an array of different threats?

Workplace woes are the least of your worries when all the characters remember your actions and every decision can have dire consequences. But still, this game would be a great way to spend your festive downtime.

Here are seven reasons why Dispatch deserves to be your gaming obsession over the Christmas break…

1. The characters are your new best friends

It can be hard to meet up with your actual friends in real life over Christmas, so why not make some new virtual ones instead?

At the start of the game, the player character Robert is something of a loner. But before long, he's thrust into a new team with lots of potential friendships to navigate.

It's impossible to keep everyone happy (such is life), but there's some real joy to be had in these interactions. It beats going outside, honestly.

2. It’s split into manageable chunks

How exciting! If you've got a bunch of traveling coming up over Christmas, this is the kind of game that you can easily play in chunks.

Dispatch is actually split into eight TV-style episodes, giving you natural stopping points at which to put down the device and check in with your real-life responsibilities.

At the end of each episode, you'll also be treated to some stats about how you performed in that shift and how your numbers compare to other players.

3. It’ll keep you off your work emails

Nothing can distract you from work quite as well as pretending to do a different job altogether, and that's exactly the experience that this game offers.

In Dispatch, you're tasked with managing an unruly team of supervillains, and it's up to you to decide where to send them, and when, and in which combinations.

In each episode, you'll have to do at least one shift at work, meaning that Robert will be on his computer assigning different heroes to different disasters. Good luck!

4. It’s got romance!

If there's nobody under the mistletoe for you this year, fret not my friend, because Dispatch has got two major romantic storylines.

You'll want to choose wisely when given the chance to pick between these two romance options, and even once you've picked a prospective partner, you'll have to stay on their good side.

Thanks to the next point on this list, there's nothing stopping you replaying the game later to see what could have happened down the other path.

5. It’s not too long

You don't wanna get sucked into a hundred-hour RPG over Christmas, when you've got other things lined up and the return to work ever looming on the horizon.

You're looking for something a bit more bite-sized. Say, I don't know, eight hours long? Dispatch is perfect for that!

Thanks to the episodic structure (episodes were released in pairs, weeks apart), Dispatch is also super easy to dip in and out of, so don't worry if you struggle to play the entire thing over this break. You'll pick it up easily later!

6. It’s portable

Again, if you're travelling around a lot, I'm pleased to report that Dispatch plays really well on Steam Deck and it doesn't eat the battery too badly either.

If you're a PlayStation person, I bet you could get Dispatch running on PlayStation Portal, as well, so you've got a couple of options if you want to play this game on the go at Christmas.

That being said, Dispatch will come to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 28th January 2026, so you'll have to wait until after Christmas if you were planning to play on those platforms!

7. It’s just really, really good

And finally, it's just really, really good. This game has got warmth, humour, heart. It's got great characters, performed by brilliant actors. It's got a compelling storyline.

I'd recommend Dispatch to anyone who enjoys the superhero genre, especially slightly more edgy entries like Invincible and The Boys, as well as the old Telltale Batman games (which share a lot of developers with Dispatch).

This was genuinely one of my favourite gaming experiences of the past year! So, are you convinced? If so, Dispatch is out now on PC and PS5. Get to it!

And if you need more convincing, check out our interview with the Dispatch cast over on the Radio Times Gaming YouTube channel.

Read more:

• Will there be a Dispatch season 2? What the developers have said
• Will Dispatch come to Xbox? What the developers have said

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.