New game Dispatch earns praises, but too soon for second season

The latest adventure game, DISPATCH from Ad-Hoc Studios, has completed its eight-episode run to strong acclaim, drawing praise from both critics and players.

Developed by former Telltale Games staff – the same team behind 2012’s hit adaptation of The Walking Dead – the game proves that the episodic format still works. Ad-Hoc Studios clearly has something special, and the recognition is well deserved.

That said, history offers a cautionary tale. After 2012, Telltale expanded too quickly, signing too many licences and releasing a flood of adventure titles that felt repetitive. The one-trick-pony formula eventually wore thin.

Which brings us to the question: should DISPATCH get a second season? Absolutely – but not immediately. Should Ad-Hoc Studios work on a new adventure game between DISPATCH entries? Yes. Should they take their time and let ideas develop? Also yes. As we’ve said repeatedly in these newsletters, crunch and rushed production rarely end well. They lead to compromised quality and can even sink smaller studios.

Besides, at RM68 in Malaysia, DISPATCH is more polished than many RM200+ triple-A titles from far larger companies.

Whether local or international, indie and single-A games continue to show the way forward.

Short Beats

Malaysian-made kaiju-filled 3D arena brawler gameGigabash will add new DLC characters from the Gamera series on 21 November GMT+8.

The original Red Dead Redemption will be ported over to modern hardware – Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, iOS, and Android.

The publishing rights for Hi-Fi RUSH (from Tango Gameworks) will be transferred from Bethesda Softworks to Krafton.

Kojima Productions and Disney+ are collaborating on a new anime based on Death Stranding, slated for 2027.

We reviewed Lumines Arise and Possessor(s) in our recent video feature.

We also produced a Japanese vs English dub comparison for the anime adaptation of Disney Twisted Wonderland: Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3.

Games Out This Week

Lumines Arise is the latest entry in the beloved puzzle series from the 2000s, developed by Enhance Experience. Expect dazzling visuals synced to an energetic, eclectic soundtrack in this addictive puzzle experience from the team behind Tetris Effect. Out for PC and PlayStation 5.

Possessor(s) is a new 2D search-action game from Heart Machine. Featuring lush artwork, challenging but fair combat, and an open level design set in a demon-ravaged city, players control Luca, who is kept alive after being possessed by a charismatic demon named Rhem. The duo must escape the ruined city while battling feral demons and monstrosities.

Where Winds Meet is a free-to-play Wuxia epic for PC, set in 10th-century ancient China. Players assume the role of a young sword master on a quest to uncover the mysteries of their identity while learning iconic fighting styles and weapon techniques – including Infernal Dual Blades and rope darts.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is the latest entry in the long-running military FPS franchise. It features a co-op campaign, upgraded multiplayer, and round-based Zombies mode. Out for PC and consoles.

Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is a new sports RPG from Level-5, featuring more than 5,400 football players from across the anime and gaming franchise.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is the latest city-building and strategy title from Ubisoft, out for PC. Build cities, expand across Roman provinces, and govern using economic, diplomatic, or military strategies.

Beyblade X: Evobattle is a new action esports title using the Beyblade licence, available for PC and consoles.

Several titles from last year are now on Nintendo Switch 2: Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2, and Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero.

The final two episodes of DISPATCH are out now.

Recommended Viewing

Other Frost discusses video game difficulty and the growing debate over games being made deliberately harder.

Malaysian gaming group 20m Podcast has released a feature on the state of Southeast Asian game development, featuring the creators of No Straight Roads 2 (Malaysia), Overhours (Malaysia), and Cuisineer (Singapore).