Dispatch Accessibility Review
Not all heroes wear capes, but are their stories accessible? Let’s find out!
Developers from Telltale Games formed a new studio called AdHoc Studio and have brought us another interactive film, this time with superheroes and the Critical Role cast! But just because a game is an interactive film, doesn’t mean that it’s accessible to everyone. Let’s talk about the superheroes and villains of accessibility in Dispatch!
I played through all 8 episodes on my partner’s PlayStation 5 using the Lili version of the TEKKEN 8 Victrix Pro FS Arcade Fight Stick for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Personal Computer (PC). Not all parts of the game were accessible to me as a physically-disabled person, so the “hacking” puzzle levels towards the end of the game were completed by my partner. I paid for the game using my own money.
Accessibility Successes
The entire game can be played with just a D-pad, face buttons, bumpers, and triggers and there is no need to move a character in a 3-D space.
Some quick time events can be turned off.
Option for unlimited attempts on the “hacking” puzzle levels.
The game text subtitles are available in English, German, Spanish (Spain), French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional).
Most of the game’s dialogue is voiced in English.
Option to add speaker names to subtitles.
Option to slightly change the subtitle color for when the speaker changes.
Option to turn the animation on and off for subtitles.
Option to make the subtitles high contrast and change the opacity of the subtitle’s background.
Option to censor profanity and nudity.
Option to change the volume of different types of sounds in the game.
There are 3 different types of color blind modes and the ability to change intensity of each mode.
Option to make subtitles bigger
The player can pause the game at any time.
The option not to share gameplay information with AdHoc.
I did not encounter any flashing lights in my play-through (though if you live with photosensitivity, please speak with your doctor first before playing this game just in case I missed something).
Suggestions for Better Accessibility
Offering a high contrast mode for menu options. It is very hard to see when an object is selected on the main menu. Some menu options in the “dispatch” strategy gameplay are dark text on a dark background, which is also difficult to see.
An option for closed-captioning, as the game’s audio outside of dialogue is not transcribed.
The option not to see what other players have chosen at the end of the level, as this may be difficult for some people with mental health disabilities to experience. I think it’s hilarious that I scored in the lowest 2% of players on the dispatch levels, but I’m sure others may not take that kind of information as well.
The option to remove the antivirus from hacking levels. The antivirus requires the player to use fast movement to complete the level, which not every player has the ability to do due to physical, mental health, or cognitive disability. As a physically disabled person, I could not have completed these levels without my partner. I would’ve liked them to be more accessible so I could enjoy that part of the game, especially as someone who enjoys puzzle games.
Fixing the positioning of subtitles. Sometimes the subtitles cover game menus and text in the dispatch levels.
The option to have the key numbers displayed on the screen during the hacking levels. This would be helpful to those who live with cognitive disabilities and are not able to memorize inputs.
The option to remove button holds from the hacking levels. Button holds can be painful for some people with physical disabilities, like myself.
The game text and dialogue to be offered in more languages.
The option for audio descriptions and a screenreader in multiple languages.
The option to remove the timer for making choices from the interactive film segments and dispatch levels. This is not only helpful for those with cognitive, motor, visual, and mental health disabilities, but also those who are early in their learning process for one of the languages that the game is offered in.
The option to censor violent and gory visuals and audio.
Dispatch is an independent (indie) game. Indie games usually are made by small teams on a small budget, so they may not have the access to enough funds and staffing to make the game as accessible as a AAA studio would. Therefore, I am more lenient in my accessibility review than I would be for a AAA game. I understand that my accessibility suggestions may not be able to be completed. I hope that any developers that see this review just see it as ideas for possible updates or future titles (such as their upcoming Critical Role game!).
Conclusion
Overall, there was a solid attempt by AdHoc to make this game accessible for many different people. There are more accessibility settings on this game than I’ve seen in many AAA titles, and they are greatly appreciated. However, I am not the first one to discuss the small but significant accessibility shortcomings of this game. If it is in their budget, I think the team would benefit from hiring accessibility consultants with many different disability experiences. Accessibility consultants would be able to find accessibility shortcomings that able-bodied people and/or untrained eyes may not recognize at first, and can provide suggestions for ways to make the game more accessible. If it isn’t in their budget, I hope that my voice and the voice of other accessibility advocates can be helpful in making their next game more accessible!
Disclaimers:
Everything in this review are my personal experiences and opinions, therefore are not to be taken as facts.
I am not sponsored by any companies, manufacturers, creators, or organizations mentioned.
Everyone’s situation is different. Accessibility isn’t “one size fits all”.
This is not medical advice.
Please talk to a doctor first before making decisions regarding your health and/or engaging in a new activity that may affect your health.
If you feel pain or sickness from an activity, please stop and speak with a doctor.
If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, please call your local emergency services or, if you are in the USA, 911.
If you’re experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please call your local emergency services or, if you are in the USA, 911 or 988.
For information regarding medical, mental health, and accessibility services in the USA, please contact your insurance company, 211, or the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI: 1-800-950-6264).