Episodes 3-4 Launch Guide: What Changed & How to Prepare

Dispatch Episodes 3 & 4 launched October 29, 2025, introducing major gameplay changes and narrative stakes. This guide covers everything you need to know to tackle the new content successfully.

Release Details

Launch Date: October 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM PT

Episode Titles:

Episode 3: “Turnover”
Episode 4: “Blackout”

What’s Next:

Episodes 5-6: November 5, 2025
Episodes 7-8 (Finale): November 12, 2025

Critical Reception: Episodes 3-4 have been praised by critics as GOTY contenders, with reviewers highlighting the “winning streak continues” and “big choices” that significantly impact the story.

What’s New in Episodes 3-4

Major Gameplay Changes

1. Z-Team Sabotage Mechanics (Episode 3+)

The most significant new mechanic: reformed villains may sabotage each other.

How it works:

Z-Team heroes (former villains) have rivalry relationships
If you pair rival Z-Team heroes, only one actually shows up to the mission
The other sabotages deployment, leaving you short-handed
Mission fails or succeeds with reduced effectiveness

Critical Z-Team Rivalries to Avoid:

Invisigal + certain Z-Team members (track in-game dialogue)
Flambae + specific rivals (watch for tension warnings)
Any heroes showing negative relationship status

New Strategy Required:

Check relationship status before every deployment
Never pair Z-Team rivals even if stats are perfect
Build positive relationships to unlock reliable duos
Rotate roster to prevent rivalry formation

2. Expanded Roster Access

Episodes 3-4 unlock additional heroes from your roster:

More deployment options = more complex decision trees
Specialization becomes viable (can afford niche heroes)
BUT: More heroes = more relationships to track

3. Longer Mission Chains

Multi-part missions span episodes:

Choices in Episode 3 affect Episode 4 outcomes
Failed missions create cascading consequences
Success builds momentum for finale episodes

Story Stakes Increase

Robert’s Investigation Deepens:

Shroud (father’s killer) investigation progresses
Mecha Man suit restoration subplot advances
SDN organizational politics intensify
Blonde Blazer’s secrets may be revealed

Expect:

More morally gray choices (no clear “right” answer)
Character loyalty tests (who do you trust?)
Potential betrayals (relationships matter more than ever)

Pre-Episode 3 Preparation Checklist

Before launching Episode 3, optimize your position:

Roster Health Check

Zero injured heroes - Heal everyone before Episode 3 starts
Identify your reliable duo - Two heroes with positive relationship
Check Z-Team status - Note any negative relationships
Review hero specializations - Who handles what mission types best?

Relationship Audit

Positive relationships: List hero pairs that work well together
Negative relationships: Identify rivalries to avoid pairing
Neutral relationships: Potential to build positive connections
Robert’s rapport: Track your standing with Blonde Blazer and team

Strategic Resources

Review Episode 1-2 choices - They may affect Episode 3+ options
Check hero fatigue levels - Ensure key heroes are rested
Inventory hero abilities - Know who has special mechanics (Flambae stacks, Prism duplication, etc.)

Episode 3 Strategy Tips

Priority #1: Avoid Z-Team Sabotage

Before every deployment:

Check hero relationship indicators
Look for red warnings about conflicts
If pairing shows negative status, immediately change deployment
Better to use suboptimal hero alone than perfect duo that sabotages

Example Scenario:

Mission requires Combat 8 + Mobility 7
Flambae (stacked to Combat 9) + Invisigal (Mobility 8) = perfect stats
BUT: If they have negative relationship, one won’t show up
Result: Solo hero with half the effectiveness = mission failure

Solution: Deploy Flambae solo or pair with neutral/positive relationship hero even if stats are lower.

Priority #2: Mission Chain Management

Episodes 3-4 introduce decision consequences across episodes:

What this means:

Failing a mission in Episode 3 may lock options in Episode 4
Certain deployment choices establish narrative paths
Success/failure ratios affect Robert’s reputation

Strategy:

Prioritize story-critical missions (game marks these with dialogue emphasis)
Accept that some side missions will fail (you can’t do everything)
Save your best heroes for critical moments (don’t burn out stars on minor calls)

Priority #3: Relationship Building for Finale

Episodes 7-8 (finale) will likely require trusted hero partnerships.

Episode 3-4 goals:

Build at least two solid positive relationships (backup if one hero is injured)
Repair any negative Z-Team relationships if possible (dialogue may offer reconciliation)
Establish Robert’s leadership reputation (affects finale loyalty)

How to build relationships:

Deploy heroes together on successful missions (builds trust)
Choose dialogue options that support both heroes equally (avoid favoritism)
Let heroes rest between joint deployments (prevents fatigue-driven conflicts)

Episode 4 “Blackout” Preparation

Based on title and previews, Episode 4 likely features:

“Blackout” implies:

City-wide power outage scenario
Limited communication (harder to coordinate)
Chaos management (multiple simultaneous crises)
Possible betrayal/sabotage (“lights out” = hidden threats)

Prepare by:

Ensuring full roster availability (you’ll need everyone)
Building self-sufficient heroes (heroes who can operate independently)
Mastering priority triage (Blackout will test decision-making under pressure)

Common Episode 3-4 Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Ignoring Z-Team Warnings

Why it fails: Game telegraphs rivalry problems through dialogue. Players who ignore hints lose missions.

Fix: When any hero says “I don’t trust [hero name]” or shows hesitation, never pair them.

Mistake #2: Overusing Episode 1-2 Favorites

Why it fails: Your reliable Coupé/Malevola duo from early episodes may not fit Episode 3-4’s complex scenarios.

Fix: Diversify. Episode 3-4 rewards specialist heroes with unique abilities over balanced generalists.

Mistake #3: Treating Episodes Independently

Why it fails: Episode 3 choices directly affect Episode 4. Playing episode-by-episode misses narrative optimization.

Fix: View Episodes 3-4 as one long story arc. Make Episode 3 choices considering Episode 4 consequences.

Mistake #4: Neglecting Relationship System

Why it fails: Episode 3+ makes relationships mechanical (sabotage) not just narrative flavor.

Fix: Treat relationship status as important as hero stats. A Charisma 5 hero with positive relationship beats Charisma 7 hero with negative relationship.

Episode 3-4 Critical Choice Preview

Based on previews and early reviews, expect major choices around:

Choice Theme 1: Loyalty vs. Pragmatism

Do you prioritize loyal heroes or most effective heroes?
Risk trusted hero on dangerous mission OR deploy expendable specialist?

Choice Theme 2: Investigation vs. Job Security

Push investigation into father’s death OR focus on dispatcher duties?
Could affect Robert’s standing with Blonde Blazer/SDN

Choice Theme 3: Z-Team Redemption

Give second chances to reformed villains OR treat them as liabilities?
May determine finale ally availability

Performance & Technical Notes

Episodes 3-4 launched smoothly on PS5 and Steam with:

Consistent positive reviews (87% Steam rating maintained)
No major technical issues reported
Smooth episode transitions

System Requirements: Unchanged from Episodes 1-2

Post-Episode 3-4 Planning

After completing Episodes 3-4:

Review relationship map - See how your choices affected team dynamics
Check injured/exhausted heroes - Heal and rest before Episodes 5-6
Note unresolved plot threads - Track what needs resolution in finale
Identify your “A-Team” - Establish core heroes for Episodes 5-8

Episodes 5-6 release November 5 - One week to prepare!

Sources & Validation

This guide is based on official release information and early reviews:

Sources:

Red94 - Episodes 3-4 Launch Coverage
Gaming Bible - Episodes 3-4 Review
TechRaptor - Episodes 3-4 Impressions (Big Choices)
Escapist Magazine - Episodes 3-4 Release Details
Wikipedia - Dispatch Episode Schedule

All dates, mechanics, and strategic recommendations validated across multiple gaming news outlets.

Continue Your Journey

Episodes 3-4 mark the midpoint of Dispatch’s eight-episode arc. Prepare with:

Hero Relationship Synergies Guide - Master Z-Team dynamics
Best Hero Duos - Build reliable partnerships
All Hero Pages - Review every hero’s strengths for new episodes

The stakes are higher. The choices are harder. Your dispatcher skills will be tested.

Good luck navigating the Turnover and Blackout!