I've beaten Dispatch three times, and I see so much of myself in Shroud.

Quick aside, my favorite let go The characters are Invisigal, Chase (Jeffrey Wright), Malevola (Alanah Pearce), Golem (Yung Gravy), and Sonar (MoistCr1TiKaL). But yeah, it's pretty messed up to see myself starring in a villain like Shroud. Even though Shroud believes humanity is evil at its core, he still looks up to true heroes like Blond Blazer… Listen. I didn't realize the poignancy of my post about Blond Blazer being an aspiration until I wrote the description of Shroud. poop. great. Please start again. Because he thinks only in terms of control, he strengthens Red Ring members so he can control and direct their evil. He seems like a methodical person who only pushes for what he knows can happen, but when he starts to push, he gets into chaos in his life (and can't stand it). His power is prediction based on various calculations, and he knows it is limited. The fact that he doesn't know everything, and that what he knows sometimes doesn't help him, makes him even more frustrated. He doesn't want to predict. He wants to know. Losing control can cause him to collapse, which serves as the nail in his coffin. And we will explore all aspects of Shroud. And me too?

Dispatch knows how to get results.

It wasn't just three plays. The current excuse is: let go There is a bug with the Platinum Trophy (well, hacked by Robert). I'll go back to playing number 4 once the issues are resolved and I know how to unlock it. Is it possible to do that by loading a sequence, especially if there is only one gameplay section or episode? confident. But I'm not like that. One of my favorite things about Dispatch is that each major choice has a trophy and several smaller choices. in fact let go's trophy list rewards this kind of playstyle…which is interesting to see in the context of Shroud's character.

I've seen all the key results, but there are a few dialogue options I've never chosen. There is no reality where you haven't played multiple times to get all the possible outcomes. This is what I've always loved about Telltale games, and any RPG that focuses on choice. Even if there is some illusion of choice there, you need to know what the different outcomes are. Sidebar: The illusion of choice isn't a bad thing in a video game and I would die on that hill. But anyway, the fact remains… I, like Shroud, was obsessed with results. I've always been like that.

You might call this a bit weird in a video game, but in everyday life it can be quite detrimental. I have always described myself as obsessive-compulsive in nature. When I hold on to something, it can be difficult to let go, which can be difficult for others as well. If I make a plan and the plan doesn't go as planned, even if it's a small thing, I'm immediately on the verge of collapse. Anxiety is a daily problem for me, but it's at the core of Shroud's superpowers and how he uses them. He must know the consequences and possibilities. I think it's a compulsion driven by his anxiety, not necessarily serving evil and controlling the situation. If I could know every possible outcome in life (even if it was through math and I hate math) I would jump at the chance. No doubt it would be bad for me. But the problem is… his superpowers don't really help him in the way he always needs. That's what makes him human and relatable. Two key scenes really hit home for me.

shroud vs blonde blazer

As Shroud captures Mecha Man and interrogates him about the Astral Pulse, Blond Blazer arrives solo against the entire Red Ring. She's a little pretentious, but she's basically saying, “I'll take your half.” Shroud ignores the Red Ring and leaves, but can't help but say, “By my calculations, it's probably closer to 30%.” He hesitates. Then you say, “But I think it’s half as good.” I know that hesitation well. he doesn't have I would like to tell you at this moment what his calculations are, but I am so drawn to them that I have to say so. He must be right, but not necessarily in an egoistic way. It's just calculations, planning and anxiety. That would be the result, and he knew it.

Hesitation also speaks volumes. He knows full well that the results don't matter. He is fully aware that his calculations are unnecessary, and he also understands why Blazer said that (bluff, threat). He knows that saying “I’m going to take a third of you” is not threatening. He knows that his current obsession with anxiety isn't adding anything to the situation. But he has to admit it. That hesitation is the first sign of his internal struggle between what he thinks and the knowledge that bridges the gap. He knows it would be more impressive to say one thing, but he feels he should say that, according to his predictions, it's not right.

Shroud vs. Mechaman

at the end let goPlayers can choose Shroud the Proto-Pulse, Astro-Pulse, or both. The latter feels like a fun and personable “I'm done with Mecha Men” choice, and even he admits that the only way he and Team Z can beat Shroud is if they have no idea what they're doing. Although it's the exact opposite of what Shroud's obsessions tell him is possible, that choice reveals much more about Shroud than Mecha Man.

When Shroud was handed both pulses, it was the only thing he didn't consider or calculate. His anxiety alerts him. He must be able to predict it, and if he cannot, it is dangerous. It makes him feel downright bad. It is not his intelligence, but the anticipation and anxiety of the moment that drive him. The logical and intelligent thing to do would be to take them both, walk away, find out which one is the Astral Pulse, and then carry out his plan. But his plans and calculations never accounted for this. It was too far for him. He must carry out his calculations. He is so frustrated that his predictions are wrong that he gets caught up in the chaos of life and makes choices instead of executing his perfectly planned calculations. It's out of character for him now that he's been pushed out of his comfort zone. He's so obsessed with these moment-to-moment calculations that when things he didn't consider rear their head, he forces himself to make a 50/50 choice, even though he knows the possible consequences of that choice. Knowing it's 50/50 won't help him get through the situation, any more than knowing that Blazer would have eliminated fewer Red Ring allies than she claimed.

And that's the worst moment. When we are preoccupied with calculations or anxiety, we feel the need to know and predict everything. The truth is, no one can. I know this. Shroud knows this. But we act like we can because it's hard to let go of the need for control, hard to ignore the whispers of calculation, and hard to accept that sometimes life is just chaos. Efforts to plan and get direction are often ineffective, calculations are no substitute for confusion, and his frustration with the situation is boiling over to his breaking point.

I couldn't let go of the shroud.

His calculations are shaky. It's not a superpower, but sometimes it can feel like one. Shroud believes that humanity is evil at its core, and his calculations prevent him from doing otherwise. Shroud believes that good cannot overcome evil, and his calculations were made that way. He knew, like the Blond Blazer, that others were capable of truly good deeds, but he did not include it in his daily calculations. He believes that evil must be controlled because he believes that he must control himself. He behaves like a methodical person because predictions are made according to methods. He feels the urge to know everything even though he knows he can't, and he knows that life is chaos. His calculations will not let him go and will keep him alive. He must control the chaos. And yet, his own human limitations are eating him alive, to the point where he loses the very control he continues to hold on to.

I need to know the results. I don't have super powers of calculation, but I want to know what could happen, what could go wrong, and consider every possible option I can think of. Although I know I can't always know it all. I don't believe that humanity is evil. But I think the internet needs to learn to relax and act accordingly. I know that anxious moments in daily life can't handle everything and I can't control everything, but I have to control myself. Otherwise, as the cool kids say, I'll crash. I prefer structure in everything because structure makes anxiety better. I feel an urge to know everything I can, and I don't think that does any harm in video games. But I know I can't when I'm navigating the chaos of everyday life. These limitations keep me alive to the point where I sometimes lose the very control I'm trying to hold on to.

Anyway, Shroud is cool, the lyrics and performance are great too. let go It's top-notch, gritty, and realistic, making everything feel gritty and real. I'm not sure I'll ever get to a place where I'm in complete control or can let go of my anxiety, but I can at least promise that even at my worst moments, I won't be attacking cities, taking heroes hostage, or endangering the lives of beefy dogs. But I understand him even in his worst moments, and that will stay with me for a long time.

system

released

October 22, 2025

ESRB

Ages 17+ / Blood, crude humor, intense violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language, drug and alcohol use

developer

ad hoc studio

publisher

ad hoc studio