Do you know what it takes to put out a news broadcast? Not for Broadcast developed by NotGames and published by tinyBuild puts right at the control booth. You have all the tools to make sure everything goes according to the program’s high standard. Well, at lest on your end. As the old saying goes, Anything can happen live. You also have to deal with interference and buttons suddenly not working. Did I also mention that you were a janitor just a few minutes before?
You have control over the entire broadcast. You choose what cameras to switch to as an interview. If a guest gets a little too vulgar, you have to bleep out their words with a sensor button. You have to cut to commercial at precise times. You have to play a strange Flappy Bird like game in order to dodge interference. A meter at the top of the screen shows if your audience is going up or down. Once you are done with the broadcast, you have to deal with problems in your home life, such as a brother-in-law who believes the new government might be no good. This part of the game presents a written story and then has you choose what your actions will be.
Not for Broadcast might have one of the most intimidating mechanics of all time. When I looked at all the different buttons, then found out that there are more things to the left and right of me and listening to what my duties would be, I wanted to shut the game off. After a mini panic attack, I took a breath and dived in. You learn quick and start to have fun. Picking the right shots, focusing on who is talking is challenging, but you feel good when you see the audience meter go up. Doing well gives you money that you can buy upgrades or just some cool stuff for your desk.
A game that use live action scenes lives and dies by those scenes. Not for Broadcast succeeds because these scenes are genuinely funny. A interview starts off normal until a wife comes in to announce she is leaving her husband. In the real world, end of interview, but this keeps going. This is the first of three interviews and things get crazier every time. One of the best bits is a school level musical production in which you have to switch angles in time to their music. You laugh at first, but you will find yourself bobbing your head to the beat.
Not for Broadcast is that rare game where there is really nothing like it. Keeping the details of how news is produced ever night, the game draws you in to the madness. The actors are A+ and the story hints that there might be something bigger going on in the levels of government. The game is in early access, which means the only negative is you want more. For an experience that is challenging, fun and unique, make Not for Broadcast part of your video game library.
9.5/10
Available on PC
