What a wonderful game! It's so very versatile. On one hand, it's this whacky comedy about the media and how dumb it kind of is. It also delights in how media is made, and lets you be the cameraman. It's also in a lineage of "work games" where you do seemingly mundane tasks as fun. And that's all neat.
But it's also a political commentary about extremism. It's a deliberate take-down of propaganda. It's a political drama. It's a deliberate view of censorship and its consequences. It's a moral choice simulator. And it's an effort to put the player in a situation where there really are no right answers.
What delighted me most was reaching the end, and being shown the epilogue screen. I knew there would be multiple endings. I did not know there would be FOURTEEN endings. The nuance allowed and the scope of the editing you can perform within the game is wild, and I love that.
I also deeply think about the visual novel scenes that fill the in-between of broadcasts, where you get to roleplay having your family. You're given multiple choices throughout, and many will leave you wondering, "could I have made a difference?" or "did I do something wrong?" Not in a bad way, but rather, in a way that makes you question the effects of your choices in a really fun way, one that sincerely makes me want to see if I could have had different outcomes. It's also an extremely brilliant contrast, between the somewhat unsavory, censory work you have to do, and also the societal urge to "tow the party line" not for the sake of the party, but for your own sake.
And let's not even mention the actual design of the game. The various minigames and mechanics you have to dabble with are silly and fun. Flipping switching, fighting broken tech, and micromanaging your broadcasts is all just good fun. And the acting, despite it being very b-list on purpose, is actually well done and sincere. Huge props to all the actors, especially in such a broad script! Everyone brings their best to their roles.
It's all just delightful. In a time where people constantly bemoan "politics in my games!" Not For Broadcast gleefully plays around in being entirely about politics. And although it can be a bit hammy and silly at times, its messages are sincere, and it expresses them fantastically. This is a great narrative experience, and one of the weird little games I could basically recommend to anyone, and is one of the few games I would recommend story mode, especially after your first playthrough, as you can go explore all the other options the game offers. Great stuff all around.
But it's also a political commentary about extremism. It's a deliberate take-down of propaganda. It's a political drama. It's a deliberate view of censorship and its consequences. It's a moral choice simulator. And it's an effort to put the player in a situation where there really are no right answers.
What delighted me most was reaching the end, and being shown the epilogue screen. I knew there would be multiple endings. I did not know there would be FOURTEEN endings. The nuance allowed and the scope of the editing you can perform within the game is wild, and I love that.
I also deeply think about the visual novel scenes that fill the in-between of broadcasts, where you get to roleplay having your family. You're given multiple choices throughout, and many will leave you wondering, "could I have made a difference?" or "did I do something wrong?" Not in a bad way, but rather, in a way that makes you question the effects of your choices in a really fun way, one that sincerely makes me want to see if I could have had different outcomes. It's also an extremely brilliant contrast, between the somewhat unsavory, censory work you have to do, and also the societal urge to "tow the party line" not for the sake of the party, but for your own sake.
And let's not even mention the actual design of the game. The various minigames and mechanics you have to dabble with are silly and fun. Flipping switching, fighting broken tech, and micromanaging your broadcasts is all just good fun. And the acting, despite it being very b-list on purpose, is actually well done and sincere. Huge props to all the actors, especially in such a broad script! Everyone brings their best to their roles.
It's all just delightful. In a time where people constantly bemoan "politics in my games!" Not For Broadcast gleefully plays around in being entirely about politics. And although it can be a bit hammy and silly at times, its messages are sincere, and it expresses them fantastically. This is a great narrative experience, and one of the weird little games I could basically recommend to anyone, and is one of the few games I would recommend story mode, especially after your first playthrough, as you can go explore all the other options the game offers. Great stuff all around.