Not For Broadcast Review: Stress Tested (PC)

Not For Broadcast is the 2022 Full Motion Video propaganda simulator developed by NotGames and published by TinyBuild. The same publishers behind games like Party Hard, Totally Reliable Delivery Service, and Hello Neighbor.

Not For Broadcast delivers an in-depth if on-the-nose look at the slippery slope from democracy to dictatorship. And how the control and censorship of the news plays a crucial role in that. The result is a story told like no other, with 40+ hours of live-action fully acted scenes that change depending on the choices you make. And your impact on the story prevents the game feeling like a simple movie. You can submit to the new government, or you can fight back. The power is literally at your fingertips.

The game doesn’t have many issues, but it does have a couple pretty big ones. The worst being the absolute slog that is replaying it. Not For Broadcast has many different endings depending on the choices you made. Meaning, if you want to get a different ending, you have to sit through hours of the same footage you’ve already seen aside from a few small differences here and there. Though you can choose a lower difficulty to make the journey easier.

This review contains minor spoilers for Not For Broadcast.

Not For Broadcast is available on Steam, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One and Series X|S for $24.99, with a Complete Edition available for $39.99. There’s also a VR version available on Steam, PlayStation VR, and Meta Quest also for $24.99.

Story – Big Brother, You’re Watching

Not For Broadcast puts you in the shoes of Alex Winston. Who quite literally falls upwards into becoming the broadcast producer for the National Nightly News. His first night comes right after the election of the new and radically liberal Advance party. Which includes a speech from new Prime Ministers Julia Salisbury and Peter Clement. 

The main story is seeing how Advance’s ever increasing dystopian policies effect Alex’s life, the lives and careers of NNN hosts Jeremy Donaldson and Megan Wolfe, and the country as a whole. As well as the growing anti-Advance “Disrupt” movement. And how Advance wants you to censor information to mislead the public and blind them to the truth. Which is way too unrealistic, if you ask me.

Jeremy Donaldson & Megan Wolfe

There are also smaller stories entirely under your control. With each one drastically changing simply based on your choice of headlines. In fact, the choices Alex makes carry a heavy influence on the game. As there are 14 different available endings based on a number of different factors. 

While the narratively-inept may view Not For Broadcast as a simple mockery of liberal policies and fascist governments, it isn’t afraid to play Devil’s advocate. Asking if it’s better for some to achieve ultimate success while others feel ultimate despair. Or if it’s better for everyone to be on the same equally miserable level. They raise interesting questions to ponder, even if you already made up your mind. 

Gameplay – Max Headroom Required

You’re a producer for a news broadcast, as I said previously. So the main gameplay mechanics all relate to ensuring a smooth and successful broadcast. And it’s no hyperbole to say Not For Broadcast is one of the most stressful games I have ever played.

Multimedia multitasking

Your responsibilities include: Switching between 2-4 camera shots based on who’s talking and what they’re doing. Cutting to headlines and transitions at the proper time. Loading and playing ads at appropriate times. Censoring swears on a 2-second delay. Fighting signal interference. And occasional added challenges depending on the night.

Everything happens in real time, with each broadcast being about half an hour. So you have to constantly be on your toes and ready to do whatever is needed. And those added challenges become a real problem. Like using an unreliable fan to combat a heatwave. Or fighting off a homicidal toy dead set on messing with your broadcast.

Did you think I was joking?

The gameplay is a blast in that Papers, Please way of never-ending stress. However, it makes replaying the game to get other endings a chore. As you have to sit through the same broadcasts over and over again. And you’ll probably want to play through it at least twice. Especially if you’re like me and get one of the worst endings on your first run. 

Graphics & Sound – As Real As it Gets

Not For Broadcast is almost exclusively an FMV game. All of the NNN broadcasts – and even the ads – are full live-action scenes. So, be warned, this game’s file size is massive for an indie game. So I can’t necessarily comment on the graphics of the game. However, I can say that all of the actors and actresses do an amazing job. Especially Paul Baverstock and Andrea Valls as Jeremy Donaldson and Megan Wolfe respectively.

The game also has some pretty amazing music throughout. Whether it’s the tongue-in-cheek live performances as the National Nightly News becomes more of a late night show than a news show, or the songs that play during the credits. I was not expecting Not For Broadcast to have a great soundtrack on top of everything else, but I was pleasantly surprised. 

Not For Broadcast was reviewed on PC with a code provided by stridepr.com