Not For Broadcast

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 53 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 53
  3. Negative: 4 out of 53

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  1. BartPlay0
    Feb 17, 2020
    10
    Great game with great things to do. I had a lot of fun with it :) (what frick is that picture on the wall with a women )
  2. Try_it
    Jul 1, 2020
    10
    The game has interesting storyline, unique gameplay (cus all the scenes were made with real actors), and very good implementation overall. If you search for a good and unique game, this is it. The game had MANY development problems due to the quarantine and i really wish developers good luck).
  3. Inuplarity
    Jul 6, 2020
    9
    Not for Broadcast is an enjoyable satirical propaganda sim, placing you into the role of micro-managing a TV station. Ever fancied editing on the fly and censoring curses, whilst dodging waves of interference? NFB is for you! It's an enjoyable little game to play through.

    For me, it was an extremely fun game that had some amusing stressful bits! The team also deserves props for their    Not for Broadcast is an enjoyable satirical propaganda sim, placing you into the role of micro-managing a TV station. Ever fancied editing on the fly and censoring curses, whilst dodging waves of interference? NFB is for you! It's an enjoyable little game to play through.

    For me, it was an extremely fun game that had some amusing stressful bits! The team also deserves props for their lockdown update!    … Expand
  4. marlend
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    really amazing game, though there is a trouble. i mean bad in-game saves. if u leave your game in the past of the broadcast, later u will begin on the start of the broad. that is really curious. but all in all this game is pretty good and in my mind it is the best indi game i ever played
  5. Suhoi_Kaktus
    Feb 16, 2022
    9
    Great game with interesting storyline and choises that really metters. Quniqe gameplay.
  6. Cheapskate
    Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Not for Broadcast is a satirical, hilarious FMV game. It sounds like a recipe for disaster: Comedy games rarely work, Good FMV games are few and far between, but the current Early Access build of absolutely nails it. The game has many endings to discover, a lot of excellent jokes and a lot of potential for the future. Be aware that the game is in Early Access and isn't done as of writingNot for Broadcast is a satirical, hilarious FMV game. It sounds like a recipe for disaster: Comedy games rarely work, Good FMV games are few and far between, but the current Early Access build of absolutely nails it. The game has many endings to discover, a lot of excellent jokes and a lot of potential for the future. Be aware that the game is in Early Access and isn't done as of writing this review, but I trust the devs to deliver on the poteltial this game displays.… Expand
  7. aditya1101
    Feb 1, 2022
    9
    Really excellent game, I had a ton of fun with the humor and overall storylines within the game. The amount of work that it must have taken to create this is just baffling.
  8. TheKrugler
    Jul 20, 2020
    10
    Gameplay: Always Evolving and challenging without being too much
    Writing:EXTREMELY FUNNY
    Replayability: Although it is still not fully out at time of review there is HOURS of fun to be had and want to continue to replay to see what outcomes can happen
  9. NylaSmokeyface
    Jul 24, 2020
    10
    This is a criminally underrated game. Although it is in early access and each chapter is being released subsequently, it's definitely one of my favorite games so far and I'm almost certain it'll only get better with each chapter. Honestly, if you enjoyed the free demo/prologue they have on the steam page, you're gonna absolutely adore this game. It's a satirical and hilarious game, whereThis is a criminally underrated game. Although it is in early access and each chapter is being released subsequently, it's definitely one of my favorite games so far and I'm almost certain it'll only get better with each chapter. Honestly, if you enjoyed the free demo/prologue they have on the steam page, you're gonna absolutely adore this game. It's a satirical and hilarious game, where all sides are insane. But it also has dark undertones that will probably be more apparent throughout the chapter releases. The team behind this is also absolutely wonderful. The devs and actors have poured their heart and souls into this game and are working hard to make the game as great as possible. They're very active in the community and interact with their fans a lot, especially on the discord server. They also livestream on Twitch a lot and read and respond to the chat. We're a small, but dedicated community. We love this game and the discord is fairly active. I'm writing this review because I really want this game to get more popular. If it seems like your kind of thing, and especially if you've enjoyed the prologue, I wholeheartedly recommend this game. I can't wait for the next chapter!… Expand
  10. apokalipto
    Aug 18, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  11. GVB
    Jan 27, 2023
    10
    When I decided to buy it I wasn't very convinced. The gameplay seemed original, at least, and it didn't seem like it was going to be too silly... What I found, however, was surprising. In every sense. The story is very well written and manages to mix very emotional moments with others typical of a Monty Python movie, and the game treats you as an adult and intelligent person capable ofWhen I decided to buy it I wasn't very convinced. The gameplay seemed original, at least, and it didn't seem like it was going to be too silly... What I found, however, was surprising. In every sense. The story is very well written and manages to mix very emotional moments with others typical of a Monty Python movie, and the game treats you as an adult and intelligent person capable of drawing your own conclusions.

    As for what some critics say that there are segments that are too long, I barely remember two or three of those, and I think they put it there intentionally (to explain why would be spoiler). And if you're worried that the game is too difficult, there are several difficulty levels that allow you to just focus on the story.

    But if I had to highlight just two things, it would be:

    -The decisions, which are interesting to make and have real consequences in the story. This is seen above all in the segments between programs, where, depending on a thousand factors, you can decide in the protagonist's life and in his relationship with his family. And,

    -The characters. A 10 to all of them, with special mention to Jeremy Donaldson. Brilliant, like the rest of the game.

    So, if you are really looking for something different, mature, fun and exciting, buy it, play it, enjoy it.    … Expand
  12. LeonLeon1209
    Jun 26, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing. It really is almost similar to Papers Please. It's because it puts you in the role of someone who's a key to actions in the game. Personally, those types of games are the best games to exist.… Expand
  13. KK77
    Apr 4, 2021
    10
    Amazing game, inventive and inspiring. It's just not like anything else I've ever played. Buy it, play it, have a blast!
  14. Jack0980988098
    Nov 4, 2022
    9
    a game with a great plot and interesting interactions between characters and gamers. a great satire of the television ad time. The story of the right and left rival is definitely an intriguing one.
  15. HackerSinhos
    Apr 26, 2023
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played, it contains a funny story with unexpected things, I had seen a gameplay of the game and I really liked it, then I decided to play it and I had a lot of fun, I also got angry.
  16. Kharv
    Feb 13, 2022
    10
    Funny, tryingly difficult but in all the right ways with an interactive and constantly changing atmosphere and scenarios that is so uncharacteristically addicting that it will actually have you internally debating whether you really actually "NEED" sleep every, ooooh, let's say.....48-72 hours in order to maintain enough cognitive and motor skills function to use a keyboard and mouseFunny, tryingly difficult but in all the right ways with an interactive and constantly changing atmosphere and scenarios that is so uncharacteristically addicting that it will actually have you internally debating whether you really actually "NEED" sleep every, ooooh, let's say.....48-72 hours in order to maintain enough cognitive and motor skills function to use a keyboard and mouse and/or function as an adult in our society.… Expand
  17. Mandarinchik24
    Feb 16, 2022
    10
    Very nice game! Russian locolization? WOW wery nice!
    i play 9 day. And i like this game
  18. Redlucraft
    Feb 21, 2022
    10
    One of the best games i have ever played, difficult but hilarious. Great job for all the endings! It feels like 60 hours of footage xD
  19. Nobody7
    Apr 20, 2022
    9
    Its like Papers please yet the events that occur can be even more shocking due to the FMV elements. There can be some slight annoyances gameplay wise, sometimes segments can feel like they are too long, the word based story parts away from work can be annoying and don't have much of an affect on the player but really the meat on the game's bones is what you come here for and its what youIts like Papers please yet the events that occur can be even more shocking due to the FMV elements. There can be some slight annoyances gameplay wise, sometimes segments can feel like they are too long, the word based story parts away from work can be annoying and don't have much of an affect on the player but really the meat on the game's bones is what you come here for and its what you will get, I cannot tell you what happens but if you play it you will be gobsmacked (here is some encouragement, there are 14 different endings). In conclusion, this game is really something special give it a go.… Expand
  20. micanecek
    Apr 16, 2022
    10
    pluses
    Great complementary game design and scenario
    Tremendous replayability
    A fresh core idea that is constantly being refined
    Cons
    Minigames of broadcasting problems can get tiresome
    Chaos and constant frustration won't entertain everyone
  21. dinomdp
    May 14, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A simply wonderful game, with a back story that grows as the game progresses and ends with a great ending (of the many there are) mechanics and ways of playing completely different from any other game, a great experience… Expand
  22. Young_Fawn
    Jun 21, 2023
    8
    A Fantastic Choices Matter With Incredible Acting

    Not For Broadcast is a game in which you play as an individual employed at a news studio, your role is that of the Broadcaster. The gameplay for the game is rather basic, and rightly it should be, you have to maintain viewership which is indicated at the top of the screen, you have a bunch of screens in front of you. Four screens on    A Fantastic Choices Matter With Incredible Acting

    Not For Broadcast is a game in which you play as an individual employed at a news studio, your role is that of the Broadcaster.

    The gameplay for the game is rather basic, and rightly it should be, you have to maintain viewership which is indicated at the top of the screen, you have a bunch of screens in front of you. Four screens on the left which are effectively your angles. The middle screen which shows what screen on the left you've selected. Lastly the right screen, this is the "important one" as this is what is being broadcast to audiences and lags two seconds behind the middle screen.

    The gameplay loop at its core is simple but eventually you need to start making decisions as to which way you want to push the narrative. The game does start out comedic and satirical with phenomenal writing (which persists all the way through) but without spoiling too much, it does get rather dark and dystopian.

    You report on cases throughout a several year period where your choices both at home and in the studio reflect the overall outcome of the country you live in.

    I won't go too much more into the story, it's definitely something you need to experience for yourself. My only advice; don't play the middle ground. Pick a side and see your convictions through to the end, but all in all, play it how you wish.

    One thing that I believe deserves absolutely the highest praise, is the acting. The acting of the news presenters, the guests and everything inbetween.

    Particularly, I believe that the actress who plays Meghan Wolfe and the Actor who plays Jeremy Donaldson (The two news anchors) is absolutely stellar. The Prime Minister, Peter Clements, and Vice Prime Minister, Julia Salisbury's actors all deserve praise and I'd love to see them in more things.

    Meghan Wolfe is the one that sticks out to me the most, for those of you who live in Britain/United Kingdom, you'll likely be aware of who Holly Willoughby is. The National Nightly News in Not For Broadcast reminds me a lot of ITV's "This Morning" program rather than late evening news. Meghan Wolfe has a lot of striking similarities to that of Holly Willoughby, albeit a more parody and satirical version. I guess that's what I was drawn to her more than anyone else, as I could bet money that the writers and developers of the game, as well as the actress, drew inspiration from Holly.

    I have just a few criticisms of the game and although they are nothing major, I think they are worth mentioning.

    One is that of the radio frequency. As the game is set in the 80s, occasionally you'll be told to fix the radio frequency as it begins to go askew. This isn't that much of a problem initially, but when you're deep into this game, you're interested in what the news anchors and guests have to say. There are points in the game where you need to manually move the radio frequency about for what I believe to be too long extended periods of time, and you'll basically miss what's being said. That bothered me a lot, especially near the end of the game.

    I found it a little bit difficult to get immersed in the home life segments of the game. You're a character called Alex Winston and your "Wife" is Sam Winston, both of these are gender neutral names and throughout the game your story's pronouns are they/them. I have nothing against the use of preferred pronouns but I think this tiny thing could've been rectified if they just asked you at the start of the game what you'd prefer to be referred to as. Although the game isn't really set in real life Britain, I just found it a bit odd that in the 80s people would refer to each other in they/them pronouns. It just took me out of the world a little bit and felt like the game was trying to push a small agenda on to the player outside of the game.

    In conclusion, Not For Broadcast is a phenomenal game that everyone should play at least once. It has compelling stories, great acting, a fun gameplay loop that is definitely something you don't see in other games. It has been likened a lot to "Papers, Please" and the comparison is definitely there, there's no arguing that, but Not For Broadcast is done in such a different way. It's unique. It's funny. It's sad. To an extent, it can be quite "real" at times. 8/10. Will likely play again in the future to try for a different ending.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

53
#53 Best PC Game of 2022
88
#88 Most Discussed PC Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. KeenGamer
    Sep 4, 2024
    85
    Not For Broadcast is a great experience of a game. While some may be bored by the lack of action and the fact that you're mostly watching TV, the engaging story and characters are more than enough to boost the game into being a true hidden gem in the large sea of indie games.
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  2. Multiplayer.it
    Apr 11, 2023
    80
    Not For Broadcast is an extremely entertaining satire inspired by modern politics and journalism focused on scandal and propaganda. The actors' performances on screen are perfect and make time spent watching hilarious commercials or public scandals even more entertaining.
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  3. CD-Action
    May 19, 2022
    85
    Not for Broadcast is a witty, hilarious satire of the world of media. It teaches you not to trust your TV set and makes you genuinely pity the poor bloke who tries to manipulate you.
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