As I’ve previously discussed, I’ve lost my enthusiasm for VR gaming and its ability to consistently provide quality experiences, especially on a device like the PS VR2 which is limited to PlayStation titles.
I went into Not For Broadcast: VR expecting a multitasking game, something like Overcooked, except in FMV form. It cannot be overstated how wrong I was. Not for Broadcast: VR doesn’t just experiment with live-action; it provides an idiosyncratic, occasionally absurd story that expertly handles political satire with a humorous touch.
There are always new surprises, and it didn’t take long before I realized that at no point can I predict what’s coming next. It’s almost immediately become one of my favorite games on the PS VR2 and I’m so grateful for it reminding me of the unique gameplay experiences VR is capable of.
Not for Broadcast: VR (PS VR2 [reviewed], HTC Vive, Valve Index, Meta Quest 2, Oculus Rift, WMR)
Developer: NotGames
Publisher: tinyBuild
Released: December 14, 2023
MSRP: $24.99
The home it deserves
Not for Broadcast is not new on the scene. It was originally released in January 2022 as a regular flatscreen game. With its use of live-action and its admittedly unalluring surface presentation, it didn’t generate too much hype, though most who did play it were thoroughly impressed, a fact made evident by the excellent reviews and award nominations it has gathered.
With a free prologue available on Steam, it’s not hard to get a taste of what it offers, though you should be aware that this isn’t the best way to play the game. Instead, it needs to be experienced in VR, as this is where the gameplay, setting, and themes are fully realized.
Not for Broadcast: VR places you in front of a work desk in a way so realistic, that it’s possible to lose hours in it and completely forget about the outer world. The controls you need to do your job are within arm’s reach, but dealing with all the buttons will eventually tire you out, so don’t expect to complete the game in a single sitting.
When it comes to technical performance, it doesn’t fail. We’re not dealing with photorealism, but it looks good enough to not feel cartoonish. There is no problem interacting with the game world either. At the broadcasting desk, buttons and sliders are responsive and any VCR tapes I hold in my hands can be moved freely and easily slotted where needed.
I didn’t have to deal with the typical VR issues of janky interactive elements, which allows for a smooth playthrough. If I must find a flaw on the technical side, it would be directed at the loading times which are long but not intolerable.
What I’m trying to convince you of is that VR is the best thing to happen to Not for Broadcast. It turns what can be a title with disappointingly limited gameplay into a fully engrossing experience. Not all games that are originally flatscreen make the transition to the virtual realm well, as I’ve discussed with Resident Evil 4 Remake’s VR mode, but with Not for Broadcast, it feels like it should never have taken any other form.
Take control of television
The gameplay begins relatively simply, and once you’re at your desk, you’re instructed on how to perform basic tasks like turning on the correct switches, swapping between cameras, playing ads, and controlling the volume levels of the different monitors you have to keep watch of. The challenge comes from dividing your attention correctly, and ensuring all the moving parts are working together smoothly.
Getting things right is also a matter of timing. You need to switch between scenes at the right moment, play ads when appropriate, and have your finger ready to press the censor button when naughty words come up. As you progress, more features are added, and your choices become increasingly impactful. Without spoiling too much, you’ll also have to defend your broadcasting tower, which forces you to occasionally take your eyes off the monitors.
I enjoy the gameplay and how it attempts to overwhelm you by slowly giving you more to do. For some, I can totally see things getting too complicated, eventually feeling unfair, and distracting you from the superb story. Fortunately, there is a story mode difficulty level that reduces the number of tasks expected of you, allowing you to focus more on the live broadcasts and the story.
When it comes to Not for Broadcast‘s handling of VR, I only have a single minor complaint. By default, the game places you far too close to your desk. My advice to combat this is to play sitting on a chair so that you can move back to get to a comfy position. Other than that, expect a flawless VR experience.
Never a slow news day
Despite seeming like a simple “plate spinner” type game, Not for Broadcast has a significant storyline that not only gives context to your actions but affects the world you work in. You should be aware that while much of its funny factor comes from the unexpectedly bizarre moments, the game’s steeped in dark humor, and more than a few times, I was quite surprised at just how far it takes things.
Are you going to be offended? Probably not. It never feels genuinely mean-spirited. Far from it, many moments serve as relevant political satire. However, if euthanasia, suicide, prostate jokes, depictions of psychologically abusive relationships, kids getting seriously injured, and British swearing aren’t things you’re interested in adding to your entertainment diet, you might want to give this game a skip.
The writing is on-point, with news presenters striking the perfect balance between being professional and just jaded by the shenanigans they’re witnessing. Far from being NPCs to flavor the game, they’re the ones ensuring that there’s always a distinctly human element to the broadcasts.
I’m being cautious about discussing the finer details of the plot because I don’t want to spoil too much, but be warned it’s far more than a simple broadcast controller simulator. The game’s filled with absurdity, but unlike my worthless existence, none of it feels meaningless, and it manages to provide social commentary in an effective manner that few games can.
Making sense of the brainwashing machine of media
The game’s underlying premise is far from a new one – television and mass media as a whole have a huge influence on populations, and it’s dangerously effective when used by political propagandists, corporations, and narcissistic influencers alike.
You can find intellectuals waxing lyrical about this topic from as far back as Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent in 1988. Read the text, and you’ll already be clued up on most of what Not for Broadcast has to say. Perhaps that’s the biggest criticism that can be directed at the game. While it does bring up an important topic, it doesn’t add much, if anything, to the conversation.
Younger players may have never lived through the era of life with broadcast television as the primary media source in society. Things like television adverts being repeatedly played until they’re burned into the public psyche don’t really happen much anymore. This doesn’t lessen the weight of the commentary the game makes, as even in our modern society of content streaming, we’re still subject to internet bubbles strongly influencing our beliefs and worldviews.
The revolution will be televised
Not for Broadcast makes it quite clear early on that what you choose to air affects the public in ways that extend beyond the political. Within the first hour, you have access to an ad for a Snugglehugs toy that could be dangerous. If you choose to still air it (of course I did), you witness the devastating consequences not long after.
What’s played on television doesn’t just affect the world out there. You also see the effects within your personal life where you once again have to make choices. I find these parts some of the most interesting, as they turn your character into more than just a mindless worker with no stake in society.
Not for Broadcast is a work of art that proves just how good FMV games can get when they’re done right. It’s about ten hours long, but with multiple endings, you can get way more time out of it through multiple playthroughs. I recommend Not for Broadcast: VR, even if you’ve played the original flatscreen version. It’s just that good.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
