During these uncertain times, the task of distinguishing our reality from the dystopian futures of novels, such as those written by the masterful George Orwell, has increased in difficulty. Fortunately, many of our lives remain sufficiently distant from the authoritarian dictatorship present in Ministry of Broadcast to gain escapist enjoyment from the game.
However, can this narrative-driven puzzle-platformer match the quality of the influences that it wears so unashamedly on its pixelated sleeve? To the receive the answers that you seek, I strongly urge you to continue reading this TechStomper review. Of course, dissimilar to the narrative themes of the game, compliance is not mandatory.
Narrative Prevails
Ministry of Broadcast – developed by a studio in the Czech Republic boasting the same name – deftly handles the theme of the absence of free will, utilising a method unique to the gaming medium. This includes forcing you to devise gruesome solutions to the puzzles present throughout the game, while the protagonist states his remorse, and locking you into dialogue sequences during certain expositional cutscenes.
Most shockingly, though, one particular late game twist, which I shall refrain from spoiling, reveals that even the one moment where you chose to rebel was a situation orchestrated by the tyrannical regime that holds your free will to ransom. Ministry of Broadcast’s narrative demonstrates that video games need not emulate cinema to tell engaging stories with a powerful message.
We Are Watching
At frequent intervals during my play through, the temptation to temporarily pause gameplay and admire the stunning visuals on display in Ministry of Broadcast was overwhelming. Its stylised pixelization not only serves as a beautifully practical solution to the nigh non-existent budget of the title, but it serves a much deeper purpose also.
This choice of art style ensures that it becomes impossible for the player to identify the faces of the NPCs that reside in the universe of Ministry of Broadcast. Therefore, those that suffer in various capacities by your hand are dismissed by the narrative as indistinguishable pawns in the game played by your in-game oppressors. It is haunting in its subtlety.
Sonic Broadcast
Though haunting visuals on their own may be sufficient, they are bolstered further when working in tandem with equally haunting and oppressive sonic sensations. Akin to Silent Hill, there are moments in Ministry of Broadcast where simply moving from one end of a dilapidated corridor to the other is an event in and of itself due to the masterful music, which perfectly encapsulates the emotion of the scene, along with the events that led up to it.
Furthermore, the sound design pays such painstaking attention to detail that becoming enveloped in a wave of immersion is a fate that is futile to resist. In spite of – or, perhaps, because of – its independent nature, Ministry of Broadcast conjures a despairing atmosphere that rivals any major motion picture.
Rising Tensions
Throughout the majority of the adventure, solving each puzzle was a pure joy. They required sufficient thought to solve, yet never padded the length without obtuse solutions. Although player deaths were numerous, the inclusion of instant restarts was a blessing.
Unfortunately, during the closing act, Ministry of Broadcast abandons these puzzles in favour of relatively complex platforming sections that require pinpoint perfection and are rife with time constraints. When combined with checkpoints deemed by yours truly to be few and far between, the frequent deaths of old, brought on by monotonous trial and error, become increasingly frustrating.
Long Live the Good Show
In conclusion, Ministry of Broadcast provides a narrative gaming experience, that utilises medium-specific attributes, worthy of its literary inspirations. So long as you are capable of withstanding occasional frustrations here and there, this is a title which has earned a place in your gaming library.
Good broadcast.
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch (PEGI 16+)
