Ministry of Broadcast is shaping up to be one of the best indie games of the year. It skillfully combines the platforming and action genre with a meaningful narrative, full of dark humor and satire, that keeps you invested in the main character.
The first thing you’ll notice about Ministry of Broadcast is its fantastic art style. It’s a beautiful display of pixel art done right; everything from the background images to the animations have been painstakingly crafted and are of the highest quality. Whether you’re sleeping in your bunk or running from guard dogs, the game is simply a feast for the eyes.
The graphics are second fiddle to the narrative, however, as it will have you laughing, smiling, and shaking your head in disgust throughout your journey. As of now, the complete story-line is tightly under wraps, but it involves trying to win a contest to see your family on the other side of a wall. We can say, however, that the game attempts to tackle some very deep subject matter that is relevant to our world today, and does so with great success. If you’ve ever read Kurt Vonnegut or George Orwell, you’ll be at home with this game’s satire and dark humor.
As for the gameplay, expect to be solving basic puzzles and doing lots of platforming. So far everything has been polished, but very punishing. Many jumps require pixel-perfect precision, and timing your jumps is critical; there was one section in particular that took over twenty attempts before we were able to clear it. The game is always fair, and finally mastering a pesky section gives a much deserved sense of accomplishment. Overall, it’s very reminiscent of the famous 1989 platformer; Prince of Persia.
Only time will tell if the game can manage to stay fresh until the credits roll. The story should certainly keep gamers hooked, but it remains to be seen if the gameplay can introduce enough new ideas to stay enjoyable. Our sneak peak had us engaged the entire time, and we can’t wait for the game to release later this year.
Ministry of Broadcast is set to release on PC and the Nintendo Switch this Fall.