Not For Broadcast is a novel concept. The player steps into the shoes of an editor of a live news broadcast on his first day and must use split-second decisions to cut the news together as it goes out over the air. It’s a unique idea for a game, but also one that works well. Players start with their first broadcast as they go through accelerated training where they learn about how to deal with camera controls, interference, and making a good “edit” as it’s called to keep the viewers interested. With each broadcast having three segments, the final of three segments in the first broadcast, the game also drops the idea of swearing that requires the age-old censor button.

The first broadcast does well-introducing players to the concept and why the game might work, the creation of a news program is interesting, and while the topic covered is a simple election, the characters and production values of the feeds that the player is challenged to tie together keeps the game moving. The writing, directing, and acting all are done extremely well for a small video game studio. The final segment of the broadcast does feel a bit corny but it also shows that the game can have a little fun with the story. When the newly elected prime minister who is drinking starts to cuss, it still feels like it can fit in with the concept of a news program even if it’s a bit bizarre.

Players are graded based on how they conform to the rules of the broadcast, mostly in how well their edit focuses on the action, or speaker, while not lingering too long on one shot, as well as the timing for transitions, commercial breaks, and if players let any swears be broadcast.