Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a simple but incredibly amusing communication game for two or more players, in which you have to co-operate in order to defuse a bomb that only one member of the group can see…
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What is Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes?
What is Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes?
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a video game in which you have to work together with teammates to defuse a bomb. It’s usually played as a party game with everyone in the same room, but can also be played online.
One player has access to the game itself on a screen (or in virtual reality). The other players have access to a printed instruction manual for how to diffuse the bomb. Players must communicate back and forth in a timely fashion to correctly disarm the device before the time runs out.
The player with the bomb will describe what they see, including serial numbers, button labels and colours. The players with the manual will cross-reference this information and relay what needs to be done.
It’s a simple concept, but it makes for an incredibly engaging game – one that’s best played in person. The tactile nature of the virtual reality version of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is also incredibly fun.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes was conceived of at Global Game Jam 2014. A game jam is an event where individual game developers team up and make a game together in a short window of time, and then share their game with the group.
Developers Allen Pestaluky, Ben Kane, and Brian Fetter developed a prototype of the game using at Global Game Jam 2014 using an Oculus Rift development kit that was made available to jam participants.
Initially they put together a rollercoaster simulator, which went down well… but they noticed that only one person could enjoy it at a time, while others had to wait for a turn with the headset. What if, they thought, there was a game that both the person playing it and the people around them could enjoy?
Thus an early version of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes was created… and it went down a storm, as you can see in this video of it being demoed at the jam.
After positive feedback at the jam, the team realised that they had a commercially-viable game on their hands, and formed the company Steel Crate Games to perfect and release it.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes debuted to mixed reviews, but has gone on to become an extremely popular game. It’s routinely streamed, over 200,000 copies have been sold, and it has won a host of prizes including an Excellence in Design award.
The Good Stuff
➕ Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes is one of the most fun games we’ve played in a long time, especially in virtual reality. The communication aspect makes it perfect for parties or groups, and as the difficulty curve ramps up it can be very tense!
The game lends itself to some fantastic moments of movie-level drama. And the puzzles you have to solve to defuse the bomb are calibrated to maximise tension… and also confusion. There are some truly fiendish and funny puzzles that it’s a real pleasure to work through.
If you enjoy communication-based co-op games like Spaceteam, Overcooked or It Takes Two, you’ll almost certainly enjoy Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.
The Bad Stuff
➖ There’s no particular story to Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. The basic scenario which underpins the game is, however, familiar enough that you can imagine whatever story you want onto it. You may be a cop, a secret agent, a lethal weapon, or any other similar tough but underprepared agent forced to defuse a bomb with a little help from your friends.
➖ The controls can sometimes be a little fussy. When playing in virtual reality it can occasionally be difficult to select the component you want, or keep the bomb steady enough to clip the correct wire. These difficulties arise from VR glitchiness, and don’t feel like a fun or intentional part of the game.
Practical Information
You can play Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes in person or with friends online. If playing online you can use almost any communication medium – you could play over the phone, via Zoom, or using a string-can telephone if you wanted. Only one person needs a copy of the game, while everyone else will just need the free-to-download defusal manual.
The game includes multiple modes, including a campaign, and some sandbox options.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is available from Steam, the Humble Store, and most app stores too.