Ministry of Broadcast in Development

Hitcents have officially partnered with the Ministry of Broadcast (MoB) team to bring the game Ministry of Broadcast to Nintendo Switch and Steam. This 2D dystopian cinematic platformer, rife with dark humor and sarcastic quips, is slated to release Fall 2019. Should the Regime allow it, of course. Read our interview with the developers here!

Ministry of Broadcast is a 2D pixel-crafted cinematic platformer that follows the plight of an unnamed ginger-headed protagonist. Set in a country divided seemingly overnight by the construction of The Wall, an absurd totalitarian government known as the Regime has taken root. Separated from his family by this barricade, our protagonist must compete on, and win, The Wall Show—a mysterious reality TV show aired only in the free lands on the other side of the barrier. Participating in a government-organized contest to escape a deceptively-charming dystopia is already cause for unease, but, much to his chagrin, our ill-fortuned protagonist has also lost his only pair of boots.

Inspired by games such as Prince of Persia (1989) and Oddworld: Abe’s Exoddus, Ministry of Broadcast revives the spirit of classic cinematic platformers where players need nimble run-and-jump reflexes as well as a healthy aversion to falling from precarious heights.

To reach freedom and family, you must lead the protagonist through each of the Arenas while under the ever-watchful mechanical eye of the Regime. The variety of hazardous, dilapidated environments hold an array of obstacles for you to manage—leg-shattering drops (scared of heights?), flaming barrels of garbage (extra-smelly, extra-flamey), inconveniently-placed spike pits (of course), hanging steel beams (so much rust)—but none of this is to speak of the fates of those you meet along the way.

Game Features:

• Cinematic platformer: Run, jump, crash, and climb your way through each Arena as the narrative unfolds around you. Much of the story is unveiled via smoothly integrated animation sequences, within the environment, or from NPCs muttering bits of dialogue as you dive and dodge around them.
• Environmental HUD: Rather than having a screen cluttered with overlaid indicators, HP bars, and minimaps, any information the player will need is incorporated into the environment. Hints and clues are meshed into the game’s art, subtle and specific, players will need a keen eye if they want to survive each Arena without breaking their legs.
• Puzzle-solving: Use your wits, and at times a dash of ruthlessness, to advance through the Arenas. You’ll have to interact with the environment itself to solve most of the puzzles: use the protagonist’s momentum to move platforms, flip the occasional lever, and sometimes you might have to sacrifice an NPC or two to cross a particularly spiky pit.
• Story and Personality: Featuring lots of impish humor, Grade A sarcasm, and comic mischief, all balanced perfectly with the dark, heavy themes presented in this dystopian world.

Awards and Nominations:

• “Best Gameplay” and “Best Art” at the 2018 Game Access Conference in Brno
• “Best Story”, “Most Original”, and “Best Desktop” at the 2018 Game Connection Conference in Paris
• “Finalist” at the 2018 IndieCade and 2018 IndieCade Europe

Developer Spotlight:

MoB, the team behind Ministry of Broadcast, consider themselves masters of dark depravity and debonair humor. Located in the Czech Republic, this tight-knit group collaborates on the narrative, level design, and game mechanics. Individually, Sanja and Dušan Čežek spearhead the art design while Petr Škorňok and Petr Melicherík handle development.

Chat on discord.gg/hitcents or follow @Hitcents and @ofBroadcast on Twitter to stay up-to-date on Ministry of Broadcast’s development.