Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 7,075 reviews
  • humor
  • gameplay
  • story
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes Game Cover
Avoid boredom and potentially painful conversations with your family with this terrific party title.
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"Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes" is a cooperative party game where players work together to defuse bombs. One player, the "Defuser," describes the bomb's modules to their teammates who have access to the bomb defusal manual. The team must communicate effectively and quickly to defuse the bomb before time runs out. Miscommunication and time pressure create a fun and intense experience.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Cloud
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Oculus Quest
  • Oculus Rift
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
  • Tablet
  • Windows Mixed Reality
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,075 reviews
humor182 positive mentions
story16 negative mentions
  • humor182 mentions

    The humor in this game is consistently described as chaotic, hilarious, and a key element of the gameplay experience, particularly when played with friends or family. Players enjoy the frantic communication and misunderstandings that arise during bomb defusal, leading to laughter and memorable moments, even amidst the stress of the game. Overall, it is praised as a fun, entertaining party game that thrives on the comedic interactions between players.

    • “This game is funny as hell and nearly all the bombs in the vanilla game can be solved by anyone (maybe not pick up the pace IV, but I digress).”
    • “My wife and I will try to defuse bombs together and even as a two-player experience it is very fun; with more friends, it's even more entertaining, hilarious, and terrifying.”
    • “We didn't expect to laugh so much, from the silly code names we accidentally made for the symbols (like 'tranny boobs' and 'piggy tail') to screaming at each other to 'vent your gas' or 'my knobs flashing', it all got very manic and hilarious.”
  • gameplay162 mentions

    The gameplay is widely praised for its intense, communication-focused mechanics that create a thrilling and chaotic experience, especially in co-op settings. Players appreciate the easy-to-learn yet challenging mechanics, which are enhanced by excellent modding support and procedural generation, ensuring high replayability. Overall, the game is described as a unique blend of digital and analog gameplay that fosters teamwork and provides endless fun, making it a standout choice for party gaming.

    • “The gameplay is intense and thrilling!”
    • “The mechanics are fairly easy to learn, but difficult to master, and they work great on both PC and in VR (with a fun additional elevator mode which can be enabled in VR, which was always our favorite way to play).”
    • “The gameplay of 'Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes' emphasizes and develops teamwork and communication.”
    • “If you're looking for a game where all players experience the same amount of gameplay, I would suggest another game.”
    • “Yes, but after two or three rounds and having checked mostly all bomb modules, we had the impression we already knew the mechanics and that it wasn't any more a challenge for us.”
    • “I haven't played for long, but despite this game having a free play mode so you can play with endless bombs of any difficulty, I worry that once you've memorized the manual, this game will become more of a speed run than the co-op gameplay that really makes it special...”
  • story100 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for being non-existent or minimal, with many users noting that it lacks a traditional narrative structure. While some players appreciate the gameplay mechanics and the challenge of bomb defusal, they often describe the "story mode" as merely a series of preset missions rather than a cohesive storyline. Overall, the focus remains on gameplay rather than storytelling, with players encouraged to create their own narratives through roleplay if desired.

    • “The game's 'story' mode, if you can call it that, felt like a really good learning curve that hooks you in instantly.”
    • “We're playing through the story mode that slowly ramps up the difficulty, and every time it's a new challenge.”
    • “However, it's still challenging as you move through the 'story', so even repeat plays will hold challenge.”
    • “The story is non-existent.”
    • “This game has no story.”
    • “There is no story, again this game focuses around the gameplay.”
  • replayability96 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its randomly generated bombs and extensive mod support, which keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging. While some players note that familiarity with the mechanics can diminish the novelty over time, the variety of challenges and the ability to play with different friends ensure that it remains a fun and dynamic experience. Overall, it is considered an excellent choice for parties and social play, with many users highlighting its addictive nature and endless replay potential.

    • “The game is highly replayable, with randomly generated bombs and modules that keep the gameplay fresh and unpredictable.”
    • “A great co-op two-player game, replayability is great because you can diffuse different bombs with different people as well as the bombs having a different setup each time.”
    • “The real seller is all the amazing mods that add a ridiculous amount of content and replayability to the game.”
    • “The base game only has so much replayability; eventually, I just memorized everything, which kind of defeated the purpose. However, I think this issue is easily solved with mods.”
    • “My only criticism is that there is limited replay value for players who've seen one side of the controls and are thinking of switching to the other.”
    • “The novelty of the whole game will wear off over a few hours, which is quite evident when you look at the positive reviews. People say the game is amazing, and most of them don't even have over 5 hours played, obviously because of the lack of replayability.”
  • graphics70 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique style and effectiveness, with many reviewers noting a clean and minimalistic interface that complements the gameplay. While some players appreciate the stunning visuals and immersive sound design, others feel that the graphics are simple and could benefit from scalability options. Overall, the visuals are considered good but not the primary focus of the game, with many emphasizing that the gameplay experience remains enjoyable regardless of the graphical quality.

    • “The graphics are excellent with a unique style, but there is no way to adjust the graphics to better.”
    • “While the gameplay is the star of the show, the visuals and sound design deserve their share of applause.”
    • “The game has some really nice environments and the graphics are really well designed and laid out.”
    • “I admit the tags of 'co-op' and 'multiplayer' misled me, but regardless I thought the game had very poor graphics and was not enjoyable, so I cannot recommend it, especially for the price.”
    • “The game does use polygonal graphics and what appears to be vertex lighting, but I think most integrated graphics chips can handle this amount of detail.”
    • “The graphics are simple in nature and don't detract from the gameplay.”
  • music60 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance tension and immersion, with a dynamic soundtrack that escalates as the countdown timer approaches zero, creating a palpable sense of urgency. While some reviews note that the amount of music is limited, the quality is generally considered enjoyable and fitting for the gameplay, contributing significantly to the overall experience. The combination of sound effects and music effectively amplifies the chaos and excitement, making it a memorable aspect of the game.

    • “The pulse-pounding music, the distractions, and the insane level of clear, concise communication needed to win creates a gaming experience like no other game I have played.”
    • “The escalation in the music as the beeping from the timer quickens as a strike occurs causes a lot of panic from both sides of the bomb.”
    • “The background music is wonderfully accented to provide maximum immersion and adds the touch needed to make you feel the pressure reverberating around your ears.”
    • “There is a morse code module that is impossible to solve unless you are a professional musician.”
    • “This game and its music, as my friends try to solve the bomb with me, is stressing me the hell out.”
    • “This isn't a music or rhythm-based game, so the soundtrack is not essential to the gameplay experience.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring a significant investment of time to progress. Many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of tasks, such as defusing bombs, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. However, some users note that certain elements manage to avoid feeling grindy due to their brevity.

    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “Many modules require reading a huge list of logical conditions, which is not fun or rewarding, just tedious.”
    • “I am neutral in recommending this game due to the fact that defusing 100 bombs can become quite tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its excellent optimization, with players reporting smooth performance and no bugs, even on lower-end hardware. Users appreciate the seamless gameplay experience, which allows for both short and extended play sessions without technical issues. The game's design encourages teamwork and problem-solving, enhancing the overall enjoyment.

    • “After playing the game for a total of 4 hours as of writing this, I haven't experienced any bugs or performance issues!”
    • “This is a budget laptop from 2011, the game looks pretty good and runs smoothly.”
    • “There are workflows to be optimized, misunderstandings to avoid, and a very serious deadline to meet!”
    • “It takes some getting used to, but I fell in love with the optimization of the communication, problem-solving, and use of the manual.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    Players describe the game as an emotional roller coaster that evokes a wide range of feelings, from nostalgia and connection to frustration and intensity. Many highlight the game's ability to strengthen bonds with friends, making it a memorable experience that can elicit strong emotional responses. Overall, it is praised for its immersive qualities that resonate deeply with players.

    • “This made me feel like I was still at home, instead of where I live now.”
    • “This game is a very emotional game to play with your best friend you haven't talked to in months!”
    • “10/10 would ride this emotional rollercoaster again.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting smooth performance and no significant bugs. However, some users have experienced occasional glitches and crashes, particularly during initial play sessions or on specific devices. Despite these issues, the game is noted for running well on platforms like the Steam Deck and Surface Pro.

    • “It also looks and runs great, and we didn't encounter any bugs while playing through the game. It has a healthy modding community that has created tons of unique modules and bombs to add even more variety to your explosive defusal sessions.”
    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Played this on my Surface Pro and it runs great with a touchscreen.”
    • “I initially bought the game hearing that it was fun, but I encountered glitches in specific parts of modules not loading and the timer lagging.”
    • “I have been troubleshooting for an hour, and it still crashes every time I start the game.”
    • “I did experience a few glitches in the first 30 minutes of playing, but I did not encounter them again for the rest of the session.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and intense experience, particularly when played with friends. Reviewers highlight the combination of beautiful visuals, effective sound design, and challenging puzzles that enhance the overall tension and excitement, resulting in a highly engaging gameplay experience. Overall, the atmosphere is consistently rated as exceptional, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The atmosphere that the game creates, the panic that both you and the bomb guy go into - it's what creates the overall experience of the game.”
    • “But seriously, a great game, great controls, good sound, spectacular atmosphere that will give you a heart attack.”
    • “Everything looks nice, there's no extraneous clutter, and the sounds are perfectly suited to the atmosphere.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization in the game is transparent and aligns with its advertising, ensuring that players receive what they expect without hidden costs or surprises.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
22hAverage play time
3-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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