Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

About

"Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes" is a local co-op party game where players work together to defuse bombs. One player, trapped in a room with a ticking time bomb, must decipher information to defuse it, while other players, who can't see the bomb, must give instructions by using the Bomb Defusal Manual. Communication and puzzle-solving skills are crucial in this fast-paced game, where players must act quickly and clearly to succeed. Only one copy of the game is required, and the Bomb Defusal Manual can be viewed or printed from the game's website.

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Play Modes

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes screenshot

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,994 reviews

gameplay65 positive mentions

story23 negative mentions

gameplay
233 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
71%
1%
The gameplay is characterized by its easy-to-learn mechanics that evolve in complexity, fostering intense cooperative experiences that emphasize communication and teamwork. Players appreciate the minimalist visuals and sound design, which enhance the game's frantic atmosphere, while the inclusion of mods and procedurally generated challenges ensures high replayability. However, some mechanics can lead to frustration, particularly when errors occur in communication, which may strain player relationships. Overall, the game is celebrated for its unique and engaging cooperative gameplay that is both chaotic and entertaining.
- “The mechanics are easy to grasp, but the complexity ramps up as new modules and time constraints are introduced.”
- “The gameplay is intense and thrilling!”
- “The game is highly replayable, with randomly generated bombs and modules that keep the gameplay fresh and unpredictable.”
- “Some mechanics are too difficult, which leads to it becoming frustrating at a certain point.”
- “If such circumstances occur often and repeatedly, the gameplay can become aggravating, and frustrations with the gaming partner may develop.”
- “Only those really looking for a challenge would want to continue, since I think the gameplay gets a bit stale and the puzzles get more and more annoying to work with.”
humor
230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes" is a standout feature, with players frequently describing the experience as hilariously chaotic and filled with laughter. The game's cooperative nature leads to amusing miscommunications and frantic moments, making it a perfect choice for parties and gatherings. Players report that the combination of stress and humor creates unforgettable memories, often resulting in laughter and friendly banter as they attempt to defuse bombs together.
- “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a masterclass in co-op gaming, delivering an experience that’s equal parts nerve-wracking and hilarious.”
- “The cooperative nature ensures everyone feels involved, and the shared triumph of successfully defusing a bomb—or the shared laughter when things go hilariously wrong—is unmatched.”
- “This game is hilariously fun to play.”
story
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
71%
17%
The consensus among users is that the game lacks a substantial story, with many reviews stating that it has "no story" or describing the narrative as non-existent. While some players appreciate the gameplay mechanics and the challenge of missions, they note that the game primarily focuses on bomb defusal rather than a traditional storyline. A few reviews mention the existence of a "story mode" that serves more as a structured progression of challenges rather than a narrative-driven experience.
- “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.”
replayability
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
3%
The game boasts high replayability due to its randomly generated bomb configurations and diverse modules, ensuring that no two sessions are alike. Players appreciate the extensive mod support available through Steam Workshop, which further enhances the game's longevity and variety. While some users note that familiarity with the game can diminish its novelty over time, the overall consensus is that it remains a fun and engaging experience, especially in a social setting.
- “The game is highly replayable, with randomly generated bombs and modules that keep the gameplay fresh and unpredictable.”
- “Infinitely replayable with mods, incredibly fun gameplay, pretty addicting.”
- “The number of each type, location on the bomb and content of each module is randomized each game, meaning the replayability factor is huge.”
- “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.”
- “All in all, the game is really fun for party play, although admittedly there's a replayability factor that might degrade your love for the game due to the fact that there's a set combination of puzzles and their solution.”
graphics
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
73%
3%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and minimalist, effectively supporting the gameplay without being a distraction. While some users appreciate the clean and clear visuals, others note that the graphics are basic and lack depth, making it accessible for low-end machines. Overall, the visuals are considered adequate for the game's purpose, with a few praising the unique style and immersive sound design that enhance the experience.
- “The graphics are excellent with a unique style, but there is no way to adjust 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.”
- “Bonus that it will run on any machine because there are basically no graphics.”
- “While there are options to change the game resolution, the minigame is just a modestly low poly bomb asset in a small room, and there's no real other visuals or interactive elements... that's a problem in itself, but this mobile app is just a gimmick, a one minute wonder.”
- “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.”
music
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for enhancing the overall tension and excitement, with a soundtrack that escalates in intensity as the countdown timer approaches zero. While some players note that the music is not central to the gameplay, it effectively amplifies the stress and urgency of defusing bombs, creating memorable moments during multiplayer sessions. However, a few reviews suggest that the music could benefit from more variety and volume adjustments to improve communication among players.
- “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.”
- “The music is pretty simple and only really occurs in the main menu and in the background (subtle during early parts of the round, loud during the later parts).”
- “This isn't a music or rhythm-based game, so the soundtrack is not essential to the gameplay experience.”
grinding
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
62%
29%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring a significant investment of time to achieve certain goals. While some acknowledge that certain achievements can be mitigated with community resources, the general sentiment leans towards the grinding being a major drawback that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “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.”
- “There is one grindy achievement, but with the help of the Steam Workshop, this doesn't have to be that long of a grind.”
optimization
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
Overall, the game's optimization is well-received, with players reporting smooth performance and minimal bugs across various hardware, including older systems. While frame rates may fluctuate slightly, the gameplay experience remains enjoyable, particularly in cooperative settings where communication and problem-solving are key. Players appreciate the balance of challenge and performance, making it accessible for both casual and dedicated gamers.
- “After playing the game for a total of 4 hours as of writing this, I haven't experienced any bugs or performance issues!”
- “There's tons of teamwork and puzzles to solve, things run smoothly and there are no bugs I've run into.”
- “The game has good graphics, runs smoothly and has many challenges to complete.”
- “Technical performance is generally appropriate, but the frame rate fluctuates constantly between the lower 120s and lower 140s.”
- “There are workflows to be optimized, misunderstandings to avoid, and a very serious deadline to meet!”
- “It could be assumed that repetition and practice would quicken the defuser and expert's performance, but that is not the case with the most difficult puzzles.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players describe the game as an emotional roller coaster, evoking strong feelings ranging from joy to heartbreak. Many express that it fosters deep connections with friends, making them feel nostalgic and even prompting tears. Overall, the emotional impact is significant, with some players reporting intense reactions that linger long after gameplay.
- “It made me want to cry, it's perfect <3”
- “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.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
56%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players report a smooth experience with no bugs, others have encountered glitches that affected gameplay, such as modules not loading and crashes upon startup. Overall, the game performs well on various platforms, including the Steam Deck and Surface Pro, but issues persist for some users, leading to frustration.
- “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.”
- “We ended up giving up on the game after a few bugs due to some glitches, particularly with the memory portion of the bomb.”
- “I initially bought the game hearing that it was fun, but I encountered glitches with 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.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, especially when played with friends, creating a thrilling experience filled with tension and excitement. While some users note a lack of specific sound details that could enhance immersion, the overall ambiance, combined with challenging puzzles and effective sound design, contributes to a highly engaging gameplay experience. Many reviewers rate the atmosphere as exceptional, highlighting its ability to evoke strong emotions and maintain player engagement.
- “Beautiful game with an amazing atmosphere when playing with friends.”
- “Everything looks nice, there's no extraneous clutter, and the sounds are perfectly suited to the atmosphere.”
- “All basic sounds are there, but specifics are missing to immerse the player into the atmosphere.”
- “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.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the unique concept and transparency in advertising, while others criticize it as a cash grab, particularly noting its mobile origins and the inclusion of microtransactions. Overall, opinions vary on whether the monetization strategy enhances or detracts from the gaming experience.
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items for purchase, but they don't affect gameplay, keeping the experience balanced.”
- “The optional purchases enhance the game without being necessary, making it a great experience for both free and paying players.”
- “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not)... it's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. This mobile app has a somewhat clever premise in that it's not really a game in the traditional sense (which is a problem, because Steam is for PC games, not mobile apps that aren't really games).”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it seems more focused on extracting money from players rather than providing a fair gaming experience.”
- “The game has potential, but the heavy reliance on microtransactions detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion.”