Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes sounds like a very dangerous threat. Actually it’s a hectic co-operative bomb-defusing game for games consoles, mobile and PC that is extreme anxiety causing, tension packed, stressful fun.
I love to relax and play on my Xbox every now and then. I play a variety of games but love playing puzzle games, especially ones that you must work in tandem with a partner to solve. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is one such game, a brilliant game that requires teamwork, communication and plenty of cooperation, although how relaxing it can be is a topic for discussion. How relaxing is it using your free time defusing a bomb? Thankfully, it isn’t a real bomb, and nobody explodes or gets hurt (unless your frustrated partner you are playing with throws their controller at you). This is a game where a series of puzzles (modules) must be solved on a suitcase bomb within a specified time to safely defuse it before it explodes.
A game where you must figure out how to defuse a bomb within a specified time sounds very stressful but one that is so good that we quite happily spend our evenings playing it? Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is available on various platforms for PC, mobile, VR and games consoles, we have been playing it on the Xbox One and the £12.49 investment has been more than worth it.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a local co-op game that requires two or more players, it has a PEGI 3 rating. It is rather unique from other local co-op games as only one player is permitted to see the screen and use a controller! You find yourself alone in a room with a bomb, with only minutes to defuse it before BOOM! Your playing partner(s), the bomb disposal experts, have the manual to defuse it, but they can’t see the bomb, so you are going to need to communicate with each to figure out how to defuse it – and fast!
This is a game of communication; fast talking, fast thinking and teamwork. It is a game of two teams, and you don’t even have to be in the same room. Player 1 is the only player who is allowed to see the screen that displays the bomb. Player 2 (or team of players) are not allowed to see the screen or the bomb but they are in charge of the bomb defusing manual. The two teams must work together in a game of communication to describe, listen, trust and follow instructions to successfully defuse the bomb.
It sounds simple doesn’t it? Just tell your fellow player(s) what you see and follow their instructions. In reality it isn’t, it requires everybody to put their puzzle-solving and communication skills to the test under the added pressure of a time limit before the bomb explodes. Lots of stressful fun as long as you just keep talking.
The bomb can be rather complex with up to 11 modules (Section 1: Modules) to be disarmed and up to three extra difficult needy modules (Section 2: Needy Modules) to give constant attention to. You have a set amount time to disarm all modules without setting off the bomb and within the set number of strikes (wrong answers).

Section 1: Modules
Wires – horizontal wires that need to be cut, or not, in the correct order which can be determined using a variety of other information found on the bomb
Button – you have to determine what to do with this with your Experts working out various colour and word options to decide when to press or release the button
Keypads – this has various symbols on four buttons that player 1 has to describe for the Experts who then have to determine the correct order they need to pressed in
Simon Says – this is a memory game where a flashing coloured button is told to the Experts to get another colour and then the new colours pressed in the correct order
Who’s on First – this is word puzzle where a screen displays a word which is told to the Experts who then match it to a word in their manual to tell you what word button to press
Memory – this is a number memory puzzle where a series of numbers have to pressed in the correct order
Morse Code – using flashing lights a word has to found in morse code enabling player one to reply on a corresponding frequency
Complicated Wires – this is another wire cutting puzzle where the order of wires that need to be cut are determined using a Venn diagram relating to information found on the bomb
Wire Sequences – another memory game to find out what wires to cut
Mazes – this is a maze puzzle where player 1 describes where the start and end points are on a maze without walls and the Experts use the manual to help player 1 find their way through the maze
Password – a password finding puzzle
Section 2: Needy Modules
Needy Modules add in an extra layer of difficulty and cannot be disarmed. They constantly need attention to activate/deactivate them.
Venting Gas – this is answering Y or N to a question posed on the display to vent gas, but pay attention as the question changes and can be to vent gas or detonate the bomb, so get the answer correct
Capacitor Discharge – you have to hold down the lever on the bomb to discharge capacitor overload
Knobs – work out the sequence of LED lights to determine the position on the dial
The player who is looking at the bomb on the screen must describe what is seen on the screen to the bomb disposal expert player with the manual.
The player in charge of the manual is not allowed to look at the screen (they can be in a different room, have their back turned to screen or even play remotely, over the phone for example). They must use the manual with the information given to them by player 1 to decipher what they are being told, relaying instructions back on how to defuse the bomb. It is a game of not only fast talking but good observation skills, descriptive skills, puzzle solving skills and excellent communication skills.
Each time that you play, you get a different bomb (even when playing the same level) with procedurally generated puzzles keeping the action fresh. You do need to download the manual to a phone or tablet, or print it off and use a paper version (the manual is freely available at www.bombmanual.com). We found it easier to play using a paper version of the manual.

Overall this is a fantastic game that is very stressful to play but lots of exciting fun. It is a local co-op game for 2 or more players that requires good logical thinking, observational and descriptive communication skills, listening and following instructions skills and working as a team to be able to solve the puzzles. With so many different combinations of bombs to defuse it will never get boring.
If you are looking for a game that requires good communication and puzzle skills then I can highly recommend Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. It is a fast-paced game and working under the time pressure and accurately communicating and understanding each other makes it fun. The uniqueness of only one player on the screen is fantastic and the other player(s) working the manual is just as fun as playing on the screen, it really is a game of teamwork and play is interchangeable.
I would recommend printing off the manual to help play the game. We did and have even put the pages into a display folder so that we can flick through the pages faster and easier – its easier than trying to find the correct page on a tablet, phone or laptop screen.
I love playing this game and would recommend it as a family or party game for players 12 years and upwards (some of the puzzles can be quite complicated, especially under time pressure – I struggle with the Venn diagrams, especially at speed)!
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a fantastically fun and enjoyable game. At £12.49 (Xbox) it is a bargain as the puzzle variations are never the same and you do have to rely on your fellow players to win. Just keep talking to each and hopefully nobody will explode!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £12.49
For more information or to buy, visit keeptalkinggame.com.