Progress: All levels cleared on Easy; stuck on Extreme levels…Trauma Center: Second Opinion (TC:SO) is the Wii edition of the DS game Trauma Center: Under the Knife (TC:UK), as well as one of the initial releases when the Wii came out. The story to the game is that a doctor with a special ability to concentrate has to combat some strange medical warfare in patients. The game is played through doing operations on patients; completing the necessary goal(s) and not letting the patient’s vitals reach 0.
TC:SO is quite similar to the DS version, except for a few things. Some of the missions’ names were changed, another chapter of missions was added, and a bonus chapter was added that plays parallel to the main line and intersects at the final chapter. Also, there are some situational tools that were added that only appear at certain times and in certain operations.
The Wii remote takes ultimate control of the tools you use in surgery. The Wii remote is used to control the tools and the nunchuk is used to select which tool to use. The tools used in the game are scalpel, forceps, antibiotic gel, syringe, stitches, drain, laser, and ultrasound. Each of these are used mainly by aiming the cursor and pressing a button. In the case of forceps, you have to press both the trigger (B) and A at the same time, mimicking how you would use them. When using the syringe, you have to first fill the syringe before inserting it into the patient.
In my opinion, the controls were magnificent. They were absolutely responsive and realistic. For example, when removing a glass shard, you have to be mindful of the edges of the shard and not allow them to touch the edges of the wound. Also, after removing things, you place them into a dish. The fact that you have to fill the syringe before injecting it gives the game a realistic feel.
The storyline of the game starts with a new doctor, fresh out of residency. He (and you) are introduced to some basic techniques used throughout the game. During one of the operations, he discovers he has an ability to increase his concrentration intensely (basically slowing down time). After saving a patient with a weird parasite, he finds out that it was a man-made disease called GUILT. GUILT was made to be used in medical terrorism. The story continues with him fighting this disease and stopping the terrorist group behind it through the operations he performs. The story was well designed and flowed very well. In terms of a surgery game, they did very well in adding a story to it.
Scores:
- Graphics: 8/10
- Sound: 9/10
- Story: 10/10
- Control: 10/10
Overall Score (not an average): 9/10
Summary of Trauma Center: Second Opinion:
I’ll admit that I was very hesitant in trying this game, even though I’d heard a lot of good things about it. Something about a surgery game just didn’t sit well with me at first… then I started playing it. Regardless of my previous feelings toward the game, I became addicted – probably due to the combination of storyline and playability. I almost couldn’t bring myself to put it down. In terms of a video game, this is probably the closest you can get to bringing the O.R. to your living room (at least with the current technologies). TC:SO is definitely going on my list of games to buy.
