"Who would've known that being a surgeon is this fun?"

Trauma Center: Under the Knife is one of my more anticipated games for the DS; I've been looking forward to it since it's been announced. Why? I didn't know myself… until I had the game in my hands. Read on to see why playing in the shoes of Dr. Derek Stiles can be one of the most entertaining (and possibly educating) experiences you'll have on the DS.

Storyline: 9/10

You play as Dr. Derek Stiles, a young doctor that has just become a full-time surgeon. He wanted to be a doctor when he lost his father to an incurable disease, and since then, has wanted to help save others. As he starts out performing basic surgery operations at Hope Hospital, he begins learning about an incurable disease along the lines of current day's Cancer and AIDs. Derek soon encounters patients with the GUILT (Gangliated Uthrophin Immuno Latency Toxin) disease. Though not much is known about this disease, it is very dangerous and is thought to be a manmade disease used for terrorism.

The story in this game, although somewhat exaggerated, is quite interesting and holds the game together. It brings you from one part of the game to the next pretty smoothly, and keeps you wanting to find out what happens next.

Graphics and sound: 8/10

The graphics in this game is great. The map and backgrounds during conversations are photorealistic. During surgery, the patient body and his/her internal organs are shown in 3D. Not much detail is shown in the patient's body parts. This is good, because too much detail will probably just make it more complicated to tell organs apart. The way it is currently done, each body part is very clear and you can easily tell one organ from another.

The sound in this game is also fantastic. The music in each situation matches that situation perfectly. If you were in a casual conversation, the music is slow and pleasant to hear. On the contrary, during surgery, you'll hear dramatic pieces that really make you tense.

Gameplay: 10/10

This is really the best part of the game. Trauma Center is a type of game that is so unique that you've probably never tried another game like it. The controls for this game are perfectly set up for the DS. Who would've thought of using a stylus and touch screen for a surgery game?

When playing Trauma Center, you'll probably be doing one of two things: reading dialogue between characters and advancing in the story, or in the Operating Room performing a surgery. The surgeries you perform are the main aspect of this game.

Before each operation, you'll be briefed on the situation: What's going on, the patient's status, what needs to be done, and what you should be aware of. You are then brought into the actual surgery action. During surgery, you'll have to pay attention to both the top and bottom screens.

The patient and the entire procedure surgery takes place on the bottom (touch) screen. Along the sides of the screen are the ten tools available to you during operation. Each tool has its own unique use, and you'll have to remember what each does and when to use them. Tools have limited uses, and if you use one tool too much, you'll have to wait a short while before you can use it again. Along with the tools, you'll also see the patient's vitals. The patient's vitals are very important and you have to keep it in account at all times. In RPG terms, you may think of vitals as HP. If the vitals hit 0, the surgery ends and you lose.

On the top screen, you'll see the general information for the surgery: your points, the amount of misses you are able to have before losing, the time left for the surgery, and hints from the nurse. You gain points based on how fast you completed the surgery and your skill. You lose points from doing something wrong. At the end of the surgery, you'll get a score for that surgery based on the points you've accumulated. Each surgery has a time limit. This is the amount of time you have to complete the surgery. If you cannot finish within the given time, you lose. If the nurse has something to say (usually hints on what to do next), it will also appear on the top screen. Be sure to read this if you don't know what's going on.

Now, the main part of the surgery is actually operating on the patient. All you'll need is your stylus. You'll need to be quick, yet precise. As stated previously, you need to know what each of your tools do and when to use them. It's best to play Trauma Center in an area where you have total control over your hands and the DS, meaning you shouldn't be playing on a train or other shaky environments. Calm down, hold the stylus gently, and (if you feel more comfortable) lay the DS on a flat surface. Relax, and enjoy being a surgeon.

Conclusion:

Trauma Center is one of the first games to use the DS's touch screen and stylus to it's full potential. While it in no way prepares you for medical school, it does teach you some basic terms and is enjoyable to play. Aside to being somewhat educational, it's entertaining and puts up quite a challenge in the later stages. I definitely recommend this game to DS owners.

Final Score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/24/05