If you are interested in these kind of things, or just looking for an unusual game makes Second Opinion up to the job.
- Superb control and needed accuracy make this game perfect for the Wii remote
- Tense, challenging gameplay like no other game
- Great atmospheric music
Negative
- Punishing difficulty and precision needed
- Minimal hints given and instruction
- Needs a ton of voiceovers
Trauma Center: Second Opinion is one of the most unusual games to hit the Wii. After first hitting the DS with Trauma Center: Under the Knife, the series makes a transfer to the Wii with great results. It is almost impossible be done on any console, because the amount of precision and patience needed for this game are very high. It is not every day you get to play as a surgeon, and the superb use of the Wii remote is welcoming, and the gameplay packs a lot of fun, but you have to crawl through some very difficult and challenging operation while playing this game.
This remake of a great DS game, which was released previously. Second Opinion places you as a young 26 year old surgeon, Dr. Derek Stiles who will be the one making most of the operations in the game. Although this, the game features other important characters. Nurse Angie will assist you through most operations. The game starts with normal, and common operation but then starts the evolve in a point of surprising twists, nonetheless make the game more engaging and will keep you going. The story is good, but not powerfully delivered. All the game consists of old-fashioned Japanese dialogue-cutscenes without any motion or anime scenes, and adding almost no voice acting at all except some here and there is a letdown. The game is divided in multiple chapters. Dr. Stiles's special ability, healing touch would certainly be helpful in real life but it is not very helpful in the game. It is essential sometimes to slow down time, stopping wounds from bleeding and such.
One of the most unique and original video games ever made has hit the Wii. Trauma Center puts you as an operation surgeon, which your job is to save your patience. The amount of precision and concentration needed limit the appeal, because you will need a firm and steady hand to do certain things, and if you fail to remain calm, you will most likely decrease the chances of saving the patient. One thing that makes Second Opinion challenging other than the amount of precision required is that you have a time limit. Most of the operations are 5 minutes long, but there are few that vary in time. You need to work fast, and watch out for the patient's life, but you'll worry more because of the running time. You can't do nothing to stop the time, unless a character is talking and the game pauses, but you can heal the patient to extend his life.
The game gives you several tools to play with. On the bottom left side of the screen, you can see a circle of tools in it, which you are mostly likely to almost use all of them. The tool that you will use almost everytime is the scalpel, which you need to cut the body of the patient to operate inside. This is the most frustrating part of all since here the game challenges you to a test of nerves. You need to cut within the yellow line, and even if you move the slightest you'll have to do it again. Failing to do so will make you waste time and decrease the patient's life. The damage you deal when failing to do a successful incision depends on where you are operating. On the heart for example it can be fatal. Other tools like the forceps, stitches, drain, laser and the antibiotic gel are essential. The tools are great and handle very well. The controls are superb to near perfection; the downside of this is that the slightest motion can move the Wii Remote causing you to make a mistake.
Something that the game doesn't very well is to constantly explain what needs to be done. There is a decent tutorial in the beginning where you learn how to use tools and such. New things you'll learn like to give heart shocks, which you need to use in certain parts when promoted. If this happens you need luck and speed. You push the Wii Remote and Nunchuk forward and a meter will appear, once there you need to press the Z and B buttons simultaneously in the green area to revive the patient. There are very little hints sometimes Nurse Angie gives you in operations. There are times that will literally waste time just thinking what you need to do. When in this situation you will likely try every tool you have until you find the right one. The talking is delivered dialogue with sometimes voiceovers. What they say won't normally be what is written in the dialogue, like "watch out", or "you need to be careful" and such.
Multiple difficulties are available but even of easy mode you'll be sending the game to hell. The game isn't unfair at all although when failing you will undoubtedly blame the game. The insane level of precision, skill and speed, and patient needed exceed the reach of a normal person, limiting the appeal. The game's structure is by mission; successfully complete an operation to move. If you fail an operation, you get a sad game over screen and you can repeat the operation immediately, skipping all dialogue but those when starting. Almost everytime you are given instruction of what needs to be done after getting the information of the patient. It is up to you if you want to follow them, but it may be important to follow them. You'll be assessed on the time taken on the operation, precision and such. It is difficult when doing the operation the first time to get a rank above C, and it is almost impossible to get it over B. You need to be more than just a pro to get an A. Real-life operations are tough and need incredibly concentration, so you can't blame Trauma Center to be this way.
Most of the game's mechanisms are pretty cool and surprisingly fun to use. Overall the game is fun, but not to play for long hours because you are bound to get infuriated. Over time you'll eventually get the hang of what needs to be done, just be careful not to forget something when you learn something new. The healing touch doesn't add a magical touch to the game. At a certain point in the game, Derek Stiles realizes this ability and tries to use it to his advantage of course. It is difficult to activate because you'll be pressed by the time limit. This ability slows down time, stopping bleeding and such, but doesn't slow the time limit from slowing which can make it pretty useless. You need to draw a star using the Wii Remote, by holding the Z button and then use the B button to draw a star. In the nick of time you'll most likely ignore it because there is a high chance you'll fail to do it, but thankfully it is optional, but in some operation you will need to do it.
Trauma Center has an anime look which makes it more appeal than a real-life version would be. For everyone, this game is not disgusting at all. If it was, I would have been the first person to avoid it. The human body you'll operate on isn't realistic and there is no blood on the inside. This makes it easier and won't gross you out. Minor criticisms included the lack of a 16:9 aspect ratio, which didn't present a problem to me though. Second Opinion doesn't include any anime scenes or motion cutscenes either, all is sequences are delivered in dialogues.
The sound isn't anything to be proud of. The most noticeable absence of any kind of voiceovers is a big letdown. There are some times where the characters say a phrase in operation but can that really save the overall score? The soundtrack on the hand is incredibly well fitting. Not having great atmospheric music in operation could have made the game a lot worse. There could have been some more variety in it. Sound effects don't have much, unless you make a mistake with the scalpel. Nonetheless everything sounds as it should.
The end result is that a successful translation from the DS makes Second Opinion one of the most original games on Wii. If it wasn't for the punishing difficult and attention/patience needed, this game would have been one of the best. This challenging yet accessible game offer something for wannabe surgeons or just for those who are looking for an unusual game and it successfully delivers its operation despite a few quirks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graphics = 7.7
Game consists of just dialogues without any motion. Human body and operation won't gross you out and over graphics look well and has an anime feel. Criticized for not having 16:9 aspect ratio.
Sound = 7.2
No voiceovers diminish the story telling and other things, but the soundtrack is pretty awesome.
Presentation = 7.8
Forget that the game is full of dialogues, and that the production values don't fly through the roof; the game's unique theme is enough to make it worth playing.
Gameplay = 8.5
Superb use of the Wii control, several tools to use and many other things. The amount of precision, trial and error and the punishing level of challenge won't appeal to everyone.
Story = 8.0
Interesting characters and story with a twist. Too much dialogue, especially without voices with limit the appeal. Difficulty needs to be re-adjusted.
OVERALL = 79 / 100
If you are interested in these kind of things, or just looking for an unusual game makes Second Opinion great for the job.