They are all back with new looks, new tools and the same passion that guided them the last time against GUILT.
The last time you held a scalpel was when the insidious GUILT was let loose to bring humanity to extinction, but thanks to your one special ability and even a bigger thanks to the people to help you realize the reason you became a doctor in the first place, you attacked GUILT head-on and erased every single strand of them from the world. 3 years later, GUILT has appeared again in the form of some nasty after-effects, but that's only a prologue to the real horrors ahead.
The graphics have received a MAJOR overhaul on the DS, although those who have played Trauma Center: Second Opinion on the Wii would feel at home here. It feels like ATLUS could have done this the first time around with Trauma Center: Under the Knife but decided to experiment with the players to see if they preferred a cartoon-looking Derek Stiles or a more realistic Derek Stiles; that's for your to decide.
The music, as always, grips at your chest and won't let go until the operation is over; it is so engaging and fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the operation - from a simple bones extraction to a more severe skin-graft. Like this game's predecessor, the characters have been given a voice and only a couple of words to speak to catch your attention throughout the game, like to give you pointers on how to proceed or if a mistake is made.
The controls are the same as the predecessor (i.e. Stylus), but it seems to be much more refined now, it seems to be much more smoother and more open than before (like using forceps to close a large cut, you had to grab a specific point otherwise you cannot proceed).
You also get to play with a new tool, like the defibrillator, 'nuff said there. If you need to know what that is, proverbially "Google" it. But the Wii players can relax because they would not have to move their hands back and forth to find the right position to use it, since the controls here is much more simple.
If you found the predecessor to be too hard or too easy, you have the option kick the difficulty up or down a notch to suit your skills; that's a nice addition to the game.
I would recommend that, if you want to test your focus, concentration, speed and accuracy, you should have this game in your collection. A rating system keeps track of your operations and you can always bring up your score from C to a B to a A and even to a S, giving you a chance to come back over and over again to up your score.