Trauma Center: Under the Knife (Nintendo DS, 2005)

Taking advantage of the Nintedo DS's touch screen, you are thrust into the world of Trauma Center, where you are a Rookie Doctor learning the ropes. You will perform a variety of different surgeries to save the lives of various patients.

Overview - This game is very difficult to review, because quite simply there is so much to it that can't be written about, you just have to experience it. These surgeries are often intense and will get your adrenaline pumping, and when you fail a mission, the heartbreak you feel of not getting it done is something that cannot be described. This game gets incredibly intense at times, and it's rare to find a game where you get so immersed into the gameplay. The bottom line is this is an extremely fun, original game. If you are looking for a quality game that features the touch screen for the Nintendo DS, Trauma Center will show you what the Nintendo DS can do!

Story - The background of this story revolves around Derek Stiles, a new doctor who joins his first hospital. He immediately finds himself in sticky situations with regards to doubts about his own abilities, getting into trouble with others, and even morals in the medical profession. Derek finds he has a special gift, and he will need it as biological warfare begins to take place. The story gets fairly deep, and will definitely keep you wanting to know more as you progress through the game.

Gameplay - The design of this game is excellent. You are quickly thrust into doing surgeries, and the game does a great job of integrating tutorials in your early surgeries so that you can learn how to play without having to go through boring reading. You are given menus on the touch screen so that you can do different actions during your operations, such as closing wounds, cutting open patients, tweezers to pick out objects, and much more. Despite having specific actions, the game does a great job of giving you a variety of differnt operations so that you are always doing something different. Plus there are a ton of levels that will keep you busy for quite awhile.

Replayability - After completing each level, you are given an additional mode where you can try to get the highest score you can. Based on your score, you are given grades, and getting an A or S rank score is incredibly difficult, and will keep you playing this game eveb after you beat it, if you like getting high scores or challenges.

Graphics - The graphics are modest, but it fits the mood of the game perfectly. The characters are simple still cartoons, but it still gives the feel of emotion because of the story and art. The actual operations are very good to look at, so much so that someone I know was "scared of the blood and organs."

Sound - The sounds on this game are modest. The music is not fantastic, but it certainly goes with the setting of the game, although there is not much variety. There will also be the occasional voice such as the shouts of "doctor!" Nothing to get excited about here.

Difficulty - Above average. This game starts off very easy, and gradually increases in difficulty as you go along. It does a great job of getting harder as the levels increase. Some people will have quite a hard time finishing this game, while hardcore gamers will likely be able to finish the game in a fair amount of time.