Introduction
In “Trauma Team,” the fifth installment of the Trauma series, the boundaries of medical gaming are expanded beyond the surgical operating room. While the game retains its original surgical gameplay, it offers five more medical roles, each with unique gameplay mechanics. Designed for the Wii, the game introduces a fresh spin on controls. It does away with the series’ traditional time constraints while unraveling an interlinked narrative featuring different characters in each of the six medical fields.
SURGICAL ADVENTURES WITH TWISTS
“Scalpel, please!” The game doesn’t stray far from its roots in the Surgical mode. Players don surgical scrubs and find themselves engrossed in operations requiring nimble fingers and quick decisions. The Wii Remote becomes your medical Swiss Army knife, transforming into instruments like forceps or a healing gel applicator. The co-op option adds a layer of collaboration, sharing the surgical tools and assigning each player a unique role in the operation. It’s like cooking a Thanksgiving dinner, but instead of stuffing a turkey, you’re removing gallstones!
STABILIZE OR BUST
The first Response mode is where the action kicks up a notch. Think of it as the ER on steroids—here, the objective shifts from treatment to stabilization. Players juggle multiple patients simultaneously, and a nifty bar at the top of the screen keeps you informed about each patient’s vitals. You can switch between patients as their conditions deteriorate. Unlike in Surgery, losing a patient here doesn’t spell “game over”; you’re allowed a few tragic mishaps. It’s like a medical version of Whack-A-Mole, only with life-or-death stakes.
DR. HOUSE MINUS THE SARCASM
In Diagnosis, the game shifts gear into a slower, detective-like pace. Players take on the role of a doctor in a typical office setting, interviewing patients to unearth symptoms. Various diagnostic tests can be administered, and an intelligent computer interface helps match symptoms to illnesses. Your endgame? Zeroing in on the correct diagnosis, like a less snarky version of Dr. House.
HAMMERS AND SCREWS IN ORTHOPEDICS
Orthopedics introduces a special kind of mechanical artistry. The game segues into surgical procedures that involve fixing bones and installing artificial joints. With the Wii Remote, you’re tasked with various maneuvers like screwing in metal plates or hammering pins into bones. Players are only allowed a limited number of mistakes before they are deemed unfit for bone artistry. A “chain” meter keeps track of your flawless performance, almost like a Guitar Hero for aspiring orthopedic surgeons.
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE INNER UNIVERSE
The Endoscopy mode turns the player into an intrepid explorer of the human body. Armed with a camera tube, the Wii Remote guides you through veins and cavities in a first-person perspective. The objective is to avoid contact with the walls and locate areas requiring treatment, like tumors or lesions. One player steers the endoscope in two-player mode while the other manages its lighting. It’s as close as you can get to piloting a spaceship through the body’s dark tunnels, minus the aliens.
CSI: TRAUMA TEAM
Last but certainly not least, Forensics whisks players away from the medical realm into the world of criminal investigation. It operates like a point-and-click adventure game, with the Wii Remote as your Sherlockian magnifying glass. You’ll sift through crime scenes, perform autopsies, and analyze clues. Cards representing hints or critical pieces of evidence help players answer questions that propel the investigation forward. This mode makes you feel like you’re one lab coat away from solving a murder mystery.
So there you have it, “Trauma Team” in all its glory—six ways to save lives or solve crimes without stepping foot in a real hospital or crime scene. What a time to be alive—or, you know, a simulated patient.
