The Blogtastic Blogfest That Is Getmeoutofthis.net!

I don’t know if I’ve made it clear enough, but I really, really hate pointing the Wiimote at the screen. I hate it with a passion.

This is why it’s so shocking that I enjoy Trauma Team so much. Because I really do. Trauma Team is fantastic.

When I say Fantastic, I mean the gameplay is fantastic. The game gives you the option to basically skip all cutscenes and story bits, and after trying to watch a few, I just kind of had to. They’re cheesy and shit and badly animated. You can tell they were done on a budget. Nothing against that, of course, but it’s just kind of hard to watch.

The gameplay of Trauma Team is both similar and different from previous titles. You’re going through and doing various surgeries and medical procedures. However, Trauma Team mixes it up by having different types of doctors. This actually works really well. The first doctor you play as has the same sort of style as what I did back in the first Trauma Center on DS. However, I then switched to a paramedic, who was just trying to stabilize people on the scene so they could get back to the hospital alive, and had to juggle multiple patients in order to keep them all alive. Then I switched to a doctor doing procedures where lives weren’t immediately in danger, letting me take my time and giving me points for precision. I was shocked at how much they switched it up while keeping the basic gameplay the same. It kept me going for a lot longer than I thought I would playing the game alone.

The controls, too, are rather amazing. Yes, you’re pointing the Wiimote at the screen, but the game takes into account how shitty the wiimote pointer is. As long as you’re trying hard to be accurate, it works. Well, on Intern, anyway. I only played on easy. However, when doing this, the game becomes less a game of accuracy for the most part, and more one of time-management. Should you remove the glass shards first, or suture the cuts? Or are the vitals so low you need to use the green medicine before all that? It’s about striking that balance. As soon as I started playing, I didn’t mind pointing the Wiimote. This is quite a feat. Even games I love, like Shattered Memories, frustrated me to no end with pointing the wiimote.

The main reason I wanted to rent this was Co-op, and I have to say, that came through as well. I even played some with my Mom, and she was getting it by the end. Her main problem was selecting things with the analog stick, because she wasn’t used to using an analog stick, but she eventually figured it out. I just gave myself the more complex tools, and she was draining, lasering, and suturing well enough while I did the more complex processes. She was getting into it by the end! It was neat. It also makes the game more tense, somehow, having someone else there. It’s easier, sure, but going “No, wait, I need the drain!” and calling out requests for help just ratchets up the tension. It’s awesome.

Basically, Trauma Team completely impressed me. So much so that I ordered a cheap copy of Trauma Center: New Blood to go back and play. Considered getting Second Opinion, too, but I don’t think that has co-op, and that’s part of the fun. Still, especially if you have someone to play with, Trauma Team is fantastic. I very much enjoyed myself, even in single player, which I wasn’t expecting. Good job, Atlus!