Overall score on pook's 100-point system (TM): 68 rounded to 7. A fun but…ugly…game
-the breakdown-
Graphics (18/30, judged by era)- Poor graphics on the DS are often put to the system's limited 3d capabilities, especially in comparison to the PSP. Here, it's simply poor development. The prettiest aspects of the game are, strangely enough, in the non-game portions. The lengthy story sections utilize 2d stills that are reminiscent of the Phoenix Wright games and of similar quality. Fine, that's great, but the in-game portions, the operation sections, are incredibly bland. There aren't a ton of polygons being tossed around to have so little texture work, and it's largely that texture work that gives the game portions a sorry look. I understand that lack of realism helps the game from looking gory, considering you spend all your game time in people's guts, but man you will not wow your friends here.
Sound- FX/Voice (6/10) Functional sound cues you, to the extent that you will want the sound up to help your game. Voice work has been kept blessedly minimal, but there's nothing outstanding here.
Sound- Music (6/10) As with the 2d graphics, the music is another place where this game resembles Phoenix Wright. For some reason the music palette of both games is very similar, with a sort of j-pop light feel that is pleasant, but simply not diverse enough. The operation music in particular gets old pretty fast, with most of the variety coming during the story sections.
Gameplay- Length/Lastability/Replay (6/15) Including do-overs (of which there will be plenty) the game lasts about 10 hours. It's a ton of fun during those 10 hours, but is simply not enough for a game of this price. Post-story there are a few more challenges that open up which could take you another couple of hours, but I found them too difficult to spend much time on.
Gameplay- Story: (5/5) One of the highlights of the game, the story has interesting characterization and plot that goes from issues like euthanasia to bio-terrorism. I actually paid attention on this one.
Gameplay- Game Design (27/30)- All the above aside, this is a very fun game. It utilizes the touch screen about exclusively and uses it fairly well, with you learning to use a variety of tools to operate on patients in a sort of futuristic world with very unrealistic diseases that are nevertheless interesting. In the end it's sorta like you're fighting monsters with scalpels, but that's not a bad thing.
When it comes down to it, though, this game is tough. Not only does it require very good hand-eye coordination, but it requires speed and prioritization, you'll be going back-and-forth between tools almost every other second at some points, and you will fail missions often. The good thing is that the vast majority of missions are no more than 5 minutes long and none longer than 10. So, yeah you can take 4-5 tries on something and be done during your lunch break. This is a great pick-up-and-play title, though it is likely you will hit an FAQ at least once along the way during a particularly difficult operation. Though the length of the game is short, it is a game that could drag on if it was much longer, at it's current level of depth. As it stands the game is plenty long for what it is.
**Final Thoughts- Graphics whores stay away, those who like a fast-paced challenge, pick this up!
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