WeView: Surgeon Simulator: Anniversary Edition

Surgeon Simulator is by no means a new game, but the PS4 Anniversary Edition is arguably the most complete version out there. With co-operative play, PlayStation Camera motion support, as well as more traditional control methods, there’s a lot of ways to play the game.

And while there may only be several surgeries to choose from, it’s all about playing these over and over again, trying to complete them in the fastest time possible or just not kill your patient.

Surgeon Simulator represented a subtle change for the games media when it released, with many sites opting to show video footage of them failing to play it as part of their coverage, rather than a more traditional approach. The results were hilarious, and you can see our own attempts at the PS4 version below.

We didn’t review the game but, in addition to the co-operative video above, we explored all the control options and asked why there isn’t PlayStation Move support – something that would be superb for a game such as this. We loved the 1:1 movement when using the camera and DualShock 4 most of all, but found that it perhaps made it too precise – that’s not what the game’s about.

Ultimately, this is a reminder of Sony’s – and third party developers’ – lacking support for additional peripherals, but also a real case for showing off the DualShock 4.

You don’t have to just talk about the PS4 version; if you’ve played any release of the game you can feel free to comment below, and if you do you’ll have a chance of being included in our Verdict round-up next week. Don’t forget to add a Buy It, Sale It, Plus It, or Avoid It rating on the end to reflect your words.

6 Comments

  1. This is one of the most stupidly fun things to do in local co-op. Sure, you can try to get a best time and nail all the operations in all situations but the most fun is just arsing about with a friend.
    How many games will have you laughing like a drain as you throw lungs out of the back of a moving ambulance or try to secure the ‘alley oop’ trophy for tossing the new brain into the patients open skull from a distance?
    Playing solo is still fun and the sheer brutality with which your barely controllable in-game hands attack the patient raises a lot of smiles but I honestly think you need at least one other friend and ideally a couple of beers to really get the best from it.
    It’s cheap and hilarious so buy it.

  2. I enjoyed using the clumsy controls at first, managed the first procedure after a few goes but after numerous attempts i have never managed to finish the second procedure due to a combination of the control system and a lack of information on how to carry out the procedure, even after watching gameplay videos. Plus it.

  3. An interesting game that is infuriating, challenging and something of a novelty. You are a surgeon and you perform operations…as ably as you can. The controls are hamstrung to increase the difficulty and its refreshing otherwise it would be bland without the difficulty aspect. Surgery is probably very difficult to do so making the game difficult for the normal person may be a fair reflection on that.

    The soundtrack is good and the graphics are nicely presented. The ways in which you can perform operations or the carnage you can cause is often amusing.

    I like the game. It is not a brilliant game nor is it a bad one but it falls somewhere in between as a niche title that is not for everyone. If you like something different, its worth a go in my opinion. If you don’t like games where the learning curve and control is taken away from you, its not for you. Its refreshing, unique but an infuriating on levels beyond Dark Souls or Hotline Miami standards.

    Plus it or wait til its on sale.

  4. I absolutely love this game, picked it up some time ago on the grounds that it was cheap and looked like a good co-op & beer game.

    The initial difficulty curve is brutal, although the manner of failure never ceases to be entertaining. The vagueness of the controls can be frustrating at times, I won’t deny, but the sense of achievement for actually performing an operation is enormous and well worth the number of poor innocent lives lost in the process.

    Presentation as others have already said is top-notch, balancing what is required for the game to be fun while also delivering the game at a low enough cost to make it easy to justify picking up.

    Would really recommend buying it, even if only for the feeling of elation for completing an alien organ transplant.

  5. I’d plus it, unless you thrive on infuriating challenges, then sale it, as the base price is quite high for what it is, a small game made bad on purpose.

  6. I own this on PC, iPad and PS4, and it’s great fun on each.

    First up: This is not actually a simulator. Some (stupid) people might not realise before buying it.

    It’s hilarious, and deliberately bad in its controls. You will fumble, you will drop that scalpel right when you need it, you will smash your patient’s skull in will attempting to preform a heart transplant. All the fun stuff.

    The PS4 version has the most content and the local co-op mode is a blast with a friend.

    That said, the controls still feel best with a mouse (and not a laptop trackpad either) on PC. It’s a great version still on PS4 though, fantastic fun with friends and inexpensive too. BUY IT

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