Grey's Anatomy: The Video Game (Wii) - Review by Chris

Introduction

The medical practise industry hasn't had a big role in gaming like it has had in television. From the comedic offerings of the likes of Scrubs to the more serious notes of ER, there isn't much space that hasn't been covered in medical dramas on TV. Yet, as a gaming genre, it is still very young having gotten its first real punt towards commercial success with Trauma Centre: Under The Knife on the DS. And so here we are with a new title heavily based on medical practise and based around the hit TV show of the same name. But converting a success in one field and bringing it to another can be problematic (just ask film directors about gaming movies). So does Grey's Anatomy make a full recovery from the transition, or is this one destined to remain in intensive care?

Gameplay

Obviously, making a game based around a television show is going to be instantly problematic given that it is done in an episodic form and for a retail release that is difficult to accomplish. Also difficult to nail is the story and whether that which has been shown on TV should simply be reiterated in the game. Thankfully, though, Ubisoft have done a good job with the transition across the mediums. As has been stated, the game is based around the hit TV show. However, the writers for the show have come together with Ubisoft to create 5 original episodes exclusively for the title, each taking place with the original cast members that appeared during season 4 of the show. Like the show, the game offers a multilayered story so there will always be something interesting happening as soon as something finishes.

Probably the biggest problem for a title like this is how to incorporate the player into it through the gameplay. The show itself isn't heavy on surgery and so Ubisoft haven't relied solely on those small instances to create the game. Gameplay takes the form of various mini-games through out each episode, with these episodes being split into 6 acts with 6 scenes in each.

The mini-games vary from surgery based games, where you'll be identifying anomalies in scans or cauterizing wounds before suturing them up, to more puzzle based games, where you'll have to link together 3 balls of the same emotion, to simple choice based games which affect how parts of the story play out. By allowing the player to work through these and basically choose which of the 2 possible outcomes they want, there is great variety in both the games and in terms of what is happening, although the end results will always be the same as the story will converge on one point regardless of what you choose. The games are simple enough to play and while the choice games aren't really fun, it's the surgery ones which will attract the most attention. While the medical practise genre isn't big on other consoles, the Wii is already home to the defacto game in this genre: Trauma Centre. Where that focused on intense gameplay, this feels more relaxed, although you are playing each game against the clock, and it's a good thing that Ubisoft haven't tried to compete with Atlus' title. Ultimately though, what you get to play is a mixed bag, much like the show, but there are some really good bits to play through. Just don't expect to be challenged at any point.

Controls

The controls for playing are incredibly simple. The Wii-mote is used on its own and the only face button to see use is the A button. That's it. Everything else is conveyed through motion gestures in the games and these all work and respond well, although there is a slight problem with the detection in some mini-games. The simplified look of the controls isn't a front for how simple the game is though. While many of the games are indeed simple themselves, there are ones which require precise movement of the remote to carry out the tasks necessary to complete the game and this is where the controls shine as they are simple enough to make playing easy yet have enough depth to make the more intense games meaningful.

Graphics

Visually, Ubisoft have decided to step away from recreating Seattle Grace Hospital and the cast members in a photorealistic sense and have instead created a cel-shaded look that is of a high quality. Don't think that it has merely been dumbed down due to the Wii's lack of horsepower. In all honesty, the graphical work here is some of the best cel-shaded work on the console to date, recreating the scenery and doctors to a high level of detail, and the game is better for going in this art direction. There is a slight downside to the graphical presentation and that is that the objects in the hospital, and even the texture work on the walls, aren't up to the same standard as that of the other graphics. What you seen in the mini-games are minimalist and this sort of detracts from the presentation. A little more imagination into their representation (and overall design) would have been nice.

Sound

As a big licensed television based game, you'd have hoped that the cast of the show would have been brought in to provide the voices for their characters. Unfortunately, this hasn't happened and instead we have a selection of professional voice actors who have been brought in to imitate the voices. And it's a mixed result as some of them are close to the originals, such as the voice of Meredith, while others don't quite match up correctly. In terms of music, this is another area where the game falls down. Virtually none of the music from the show has crossed over, with only Cosy In The Rocket being represented, even though this is not in its original form. It's another missed opportunity to really tie the game to the show that ultimately lessens the experience somewhat.

Final comments

Grey's Anatomy: The Video Game isn't a bad game. Far from it. The presentation of the game and the original story really set the game up well but the hit-and-miss mini-games, poor musical offerings and imitated voice work pull it back down to mediocrity. It's definitely aimed at the fans of the show but even they may find that some of the mini-games are unnecessary and disrupt the progression of the game.

Pro: High production values both graphically and story wise, surgery based mini-games are the best part.
Con: Some unnecessary mini-game choices, virtually no music has made the transition over to the game, imitated voice work
Final score: 6.5

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