Project Hospital
- October 29, 2018
- Oxymoron Games
- 46h median play time
Get on SteamProject Hospital is a hospital management simulation game that allows you to design, build, and manage your own medical facility. As the game's player, you will diagnose and treat patients with various illnesses and conditions, hire and train staff, and upgrade your hospital to provide the best care possible. With a variety of challenges and customization options, Project Hospital offers a deep and engaging experience for fans of the genre.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Highly detailed and realistic medical simulation, providing an immersive experience for players interested in hospital management.
- Offers a unique combination of building, managing, and diagnosing patients, allowing for various play styles.
- Strong modding community and reasonably priced DLCs that enhance gameplay and add new content.
- Clunky and unintuitive user interface, making navigation and management cumbersome, especially for new players.
- Steep learning curve with insufficient tutorials, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
- AI pathfinding issues and staff behavior can lead to inefficiencies, causing critical patients to be neglected or mismanaged.
- gameplay658 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Project Hospital" is characterized by its complex and realistic hospital management mechanics, offering a steep learning curve that can be both rewarding and frustrating. While many players appreciate the depth and intricacy of the simulation, they also note issues with the user interface, lack of clear tutorials, and some clunky mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Despite these challenges, the game provides engaging gameplay for those who enjoy detailed management simulations, though it may not appeal to players seeking a more casual experience.
“Love the realism of the gameplay.”
“The gameplay is very unique; you start with a certain amount of money and with completing certain objectives, you receive more money and unlock new departments, ambulances, and hospitalizations.”
“The gameplay is captivating, and whoever is interested in medical stuff will find it very interesting to follow patient flow within an actual hospital.”
“Lacks story-driven content: while the gameplay mechanics are solid, Project Hospital doesn't offer much in terms of story or narrative.”
“There are tiny icons with tiny text, popups written in squint-inducing mouse type, reams of text important to the gameplay and dozens of crucial informative icons shown in boxes and banners I struggled to read.”
“The tutorials don't help you understand the game mechanics whatsoever.”
- graphics416 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet charming, with a clean and functional 2D isometric art style that enhances gameplay without overwhelming the player. While some users appreciate the unique aesthetic and attention to detail, others note issues such as clipping, limited camera angles, and occasional graphical bugs. Overall, the visuals are considered effective for a management sim, though there are calls for improvements and modernizations in future updates or sequels.
“The graphics are great, and being able to build across multiple floors is nice.”
“I really enjoy this style of games, the graphics are simple but yet entertaining and quite calming.”
“The graphics are excellent.”
“The most annoying fact is that the graphics in this game are very unpolished.”
“The graphics are something from the late 90's early 2000's, the building mechanics are terrible, the UI is god-awful.”
“I really wanted to like this but the UI and the graphical design are just awful.”
- story166 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engaging narrative, with many players noting that the missions feel monotonous and disconnected from a compelling storyline. While the gameplay mechanics are solid, the campaign consists of only a few missions that often involve taking over pre-built hospitals rather than building from scratch, leaving players wanting more interactive and story-driven content. Overall, the game is better suited for those who enjoy sandbox-style play without a strong narrative focus.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“I love the fact that you can play as any person in your hospital and follow every single clinic story of every patient.”
“The first 'campaign' mission serves its purpose of blending all the tutorial elements together to try it out and save the mismanaged hospital from debt, by treating as many patients as possible and repaying the $100k that the previous manager stole.”
“Lacks story-driven content: while the gameplay mechanics are solid, Project Hospital doesn't offer much in terms of story or narrative.”
“The only thing I find really missing is some kind of story behind the patients.”
“All in all, I think the campaign needs a complete overhaul and let players progress more through the game, thus get a better understanding of the game and even of certain illnesses and real-life treatment methodologies, instead of putting them in the middle of an existing save game in the first mission.”
- stability142 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, such as NPCs getting stuck, frequent crashes, and confusing UI issues. While some users have noted improvements and a generally enjoyable experience, others have found the game too buggy to recommend, especially after recent DLC updates. Overall, it appears that while the game has potential, it still requires significant bug fixes and polish to enhance stability.
“Great management game with lots of details, which also happens to run great on Steam Deck.”
“The game also seems to be relatively bug free, at least so far.”
“With almost 800 hours, this game is deep and fairly bug free.”
“The game frequently crashes or freezes.”
“What I got was a buggy, confusing mess of a game wherein I couldn't figure out how to get through the second tutorial (even after thorough googling, watching some YouTube videos, etc.).”
“Horrible broken buggy mess, do not buy!”
- music112 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players describing it as relaxing and fitting for a hospital management sim. However, some users noted a limited selection of tracks, leading to repetitiveness over time. Despite this, standout elements like the main menu music and thematic tracks during critical moments have been highlighted as exceptional, contributing to a generally positive reception of the soundtrack.
“The music is amazing and goes along the entire game smoothly.”
“You have 1 looping track for daytime, 1 for night shift, the main menu music, and (and I like this little detail) a special track that only plays in certain circumstances such as a patient going into cardiac arrest/collapsing and other similar life-threatening events.”
“The theme song for this game is an absolute banger.”
“I think the closest thing I have to a complaint is the small selection of background music.”
“The graphics and sound are okay, but I had to disable the music.”
“There is not much soundtrack to speak of.”
- grinding82 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the micromanagement and building mechanics to be excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some appreciate the depth and control offered, others feel that the lack of streamlining tools and the repetitive nature of tasks detracts from the overall enjoyment, particularly in campaign mode. Overall, players suggest that the game can be fun but requires a significant time investment, often leading to frustration with its grindy elements.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The game is fun, but very tedious.”
“I spent a long time totally hooked on this game, and I enjoyed every moment of it (except for part of the campaign which serves as a sort of tutorial for the sandbox game that I found kind of unnecessarily tedious at times).”
“80% of the time you struggle with grindy building mechanics, 15% you just wait because max speed is too slow.”
- optimization78 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a significant concern, particularly for larger hospitals, which are often unplayable due to performance issues. Players report that the game struggles with lag and low hardware utilization, especially when managing a high number of staff and patients, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some users find enjoyment in smaller-scale hospital management and appreciate the game's construction mechanics, many agree that substantial improvements are needed for smoother performance and better staff management.
“Building is also solid, performance too (as long as you tweak the game right).”
“I love figuring everything out and getting things to run smoothly.”
“This game has made some great improvements in performance and gameplay, and I wholeheartedly give my endorsement to this game.”
“It's frustrating to see that a recently released game is still optimized only for dual-core processors, causing even a 12th-generation Intel i7 to perform similarly to a 7th-generation i3.”
“The relationship between the number of staff and game performance is inversely proportional, resulting in constant lags and low computer hardware utilization.”
“Unfortunately, this game runs into the same performance issues that all games of this genre run into once you reach the mid to late game.”
- humor64 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in "Project Hospital" is subtle and often situational, contrasting sharply with the overt comedic elements found in games like "Two Point Hospital." While it lacks the exaggerated, funny diseases typical of its predecessors, players appreciate its realistic approach to hospital management, finding humor in the game's quirks and the absurdities of healthcare, such as the absence of a maternity ward. Overall, the game strikes a balance between realism and light-hearted moments, appealing to those who prefer a more serious simulation experience.
“It's a game that combines realism with humor and challenge with reward.”
“It's the 'adult' version of Theme Hospital, but it still has its share of humor and charm, especially in the graphics and sound effects.”
“What struck me as particularly funny is that when you exit the game, you hear a heart monitor failing.”
“When I saw this game, I thought it wouldn't be funny, but after playing, I realized it's very serious and realistic.”
“When I saw this game, I thought it wouldn't be funny, but after playing, I realized it's very serious and realistic.”
- replayability60 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its diverse gameplay options, including the ability to specialize in different hospital departments and experiment with various strategies. While many players appreciate the depth and flexibility, some note that once certain modes are maxed out, the replay value diminishes. Overall, the game is seen as engaging with a good mix of challenges, though improvements are needed to enhance long-term replayability.
“It's probably the best hospital/medical sim out there, endless replayability depending on what you want to do with your hospital.”
“This level of flexibility adds a lot of replayability to the game, as you can experiment with different approaches and strategies.”
“Easily one of the best management games I've played, it has a good mix of depth, difficulty, and customization and tons of replayability.”
“It has decent replayability, but once you max out one hospital in sandbox mode, you've basically done all you can do besides the challenge modes.”
“I've installed and uninstalled it a handful of times, it's certainly not without its flaws, and some lack of replayability once you've reached the top.”
“Overall: it's a great concept and although I generally enjoy tycoon-esque games quite a bit, I definitely think that this game is going to need a lot more development to actually keep someone interested and improve replayability.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling empowered and intelligent while engaging in the "Doctors mode," which allows for a relaxed, immersive experience. The ability to manage a hospital and achieve goals without constant interaction fosters a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment, making it easy to lose track of time. Overall, the game evokes feelings of satisfaction and pride in one's management skills.
“I really love this game; I can sit here and just stare at my hospital for hours without even touching my computer. This kind of format would work great for a number of other types of management simulation.”
“It made me feel smart.”
“Doctors mode made me feel like I am the doctor.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its lively and bustling quality, enhanced by detailed graphics that contribute to a complex and realistic environment. Reviewers appreciate the depth and richness of the atmosphere, noting that it remains enjoyable and immersive without compromising the overall simulation experience.
“You can always argue about visuals, but what's much more important for me: the graphics in this game convey a lively and bustling atmosphere with lots of love for details.”
“Complex, realistic, plenty of content and very enjoyable atmosphere.”
