Surgeon Simulator 2
- September 2, 2021
- Bossa Studios
- 13h median play time
Surgeon Simulator 2 is intended to be silly, irreverent fun that keeps you coming back for more and more surgical shenanigans, and in that regard it's a total success.
In Surgeon Simulator 2, players enter a chaotic operating theater and perform operations on Bob, a patient whose life is in their hands. The game takes place in the Bossa Labs Medical Facility and features a campaign mode where players can play solo or with friends to complete operations and uncover the truth behind the mysterious medical facility. The game also includes frantic and blood-splattered competitive challenges.
Reviews
- The game offers hilarious gameplay and engaging storylines that can lead to lots of laughs, especially when played with friends.
- The Level Creator is a standout feature, allowing for creative and expansive level design, reminiscent of Portal 2's level editor.
- Despite its flaws, the game can be fun and chaotic, providing a unique multiplayer experience that encourages teamwork and creativity.
- The removal of multiplayer functionality has rendered the game less enjoyable, as it was heavily marketed as a co-op experience.
- The surgery mechanics have been significantly dumbed down compared to the original, leading to a repetitive and less challenging gameplay experience.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and performance issues, making it frustrating to play, especially in single-player mode.
- story129 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as interesting but ultimately shallow, with many players noting that it feels designed primarily for multiplayer rather than solo play, leading to a frustrating experience for those going it alone. While the narrative has engaging moments and humorous elements reminiscent of titles like Portal, the campaign is short, consisting of only a handful of levels, and is plagued by bugs that detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers express a desire for more content and depth in the story, suggesting that the game could benefit from a longer and more cohesive narrative.
“Hilarious gameplay and an engaging storyline that kept my friend and I in suspense throughout the whole game.”
“It's something new; I actually like it when game studios try out something new with a franchise and not just 'copy-paste' the old game that did well. It has multiplayer, community, customization, a real story - not to mention how influenced it is by Portal!”
“While the main story mode is relatively short and sweet, the real gem I find is in the community levels, competitive levels, and my favorite, the level creator!”
“It's really not good, they tried to add a story to Surgeon Simulator.”
“However, it is very limited in its content, as after you complete story mode (which is only about a dozen levels), you can only really play other people's levels.”
“They made a buggy game with a short story, then made a creative mode to try to have the community make up for their lack of content.”
- humor51 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Surgeon Simulator 2 is widely praised for its hilarious gameplay and engaging storyline, particularly when played with friends, leading to memorable and laugh-out-loud moments. However, some players find the humor forced or childish, and there are criticisms regarding the game's bugs and complexity. Overall, while the game offers a fun and entertaining experience, opinions on its comedic quality vary significantly.
“Overall, Surgeon Simulator 2 is a very funny and entertaining game with realistic game physics and a lot of memorable moments.”
“Extremely fun to play with friends; at some point, we wouldn't stop laughing.”
“This hilarious sim game will have you busy and giggling for hours!”
- gameplay50 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Surgeon Simulator 2 is characterized by its humorous and engaging co-op experience, appealing to players who enjoy unconventional mechanics and puzzle-solving. However, many reviewers note a significant downgrade in the surgical mechanics compared to the first game, leading to a more trivial and repetitive experience, particularly in single-player mode. While the graphics and multiplayer aspects are praised, frustrating controls and a lack of challenge detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Surgeon Simulator 2 is a great game for those who want to experience unconventional yet highly entertaining gameplay.”
“It's genuinely a great time with friends; think Portal 2 co-op with even more opportunity to screw each other over. The gameplay loop is by far best enjoyed as a group.”
“Gameplay - unique and fun to mess around with; perfect for multiplayer [8/10]”
“They've gone for this Overcooked style of arcade gameplay, which is fine except that they've removed all the challenge; each level is so trivial.”
“The gameplay is fine, but for a game that's been out about 5 months, it still has a lot of bugs that have in some cases made the game frustrating or impossible.”
“Surgery mechanics are downgraded from the first game.”
- stability34 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Players report frustrating gameplay interruptions, particularly in multiplayer modes and during the campaign, which is not well-suited for solo play. Despite some fun moments, the overwhelming consensus is that the game is a "buggy mess," making it difficult to recommend.
“However, that isn't enough to cover the frustrating bugs and glitches that can turn your round from an A++ to literally F-; most of these bugs are with organs and limbs just popping off for no reason.”
“The game looks fun, but as of now, it is a buggy mess and I cannot recommend anyone buying it.”
“This game is incredibly buggy and not in a good way.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback; while many users praise the amazing visuals and attention to detail, some experience performance issues even with high-end specs, leading to choppy gameplay. The game's aesthetic is noted for its gory and graphic nature, which aligns well with its sandbox theme, though some players feel it could have benefited from a more straightforward upgrade of the original game's graphics. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, but technical performance remains a concern for some players.
“Pros: amazing graphics, good gameplay, perfect details”
“Graphics - great [8/10]”
“Really fun game especially with friends. I love the soundtracks and the maps, and how you can create custom maps. The graphics of the game are great too.”
“My specs exceed the minimum requirements by a huge margin and yet the game is still choppy on low graphics, that I can't crack a ribcage open without accidentally dismembering the guy.”
“I can play other high-graphics games just fine, I don't know what's wrong with this one.”
“All they needed to do was copy and paste the first game with better graphics, more surgeries, more mechanics and everyone would eat that up.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting smooth performance and minimal issues, while others criticize it for poor optimization, long loading times, and numerous bugs. Despite these concerns, many users still find the game enjoyable, particularly in multiplayer settings.
“Performance - runs well [9/10]”
“Not sure how I got spared of all these bugs and performance issues.”
“Quite fun with friends, despite the low performance and stability (please fix it).”
“Horrible performance optimization.”
“My only gripe is that it's poorly optimized and takes a few minutes to load.”
“The optimization is crap and it has many bugs, mainly because it was in a certain store where nobody played it so the devs could not get proper feedback.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often likening it to a puzzle game that requires an overwhelming amount of time and effort. The combination of annoying controls and repetitive gameplay contributes to a generally negative experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Despite some positives here and there, annoying controls, boring puzzles, and tedious gameplay make for an overall trying time.”
“It's too much of a puzzle game, and it gets tedious fast.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as "surprisingly great" and a highlight of the experience, while others find it to be merely average or monotonous. Overall, the audio quality is generally regarded as good, contributing positively to the gameplay, especially in multiplayer settings.
“Audio - the music is surprisingly great [9/10]”
“Really fun game, especially with friends! I love the soundtracks and the maps, and how you can create custom maps. The graphics of the game are great too.”
“Decent aesthetic and attention to detail in levels. Interesting setting and story. Music and voice acting are well done. The creation toolset has potential.”
“The characters haven't charisma, there is no ending in the story, absolutely tasteless levels with no design. By the end of the game, the levels look like some kind of castle, and it’s even unpleasant to be in them. The gameplay is monotonous and very annoying, starting to repeat itself in the middle of the game, and the music is just okay.”
“The characters lack charisma, there is no conclusion to the story, and the levels are tasteless and poorly designed. By the end, the levels resemble an unpleasant castle, and the gameplay becomes monotonous and repetitive, with the music being quite mediocre.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with users noting a lack of advertising and support for the game, leading to its premature discontinuation despite its potential.
“Just a cash grab.”
“They did no advertising and then pulled the plug after not trying even though it was a great game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, primarily revolving around obtaining achievements and completing 100% of the content, rather than providing varied experiences or new challenges for players.
“No real replayability other than getting achievements and 100% completion trophies.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is criticized for being lackluster, with a weak story and monotonous locations that feel auto-generated, resulting in a lack of engaging elements or interesting easter eggs. Overall, players find the experience devoid of a compelling atmosphere.
“It's a portal parody, but the story is very weak and the locations are monotonous. There are no interesting easter eggs, resulting in a lack of atmosphere, as if you are just playing auto-generated levels.”
“The game lacks a compelling atmosphere; the environments feel repetitive and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Despite its potential, the atmosphere falls flat due to bland level design and a lack of immersive elements.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of the game, citing technical issues like micro stutters that detract from the experience and lead to feelings of nausea. Additionally, the disconnect between expectations set by the title and the actual gameplay, which is more puzzle-oriented than surgical, contributes to a sense of disappointment.
Critic Reviews
Surgeon Simulator 2 review
Surgeon Simulator 2 is intended to be silly, irreverent fun that keeps you coming back for more and more surgical shenanigans, and in that regard it's a total success.
75%Surgeon Simulator 2 Review – A Passing Grade
Surgeon Simulator 2 leverages its predecessor's unique gameplay into a full-fledged experience with a story and co-op. Despite some positives here and there, annoying controls, boring puzzles and tedious gameplay make for an overall trying time.
60%Surgeon Simulator 2 review
Surgeon Simulator 2 is a clever, funny puzzle game that renders its "surgery" mechanics almost ancillary to the final product.
70%