- Trauma Center (series)
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This article is about the video game series. For the type of hospital, see Trauma center.
Trauma Center Genres Simulation game/Visual novel Developers Atlus Publishers Atlus Platforms Nintendo DS, Wii Official website http://www.atlus.com/trauma_center/ Trauma Center, known in Japan as Chōshittō Kadukeusu (超執刀カドゥケウス , lit. "Super Surgical Operation Caduceus"), is a series of simulation/visual novel games in which players assume the role of a surgeon in a fictional hospital setting to strive to save their patients from a pathological condition such as disease or injury using surgical instruments, suturing and the "Healing Touch", a fictional superhuman ability which, according to Greek mythology, descended from Asclepius, the god of medicine. A recurring theme throughout the series is the protagonist's trials of treating bioterrorism victims. These games are designed to make use of the Nintendo DS' touch screen and the Wii's Motion sensing and pointing features, being exclusively released on those systems.
The first, second and fourth games feature many of the same characters, and are focused around Dr. Derek Stiles. The third game, set ten years after the end of the first game, introduces new protagonists, Markus Vaughn and Valerie Blaylock, as well as other characters. The fifth game features an almost entire new cast of characters and other medical procedures are included like diagnostics, E.M.T. and forensics.
Contents
Setting
The series is set in the fictional Angeles Bay, California, beginning in the year 2018. In the first and second games, the main character is Derek Stiles, a new surgeon who can't take his position seriously until Angela "Angie" Thompson is appointed as his assistant nurse at Hope Hospital. When Derek ends up having to perform almost impossible surgeries, he discovers that he possesses the Healing Touch. He and Angie then begin working for Caduceus, an international medical research organization fighting against a new man-made series of deadly organisms named GUILT (short for Gangliated Utrophin Immuno-Latency Toxin).
The fourth game shifts ten years after the first games in the year 2028. Markus Vaughn and Valerie Blaylock, two surgeons with the "Healing Touch" (Valerie doesn't discover her ability until she has to save a friend in Alaska) ability who worked at the Concordia Medical Institute in Los Angeles, move over to the Montgomery Memorial hospital in Alaska. When the hospital closes down, the director of Montgomery Memorial, Miles Hoover, tells them to return to Concordia. Once there, they learn from Professor Wilkens, an old acquaintance of Markus', about a new and mysterious parasite called Stigma, comparable to GUILT. It does not take long for Mark and Val to join Caduceus along with their assistant, Elena Salazar, and start researching for countermeasures against Stigma.
The third game is set in 2021, featuring Derek and Angie as main characters again. Three years after their victory against GUILT, they must deal with patients who were treated from it in the past, but started to develop a series of complications labeled PGS (Post GUILT Syndrome). To complicate matters, patients contaminated with new and old strains of GUILT start to appear.
The fifth game, Trauma Team, is set in the fictional Resurgam First Care hospital in Portland, Maine rather than focus on one or two surgeons and an assistant, the plot involves six specialists: a trauma surgeon and alleged bioterrorist known only by his prison number, "CR-S01", a paramedic, Maria Torres, an orthopedic surgeon, Hank Freebird, an endoscopic surgeon, Tomoe Tachibana, a diagnostician, Gabriel Cunningham, and a forensic examiner, Naomi Kimishima. Each of the six doctors has an individual storyline containing six to eight gameplay stages, and an overall storyline about a new pandemic is woven throughout the six doctors' stories and given its own chapter upon completing the six individual stories. This game's story is standalone and is unrelated to the GUILT- or Stigma-based plots of past games.
Games
Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Main article: Trauma Center: Under the KnifeThe first installment, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, was released for the Nintendo DS on June 30, 2005 in Japan, and on October 4, 2005 in North America. The game's story takes place in 2018 and introduces Derek Stiles and Angela Thompson, along with other minor characters that reappear in later games.
Trauma Center: Second Opinion
Main article: Trauma Center: Second OpinionThe second installment, Trauma Center: Second Opinion, was one of the Wii's launch titles, released on November 19, 2006 in North America, and on December 2, 2006 in Japan. It is an enhanced remake of Under the Knife, and features an additional playable character, Naomi/Nozomi Weaver, as well as a special sixth chapter made for the Wii version, and the "X missions" which become available once the main game is completed.
Trauma Center: New Blood
Main article: Trauma Center: New BloodThe third installment, Trauma Center: New Blood, was released for Wii on November 20, 2007 in North America, and on January 17, 2008 in Japan. The game's story takes place in 2028 and introduces Markus Vaughn and Valerie Blaylock, along with other minor characters. Derek Stiles and Angie Thompson who appear in all other Trauma Center titles also make cameo appearances in later chapters of the game. New Blood features co-operative multiplayer and also makes use of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2
Main article: Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2The fourth installment, Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2, was released for the Nintendo DS on July 1, 2008 in North America, and August 7, 2008 in Japan. The game's story takes place in 2021 and features Derek Stiles and Angie Thompson as main characters once again; some other characters from the original game also returned, and new ones were introduced as well, like Adel Tulba. While some features of Second Opinion, such as the new tools, are carried over into this game, the same did not happen with the extra plot elements and characters.
Trauma Team
Main article: Trauma TeamThe fifth installment, released for the Wii on May 18, 2010 in North America, featuring entirely new cast of characters and six different protagonists, each one specialized in a different medical field. Main characters include an elusive general surgeon known only by his inmate codename, CR-S01, the diagnostician Gabriel Cunningham, the E.M.T. Maria Torres, the orthopedic surgeon Hank Freebird, the endoscopic surgeon Tomoe Tachibana and Naomi Kimishima, who works as a medical examiner and is a returning character from Trauma Center: Second Opinion. [1]
References
External links
Trauma Center video games Under the Knife (Second Opinion) · New Blood · Under the Knife 2 · Trauma Team Franchises by Atlus Series Independent titles Amazing Tater • Bonk's Adventure • Catherine • Dungeon Explorer • Golf Grand Slam • Hellnight • Imadoki no Vampire: Bloody Bride • Kartia: The Word of Fate • Kwirk • Lunacy • Maken Shao: Demon Sword • Maken X • Power Instinct • Purikura Daisakusen • Radiant Historia • Rockin' Kats • Somer Assault • Super Widget • Wacky Races • WidgetCategories:
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