Broken Wind, Third Degree Sideburns, King Complex, Bloaty Head—simply jotting down some of Theme Hospital's afflictions, some 20 years since launch, makes me smile. Project Hospital is the debut project from Oxymoron Games and is a throwback to Bullfrog's '90s hospital construction-meets-management simulator.
Sporting a familiar top-down isometric view, Project Hospital has players building their own medical institutions from the ground up, crafting specialised wings and departments, managing staff, diagnosing patients, and exploring hundreds of medical conditions. Where Project Hospital deviates from its main source of inspiration is its scope for realism—"learn about real world diseases and injuries and how to diagnose and cure them," says the developer. No Hairyitis or Slack Tongue, then.
Most interestingly, Oxymoron asks prospective players to let it know "what you miss", and that doing so can help define the future of the game."Or mod in your very own content for you and your friends," the dev adds.
Here's a trailer:
With that, you'll have the chance to fill the roles of architect, manager and doctor all at once as you alter and adjust and nip and tuck your establishment to your heart's content.
"Contract different insurance companies to gain access to patients with interesting medical conditions, perform examinations, laboratory tests and use various equipment to solve the diagnostic puzzles," says Oxymoron in a statement. "Treat your patients by various methods and gain reputation to access different departments and the most advanced equipment.
"Focus on any aspect of the game—Is it the most fun for you to keep your staff and patients happy? Do you aim to cure as many people as possible or solve the most complicated cases? Or do you maybe want to become the best manager and make biggest profit?"
Will Project Hospital cure our nostalgia?, asks the game's official site. Find out for yourself when Project Hospital comes to Steam in 2018.
Thanks, Eurogamer.
