Playtest: Trauma Center: Second Opinion

Get ready to enter the operating theatre as Trauma Center: Second Opinion comes to Wii. Only your skills as a surgeon stand between humankind and the spread of a deadly disease meaning your ability to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk with surgical precision could be a matter of life and death.

The game starts with you, Dr Derek Stiles, about to perform your first operation at the aptly titled Hope Hospital. From the outset in Trauma Center: Second Opinion you'll find yourself at the centre of a dramatic storyline full of interesting characters. As the star of your own hospital drama, the sobering reminder before each operation that the patient's life is in your hands is bound to spur you on as you race against the clock to keep your charges from flat-lining.

"Inside the operating room, you'll have to master using the range of life-saving tools at your disposal. Displayed in the lower left corner of your screen, the medical instruments are selected by using the Control Stick on the Wii Nunchuk. Once you have selected one of over a dozen instruments you can control it by using the Wii Remote in variety of ways.

Whichever tool you're using, the process is incredibly intuitive and controlled by simply moving the Wii Remote and pressing the A or B buttons. To quickly stitch up an open wound, just move the Wii Remote in a zig-zag motion whilst holding A or B. Or to place the defibrillator pads on your patient's chest, push forward the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. Other procedures, such as re-structuring a broken bone, might require you to rotate the Wii Remote in order to see how the pieces fit back together. In no time at all you'll be cutting, stitching and bandaging like a real pro!

It's hard to overstate how natural the control system feels, and whether you are trying to make a perfectly straight incision with your scalpel or remove shards of glass from a wound with your forceps, the combination of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk allows you to work with incredible speed and accuracy. The rumble feature of the Wii Remote is also used to great effect, vibrating if you make a wrong move or jolting as you desperately try to revive your patient's pulse with the defibrillator pads. As if having a steady hand wasn't hard enough during clinical procedures, the tension added by the rumbling Wii Remote heightens the intensity of the experience even further.

Controlling your operations with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk also means there's room at the operating table for a surgical sidekick! Letting a friend take control of the Nunchuk while you operate with the Wii Remote adds a new dimension to the game as you call on your nurse to hand you the essential tools of the trade. As the patient's heart-rate drops and the tension rises, you'd better hope you have a good working relationship with your assistant!

The drama inside the operating theatre in Trauma Center: Second Opinion is matched by events outside it. The early revelation that Dr Stiles possesses a rare gift called the Healing Touch makes it clear from the outset that his destiny lies in doing more than standard operations for the rest of his career. After traces of the deadly disease GUILT (Gangliated Utrophin Immuno Latency Toxin) show up in one of your patients, you will embark on a journey that will see you working for the secret organization Caduceus as they desperately fight the spread of the illness. Along the way you can take control of another elite Doctor in a dramatic side-story that sheds more light on the fight against GUILT. Fans of the Nintendo DS game Trauma Center: Under The Knife will find all sorts of new narrative twists to get their heads around, not to mention a whole new chapter and alternative ending to the game.

As for the healing touch itself, this unique procedure will be learned as you become a more skilled surgeon and can be used to slow down time in the middle of an operation and buy yourself valuable seconds. It could prove to be the greatest tool at your disposal, but beware you can only use it once during each operation, so choose your moment carefully.

Playing Trauma Center: Second Opinion on Wii is a unique and immersive experience that will ease you into life in the emergency room before taking you to the heart of a dramatic story in which every decision you make will determine whether someone makes a full recovery or not. Remember the patient's life is in your hands!

Trauma Center: Second Opinion will be in shops 10 August, only on Wii.