Legacy Interactive has made a name for itself as the company who develops medical sim computer games and the "Law and Order" series. Instead of another law game, this time Legacy Interactive is working on recreating the television show "ER." Cast members had a big part in development. The voices and likenesses of ER cast members including Noah Wyle, Mekhi Phifer and Sherry Stringfield, are found in the computer game.
Your Character
The first order of business when starting "ER" is to create a character. There is a range of colors to chose from for eyes, hair, and even scrub color. Personality points are chosen at this point too. The allocation of points dictates how well they perform in certain fields, like pediatrics or cardiology.
Internship
Starting out, your character is a lowly intern with very few skill points. You will only be able to treat patients with non-serious injuries. The rest you will need to curbside the patient to a more experienced doctor. Gradually as you gain experience helping other patients, more serious life threatening cases can be taken on.
To cure patients, they must first be diagnosed and then sent to a treatment room. To help patients doctors wave their hands around a lot and use items, like a shot to help them feel better. Occasionally their condition will get worse during treatment, sometimes because the doctor just skilled enough.
"ER" Challenges
Challenges are given through a level. As an intern, I was challenged to take care of a celebrity patient, cure 3 children, and keep the waiting room from being backed up. You will be kept busy, not just will big tasks but small tasks like meeting a doctor in the nurse's station. None of the tasks are difficult on their own, it's the combination of trying to do everything while keeping energy, hygiene, and composure levels from falling to low.
If levels of energy, hygiene, composure become low they will affect how people respond to you and how you perform medically. In the doctor's lounge there are cots for energy, showers and sinks to take care of hygiene, and friendly relationships or working out in the gym to restore composure.
Relationships
This brings us to another aspect of "ER," is relationships. Just like the TV show (did I mention they designed the layout of the hospital to match the show?), doctors and nurses can develop friendships and even romantic relationships. There are benefits from having friends, for example, doctors may curbside more patients to you and they will be more willing to trade perks.
What are perks? They are items that can be used to help your performance throughout the game. They can help you cure a patient who's condition is normally more severe than you could take care. A perk could also make everyone around you a little friendlier.
"ER" appears to not be another game that is being developed to make a few bucks off of a popular movie or television show. "ER" has been in development for quite some time now and the preview shows it. From what I've seen, the game will be of interest for "ER" fans and those who just interested in the topic.
