There have been plenty of medically-themed games released over the years, and while a lot of them are good, many of them fail to put players in the shoes of a doctor. This is primarily due to the fact that a lot of medical games are business and management simulators such as Two Point Hospital and Big Pharma.
While not every game on this list provides a completely realistic simulation of doctoring, each of them provides a unique experience in both gameplay and atmosphere and hopefully provides something for all kinds of medical game fans.
7 Reanimation Inc.
This simulation game aims to be as realistic as possible, tasking players with following protocols to deal with urgent conditions, even down to using a realistic ECG monitor. Reanimation Inc features 22 different diseases for players to deal with, and they’ll have to monitor their patients carefully to succeed. The game also features mechanics for defibrillation and CPR, but unlike games such as Surgeon Simulator, Reanimation Inc is mostly played through UI interactions, and therefore it could be argued that it’s slightly less immersive than other games on this list.
6 Heart's Medicine - Time To Heal
This story-driven casual game features a dramatic, at times intense narrative that puts players in the shoes of an aspiring surgeon. The game's story is written with a blend of comedy, drama, and romance, and even features original music.
Heart's Medicine - Time To Heal has players following "Allison Heart" through her shifts at a small hospital, meeting and interacting with various NPCs and attempting to treat patients. The game's mechanics aren't very complex, but for casual gamers who don't mind a narrative-focused experience, Heart's Medicine is worth a shot.
5 Pathologic 2
In Pathologic 2, players take control of a doctor arriving at a rural town overrun by a plague. Players must deal with the outbreak by making medicine, healing the townspeople, trading, and even performing autopsies. However, the game takes place over just twelve days, and players have to manage their time and choose what they're going to do with the limited amount that they have.
Pathologic 2 is an open-world horror RPG, and it can be a little rough around the edges; its combat system and survival elements won't be for everyone, but the game's grisly theme and focus on actively fighting an outbreak make it an immersive - albeit strange - experience.
4 Bio Inc. Redemption
This complex simulator has players taking on the role of the head of a medical team attempting to identify and cure patients of horrific diseases before it's too late. The game features 18 unique and increasingly difficult scenarios and prides itself on a combination of realism and humor.
There is also a good amount of replay value in Bio Inc. Redemption, as it allows players to "be the plague" and torment patients rather than cure them, for those that get sick of playing the doctor.
3 Rhythm Doctor
This pixel-art rhythm game tasks players with healing their patients by defibrillating them in time with the rhythm of their heartbeats. Every patient has their own unique heartbeat, each offering a different challenge based on complex rhythms and elements of music theory, including polyrhythms and irregular time signatures. While these mechanics may sound daunting, Rhythm Doctor aims to be accessible by passively teaching players about both music and rhythm, easing them into the experience.
Rhythm Doctor takes the medical theme and combines it with rhythm games in a thematic and narrative experience in over twenty unique levels, and even features drop-in local multiplayer for those who want to play with a friend. Furthermore, the game has a tremendous amount of replay value, with more challenging “Night Shift” variations of every level.
2 Flashing Lights
Although Flashing Lights does allow players to take control of both the Police and Fire Service, one of its key features is its EMS (emergency medical specialist) simulation. While playing as the EMS, players must work to treat injuries, many of which can be life-threatening, and diagnose patients. To do this, players have access to a wide range of equipment that includes medical kits, stretchers, and even ambulances.
While Flashing Lights can be great fun in single-player, the game excels when played with friends in online multiplayer, working together to help the public. Flashing Lights also features official mod support, further adding to the game's replay value and lifespan.
1 Surgeon Simulator
This extremely silly, over-the-top simulator contains a heap of dark humor and tasks players with performing life-saving surgeries with purposefully clunky controls. The game was released all the way back in 2013, and although it does have a sequel, the original is arguably more focused on performing precise surgeries, while its successor is a little more cartoon-like and chaotic.
Surgeon Simulator is notorious for its difficult control scheme that has players controlling every finger of their simulated hand with a different button on the keyboard. The game tasks players with performing transplants, corridor procedures, and operations in the back of an ambulance. Its variety of challenges and unique gameplay make Surgeon Simulator stand out among the crowd years after its original release as a great game for those who want to play as a Doctor.