Life & Death

The Good
I remember seeing this game when I was but a freshman in high school, and I knew I had to get this game. Yet, I was dismayed that I could not run it on my lowly Apple IIc. Through deceit and manipulation I got my mom to buy this game for me, and clandestinely tried to run it on my uncle's PC. Boy did I get in trouble, but the trouble was worth it. It got me my first IBM PC a hotrod 286 with 640k of RAM. Back then this game was amazing compared to what I've played on the Apple. But it's difficulty level was a bit much for my teen-years impetuousness. Having recently reacquired it I have to say that this game is a lost classic, and one of the only games of its kind to really do what it intended to do. That is, to be educational and entertaining at the same time. Even by today's standards the CGA graphics are admirable, especially in the operating theater.

The Bad
It was too short. There were only two operations in the game. An appendectomy and an Aortic grafting. Once these were completed successfully, the game was over and your name was placed on a High Score list. Perhaps a little more variety and a continuous medical career would have been nice.

The Bottom Line
For the newer generations of game players this game would be dated, especially in the graphics department, but if you want a game that puts a scalpel in your hand than this is and its sequel are the only games to give you that gritty sweat-on-the-upper-lip-nurse-we-need-5mms-of-Atropine-Stat! feeling. Don't miss out on a great game.