Galacticare Review (P.C)

Given a choice between blowing alien heads using high-level, out-of-this-world tech or running a healthcare facility doing endless health assessments, I’d naturally go for the former. But given the countless hours I’ve put into mastering Galacticare’s system and ensuring my patients get the best healthcare, I’m simply torn. Yes, the fast-paced, crazy action that comes with firing weapons is intense and fuels your adrenaline. But did you know you almost get a similar feeling when your job is to build a healthcare facility from the ground up? Plus, it’s not just any healthcare facility; it’s based in space. You’re literally saving the galaxy, one alien species at a time. 

Galacticare is the latest title by Brightrock Games, the studio behind the dungeon crawler War of the Overworld. The game doesn’t do much to reinvent the wheel with its striking resemblance to Theme Hospital. However, thanks to modern-gen consoles, the visuals are striking, and the gameplay offers some replay value. If management simulation games are your thing, this is worth adding to your library. But first, let’s uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly, if any, in our Galacticare review. 

Paging Doctor Who?

Welcome to your new job. You step into the role of Director aboard a high-orbit station hovering above Earth. Your task is to provide premium healthcare to various species, including humans. The game hands you the keys to the kingdom, challenging you to carefully balance resources as you set up different care rooms.

Once you boot the game, you’ll see a silhouette map of the station. This is your blank canvas to design and organize. Thankfully, the game guides you through this process with intuitive help from your P.A., HEAL, and Dr. Orion.

Running a hospital can seem stressful, but Dr. Orion’s occasional tips offer valuable insights into extrasolar life. A satisfied patient leaves the hospital in good health, but their experience involves more than just treatment. The hospital’s decor and cleanliness also play crucial roles. For instance, the Ohde species prefers a few posters on the wall.  All these details contribute to your reward system: the more satisfied the clients, the greater your rewards.

Speaking of rewards, your patients also provide bonuses to your facility. Humans, for example, can attract more patients by boosting your hospital’s influence. With every satisfied patient, your station’s reputation and success will soar.

Space Stitches

It’s undeniable that Theme Hospital paved the way for other hospital management sims to flourish. This particular game boasts striking similarities to the 1997 Bullfrog Productions classic. From its wacky humor to its wide range of absurd ailments, it’s clear that this game pays homage to its predecessor.

First and foremost, the game’s wacky humor is bound to leave you in stitches. HEAL, the in-game persona, embodies a British personality with its casual, dry wit, which is evident in its dialogue. And let’s not forget about the ailments. Absurdity reigns supreme here. Who knew someone could turn into a star fielder? And that’s just the beginning. Brace yourself for Cranial Leeches, Galaxy Brain, Hypersleep Crust Lean, and many more bizarre conditions.

While the strange ailments will undoubtedly crack you up, it’s equally rewarding to learn how to deal with each one. From conducting research to identifying the right regimen to apply, the game truly puts you in the doctor’s shoes. It’s a challenging yet fulfilling experience that keeps you on your toes as you strive to provide the best possible care to your patients.

Spick and Span

Galacticare’s progression system uses a level-based approach. You’ll begin with basic ailments like shattered bones, which call for the installation of a boning machine. Yes, you read that correctly. A boning machine. It’s all part of the game’s subtle humor that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. As you advance, patients with more complex conditions will arrive at the station, requiring additional equipment to expand your facility further.

The game strives to mimic real-life scenarios, with some patients popping in for quick visits and others sticking around a while longer. While you don’t need to attend to each case individually, ensuring a smooth flow from start to finish is crucial to providing proper care to every patient. Plus, you don’t have to worry about cleaning up intergalactic vomit when you have cleaning bots for that. Their efficiency also comes at a cost. But it’s a cost not too heavy to bear because, come on, it’s a hospital. The last thing you want is bodily fluids covering every inch of the space. Additionally, remember that some species value a sparkling clean environment.

Moreover, hospital management involves balancing profitability and healthcare. So, if hiring a few more bots can earn you extra credits, why not? 

More Than A Hospital

Galacticare keeps things lively with its array of wacky scenarios. The game unfolds through a series of chapters, each presenting a unique challenge as you build facilities from the ground up in various locations. For example, in Chapter Two, your hospital is near a bustling music festival. The festival organizers need to keep things under wraps and not spook the festival attendees of the dangerous hazards. Talk about crisis management. So you swoop in to help. 

Once again, you start on a blank canvas, armed with basic knowledge of what’s required. This allows for flexibility in layout design. Instead of having the same arrangement as in Chapter One, you can toy with the layout for a different experience. It didn’t seem to affect the gameplay, but heck a little change never hurt anyone.

From here, you’ll proceed to even more absurd scenarios. I’m talking about entering a gigantic vegetable-growing competition. Next, you head to prison to treat patients who are clones of an evil scientist. 

As you progress through the levels, ailments, and patients become increasingly bizarre, adding to the excitement. Baz, in particular, steals the spotlight. The colossal Brood Variant is so immense that conducting a biopsy requires deploying bots. Before you know it, Baz becomes a regular patient, necessitating special accommodations to cater to his enormous size.

The Good

Galacticare checks all the boxes of a space station builder, from its intuitive interface that makes crafting every single room a delight to its wide range of customization options. Of course, it forces your hand to add decor to your hospital. The bottom line is that you have the freedom to shape each facility according to your vision.

Furthermore, its funny and wacky moments harken back to its inspirations. The characters and narration genuinely steal the spotlight. HEAL occasionally throws in annoying yet quirky anecdotes, as do the janitor bots and your rival CEO.

Beyond its comedic charm, Galacticare is incredibly enjoyable to play. If you’ve played any management sims before, you’ll find a familiar yet refreshed experience here, with polished mechanics that elevate the gameplay. It’s always exciting to start a new chapter where you can experiment with your facility and make improvements to hit that five-star rating. 

Perhaps the best part is that it isn’t stressful. Instead, it provides a delightful experience where you create a system and watch it flourish. I certainly was intrigued each time I’d check on my progress and find that not having a vending machine was giving my hospital a negative rating.  It may seem absurd, but what’s a hospital without a vending machine? I mean, I would like a little snack as I wait to see the doctor, and the alien and human species in the game appreciate that as well.  

Moreover, the game’s visuals offer a stimulating experience. The imaginative creature designs have a stark Startopia approach to the station. Plus, every element screams perfection with vibrant colors. 

The Bad

The game’s accessible gameplay is a plus, but it’s also a downside to veteran gamers of the genre. Besides resource management, the game doesn’t offer much of a challenge. You should ideally get the ropes by the second chapter, breezing through each level with ease. The hardest challenge I faced was reducing congestion levels, which adding more diagnostic rooms quickly fixes. 

Moreover, the upgrades are pretty basic. And even though the game allows you to manage your resources, I find its rewards too generous. Again, while this is a big perk, some gamers may find it too easy. So, if you’re looking for challenging gameplay, Galacticare might disappoint you. 

Verdict

Brightrock Games doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel with Galacticare, but it certainly goes where other games have tried. It’s a purely entertaining game that hinges lightly on strategy and delivers wacky humor while at it. While rooted in the spirit of classics like Theme Hospital, Galacticare injects enough fresh ideas to distinguish itself from mere imitation.

Its accessible gameplay welcomes newbies and veterans of the genre who appreciate the simplified approach. The game has a campaign and sandbox mode, meaning there’s plenty to do. Plus, there are so many things to love about Galacticare. It is an easily recommendable game that should aim for a GOTY award this year.