Remember those childhood role-play games where you played a doctor treating patients, sometimes wrapping bandages around the imaginary wounds, and checking the heartbeat with your plastic stethoscope? Today’s technology augments that same child’s play by offering a virtual hospital where you can put the scrubs on. Sounds unreal? Try Hospital Services 2020. Packed with realistic graphics it will get you on in the role of the doctor you always wanted to be. And it won’t cost you a dime for the app is available for free.
Treating those who are suffering is a noble act and that is why it commands such respect in the society. Developing an attitude of empathy in children towards those who suffer is the ultimate objective of every parent and institution. Simple apps such as Hospital Services 2020 can really aid that process. It features single-player gameplay and is meant for those above the age of 12 because of the graphics which may not be suitable for younger children.
The interface looks very lean and a piece of soothing background music makes the gameplay pretty relaxing. This app is suitable even for the adults who, after a rough day, just want to ease their minds. The tasks are simple and easy to perform. It is not an action-packed game but rather a leisurely experience that leaves you with some sort of satisfaction.
You just have to click on one of the stages shown on the home screen. Then a patient with several wounds and other ailments is shown laying on the operating table. Using the medical equipment featured in the tab below which you simply drag to the indicated site, the patient is treated. Ranging from ointments to syrups, heartbeat monitors and manual sphygmomanometer, Hospital Services 2020 makes the gameplay as realistic as possible. After successfully treating one patient, you can move on to the next stage where a different patient comes to you seeking aid. It even features an after-care intervention where you can prepare delicious fruit-juice for your patient.
There is no objective to be achieved or points to be gained in the game. This is actually apt for such an educational app that is based on a profession that demands a high degree of altruism. The game is fairly detailed for it allows such actions as measuring the blood pressure and suturing the open wounds. This has an added benefit of helping develop coordination and motor skills in the children.
There is one aspect in which the game lacks and that is a limited number of only five stages right now. It does say that more stages featuring more patients are coming soon though. Other than this the cartoonish expressions of the patients and their reactions not always in tune with the ailments don’t do justice to the setting of a serious environment like a hospital. Actions also seem a little rigid and can do well with a little more customization.
The objective of Hospital Services 2020 is to keep the interface enjoyable for the children and not make it overcomplicated. The idea is to make the experience relaxing and satisfying while conveying the notion of what it is like being a doctor. On this front, the app does well and is definitely worth exploring.
Rating: 9/ 10
Price: Free
