![]() ![]() What is a little surprising is how literal that do-over is. ![]() Odd choice or no, though, Theme Hospital remains one of Bullfrog’s most fondly-remembered titles (for those who actually played it, at least), and so it’s no surprise that it’s the latest one to receive a modern attempt at a do-over in the form of Two Point Hospital. Even now I think running a for-profit hospital was a really weird theme for a British developer to build a game around unfortunately the severe cuts the NHS has suffered over the last decade has given private healthcare the opportunity to become more deeply entrenched in the UK’s healthcare system 1, but back in the 90s it was still a deeply alien concept to the British psyche and I often wonder how exactly Bullfrog ended up deciding to make it. Theme Park made all the sense in the world, even when I was 11 years old, but I just didn’t understand the concept behind Theme Hospital. Be sure to check your machines regularly and pay for repairs (or replace them entirely) whenever it looks like they might be on the fritz.I’ve always regarded Theme Hospital as the odd one out when it comes to Bullfrog’s strategy games. In Theme Hospital, a broken machine means a broken room, so you'll need to build a new room entirely with a totally new Slicer Machine. What do you do? If you answered "fix it", you're WRONG! If it's broken, you're already too late. But after the procedure, your Slicer Machine breaks. Turns out, that person has Slack Tongue, a disorder that can only be cured by way of a Slicer Machine (ouch). Picture this: someone with a massive, hanging tongue walks into your hospital and requests help. Those, as you might expect, can be pretty important when you're trying to build a state-of-the-art hospital (by 1997 standards, anyway). There's also a Research panel that lets you know when you can research new medicines and treatments. The Policy panel lets you change the hospital's rules, which you should totally start changing as soon as you understand how the game works. They're all super important, and you should make use of them as soon as you're able. At the bottom right of the game's screen there are a number of panels that are jam-packed with additional options. Gross? Maybe, but such is the life of a hospital owner. Why? If you don't, your hallways are going to be full of trash and vomit before you can say "flat-line". But don't be frugal – bring on a nurse when you can, and nab a janitor as soon as possible. That's like, the first thing you'd think to do. Obviously you're going to hire a receptionist and a doctor when you start a hospital. ![]() And don't ignore the loudspeaker, which often provides clues as to which areas of your hospital are currently in need of additional support. ![]() Check them out! Hover over them! Click them! The game gives you a ton of information on how to best optimize your hospital, so be sure to pay attention to those alerts. As you're getting into Theme Hospital you might notice little icons on windows, or tiny squares popping up at different places on the screen. Pay attention to all of the games' alerts. The best way to learn is to slow things down – you can either do that with the number keys or the top menu, giving you time to become acquainted with the mechanics before facing medical drama. And the beginning of each level can be the difficult, as you spend time trying to learn the mechanics and figure out exactly what you're supposed to be doing. One major thing differentiates Theme Hospital from other simulation games: it's level-based, not a sandbox, so you're going to rebuild your hospital several times to deal with new issues. For those who want a little primer, we've put together a few quick tips that should help make your transition from gamer to hospital owner a more seamless one. If you want to just dive in and figure it out for yourself, more power to you stick with it, and you're in for a treat. Just add it to your Origin Game Library and you can play it whenever you want.īecause it was released nearly 20 years ago, Theme Hospital is a product of its era – it's a strategic dream come true, and it's not going to hold your hand as your simulated hospital is subjected to epidemics, earthquakes, and all manner of insane problems. Good news! The game is available for free with Origin On the House, so you can download it and start playing immediately without spending a dime. What will you do when your hospital is overrun with vomiting, big-headed patients scrambling to spend their hard-earned money on medical support? What about when a bunch of people show up dressed like Elvis Presley and need psychological help? If you answered "hire more doctors", you're already mentally prepared for the insanity that is Theme Hospital, Bullfrog Productions' 1997 classic. Theme Hospital is currently free with On the House! Here are 5 tips to get you started ![]()
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