We've spoken about the 'YouTube darling' phenomenon before when it comes to the world of gaming, but it's particularly relevant today so I'll do a little refresher. These are the kinds of games that are quirky, weird, and would usually earn little attention out in the market on it's own, however due to their popularity on streaming platforms (in this instance YouTube) they become shortlived cultural icons and thus famous. The traditional game market may be vast but somehow it doesn't invite appropriate room for some of the more 'out there' games, so this is sometimes the only way that such titles can get the attention they deserve. The niche audiences of platforms like YouTube allows games to reach the people who would appreciate it most. One of the single best examples of this is the predecessor to the game in question today; Surgeon Simulator.
Rather than being a morose and clinical simulator about the bevy of responsibilities and processes that the average Surgeon faces on the daily, 'Surgeon Simulator' fits neatly into that list of titles that attempt to 'simulate' the innate act of using one's hand. Just like 'Hand Simulator', 'I am toast' and 'Human Fall Flat', the game purposefully saddles the player with bad or confusing controls that make simple tasks frustrating; in 'Surgeon Simulator's case this means making the player operate each individual finger separately whilst trying to operate medical machinery or handle human organs. Bossa Studio's title would gradually task the player with increasingly more challenging operations until you reached your patience threshold with the controls and/or just gave up.
The ridiculousness of the game premise proved amusing enough to people for the game to run the rounds of the online chattershpere; back in 2013 one couldn't call themselves a YouTube gamer without having tried this game at least once. The influx of attention meant that the team had the audience, support and encouragement they needed to keep op development of this title for years longer than they likely originally intended too. In fact, the success of 'Surgeon Simultor' might be partially responsible for the bevy of 'Simulator' titles that flooded the Steam store in the years since. Although none of those titles reached the heights of an official crossover with Valve's 'Team Fortress 2' and a DLC that featured the likeness of the current President of the United States. (Sure, they probably didn't get permission for that, but we have no proof that they didn't get permission. Yeah, think about that.)
Eventually things had to die down for this game, and that would be the moment the novelty started to wear off. (Although, knowing how Internet trends operate, the popularity of this title lasted long past the concept's novelty.) Soon people stopped coming to 'Surgeon Simulator' to get their 'bad controls' fix and moved onto the aforementioned 'I Am Bread'. (Which, incidentally, was made my the same folks. Way to secure your brand, guys!) Just like any modern-day fad, the original faded and died giving rise to millions of imitators that still try to capture that titles magic today. (For a real-world paradigm; did you know that some companies still manufacture Fidget Spinners? Now that's beating a dead horse.) The point I'm trying to convey is this; the idea had fully run it's course and there was nothing left to explore, so no was expecting or wanting for a 'Surgeon Simulator 2'. And yet this timeline keeps sneaking up and surprising us all because here we are.
I know I wasn't the only one scratching their head during the VGA reveal of 'Surgeon Simulator 2', and my prevailing opinion mirrored that of many of the others who's reactions I saw; mild bewilderment. The trailer in question immediately broke the first rule of the game by showing us a clear look at a fellow not on a gurney, in fact, the perspective of the entire trailer takes place as though you are the patient on their way to be operated on. (Quite the role reversal.) The trailer itself plays with absurdity and humor in a way that feels decidedly oddball, but endearingly so. As we find ourselves being shoved down a ludicrous conveyor-belt and thrown about by odd-looking clones, it's hard not to crack a confused smile at the spectacle of it all. Only by the end do we get an inclination at what this title intends to improve on once we see 4 clones getting ready to work a daring head-reattachment procedure. Ah, Multiplayer. Why didn't you just say so?
I say this in assumption, of course, because Bossa have remained frustrating tight lipped about this new game. Their reveal trailer merely mentions how this title "Injects a delirious dose of adrenaline into the heart of the original". (Medical/Pulp Fiction reference. Nice. Now how about telling us what that means?) Even the official website doesn't have anything specific to convey regarding the title, just some more chest-thumping and a sly promise of "A handful (or four?) of surprises." So that's a 'yea' on the Multiplayer? Dang it, I hate being in the dark about the simplest of things. Somehow, despite getting a trailer fit to the brim of things happening, none of it has made folk any the wiser as to what this game is and the mystery is inexplicably getting me riled up. (Gah, you fiends and your effective marketing strategies!)
There was one little grounding caveat to the tidal wave of personality and creativity that was this trailer, and that was the little 'Epic Games' logo adorned on the trailer. As much as this title wants to perpetuate the myth of being a 'free spirit', the game's likely going to end up being another 'Exculsive' and that level of corporate oversight can be deafening. I don't mean to put a damper on this mad house trailer, and I'm not entirely sure I even could, but whenever I see that Epic is involved I can't help but see the strings of conspiracy start flying through my mind. (I've been playing too much Deus Ex. Or not enough!) Was this name and concept revived out of some elaborate joke or because Bossa had a good idea for it (Those two ideas aren't by any means mutually exclusive) or did it come around because Epic management pushed for it? Maybe they wanted to partner with Bossa but didn't want to put money behind 'I am Fish' or any of their newer ideas, "Make another one of those surgeon games, that was popular!" (Ugh, I can't stand these kinds of deals.)
Putting my frustrations and conspiracies aside, I do think it's rather cool that another Indie title managed to get attention on a big industry show and I like what it predicts about the future of this industry. Personally, I find games like Surgeon Simulator far too gimmicky for me to get into, but if niche titles like can amass enough attention to become a hit and get unveiled at VGA then surely there's enough room in the industry for my types of games. (I'm talking turn-based tactical games, all-day every-day. Give me those 'chances to hit' percentages in my veins!) God speed Surgeon Sim, you undefinable mess of a game.
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