Two Point Hospital (PS4) Review: A blissful business sim you'll simply adore

With its PC version sporting a 9/10 rating on Steam and a similarly stellar score from Nintendo Life, Two Point Hospital is hardly the newest kid on the simulator block. This simple yet lovable business sim from SEGA was first released on Steam back in 2018 but has only recently received its console ports for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Despite having been around for about two years now, I must say it's a game that has aged quite well.

What's the secret formula?

At first glance, it appears to be just like your everyday sim game, with time controls, resource management and all the usual objectives packed in. But don't be fooled by its simple, demure facade - it's actually insanely addictive and marvellously challenging once you grasp the basics. Think of it like planting a flower garden - you'll slowly get attached to your little operation as it continues to grow, and as your humble clinic expands into a well-renowned hospital, you'll also get increasingly (and hilariously) loathe to put down your controller. There's also the occasional radio broadcast and bits of humour in the various characters' names - they're filled with entertaining jabs and pop culture references.

So, how (or when, rather) does the game sink its deceptively simple fangs into you? Right from the start, of course. When I first booted it up, I was a little concerned, even apprehensive, that I might not be able to keep up with all the multitasking that's central to the genre. After all, my hands have never been the most nimble on controllers, which is why I usually stick to WASD for the most part.

However, my fears were soon allayed by how easy it is to play. Now, I usually don't give much attention to tutorials, but Two Point's sets itself apart because of how simple and concise they keep the explanations. The game does away with all the unnecessary stuff that would complicate matters, only telling you what you need to know to resolve any issues that crop up. Think your doctor is doing a great job? Reward him with a promotion. Is your reception getting overwhelmed? Then hire another receptionist and have them take turns manning the counter. 

Of course, that's just the starting bit. It's later on, when the going gets hectic that you really see the beauty of how the formula flows together. You'll have to stay on your toes most of the time, picking up and allocating the different staff for rest and work - the drag-and-drop function is rather useful, as it should be. But wait - you realise that you've just scheduled all your available doctors for a break, and now there's no one to run the GP clinic! 

No worries, that's what that pause button is there for. Sim games like these always provide an "out" for you to reassess and recover, and Two Point is no different. So, in addition to the simplicity of the operation in general, it still has a safety net for you to fall back on should you need it. It's nice to know mistakes aren't fatal here, unlike some other titles. But I shall not name names. Ahem. 

So it's just cut-and-paste?

Not exactly - it'd be really boring if everything was so clear-cut. As you tackle the more difficult levels, you'll need some ingenuity and common sense to effectively address the various challenges of running your hospital, but what I really like is that apart from that the game mostly lets you do as you see fit.

Unlike other sim games that quickly usher you into the next level or checkpoint as soon as you complete objectives, Two Point lets you savour your success, and it feels absolutely amazing. On top of that, this "freedom to operate" is something that I've only seen in a handful of other games, like The Sims, but even then they come with some trade-off that makes everything slightly less pleasant than it should be.

With more time to enjoy the fruits of your labour, you can actually take the time to appreciate the various quirks of managing your establishment, and it even gives you a better idea as to how real-world hospitals operate - talk about educational! Alternatively, you could just stick around for the fun of it - designing and reallocating your hospital to look splendid is pretty fun as well. 

Dolling up your hospital

Coincidentally, this is a great time to talk about the building system, because it's hands-down one of my favourite parts. The construction menu in Two Point is a lot less expansive than The Sims, but that's ok because it already has a pretty pleasant selection of objects.

I've never been so content with starting from a blank slate, but there's something oddly therapeutic about just pausing time and spending a good long while designing the various rooms. From triages and pharmacies, to GP clinics and even the toilets, nobody said you had to trade aesthetics for efficiency, not to mention the intuitive selection and movement controls make the process a simple and effortless one. 

However, it does have one slight flaw, and that's when you have to allocate space for the different rooms. After you select a space (eg. a 3x3 grid), you'll have to remove the entire room if you want to adjust the size. 

However, that's just one drawback in a sea of good points, and it's pretty minor to boot. Sure, you could also say that like other sims, Two Point does end up a one-trick pony after playing it for a while, but hey, no game's perfect. I find that the simple enjoyment of running your own establishment tends to outweigh the boredom, and there's always the option of starting over and redesigning your hospital for the sake of it. 

There's no need to complicate things

Essentially, I would say Two Point Hospital has been a surprisingly fun treat because its core appeal centers around one thing: elegance in simplicity. By keeping gameplay free of unnecessary toppings, but still requiring a certain degree of common sense and ingenuity from players to solve challenges, SEGA has devised quite a dynamic and fluid masterpiece using the humble Unity engine, one which is not only engaging, but easy enough for anyone to pick up and play.

That's quite refreshing if you ask me, considering we're in an era where developers continue to chase for more and more realistic considerations in their sims. Accordingly, they tend to forget that the simplest solutions can often be the best ones too, and that's where Two Point Hospital really shines.

Author's note: Speaking of medical operations and hospitals, we would like to offer a quick shoutout to all the courageous medical staff battling the Covid-19 outbreak on the front lines. Thank you for your hard work and sacrifices - you have our fullest support!

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.