Managing one’s life is stressful enough as is; now, imagine managing a hospital. Not just any hospital but an extrasolar one with professionals of several species and machines as trusty companions. What if all of them work together to treat patients from many species? Still, does it sound stressful? Well, it isn’t, not at all. You will enjoy the banter between your staff as you take on the hospital’s newly appointed director role.

Galacticare will be released on May 23, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Now, let me start by saying that my understanding of management sims isn’t the greatest due to my limited exposure to them. That is why I didn’t know how I would find the title by Brightrock Games. But to my surprise, it almost put an enchanting spell on me, and I wasn’t able to put it down. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously like a lot of recent games, but that is what works for it.

The game’s incredible soundtrack, fantastic voice acting, and art style are a joy to experience. During my playthrough of the title, I lost count of time, and management sims always turned me off. But one might wonder: does the title hold its ground in a genre where many titles with a cult following exist already?

Time to Be an Intergalactic Control-Freak!

When I first booted the title, I was welcomed by a well-designed User Interface after exploring everything in the game’s main menu. I started my journey. As soon as I began my orientation, something prepared me to undertake my responsibility through the lovely HEAL, my virtual assistant, and the lovely Ms. Orion.

There isn’t a solid narrative in Galacticare, but the premise is that you must establish various branches of your hospital at various places. Your orientation program will leave you with enough experience to get started.

The game’s graphical fidelity is incredible; the textures look rich, the shadows look consistent, and the animations you see are truly fascinating. The attention to detail in Galacticare is second to none. For example, when you see a patient undergoing a diagnosis, you see the corresponding animation. Similarly, when you see them in the boning chamber recovering from a fracture, the animations look stunning.

From intergalactic music festivals to several contingencies to colossal extraterrestrial beings that look frightening but are adorable on the inside, several elements add to your overall experience. Plenty of moment-to-moment thrills are given to the player to keep them occupied.

The Finer Details of a Hospital Management Extravaganza

Regarding the variables you need to control, you must create rooms, optimize waiting times, prioritize patients, and ensure that your staff and patients’ morale are in check, among many other factors. You also need to ensure that your medical facility is profitable, your corridors are clean, and your hospital is well-decorated, as each species found in the game’s patient and staff lineup has different requirements, perks, and motivations.

Most importantly, it would help if you prevented untimely deaths due to negligence and research on various diseases to establish expertise. You have an elaborate hospital rating system that rates your hospital on various metrics and gives you personalized suggestions.

Also, to put the icing on the cake, the game’s soundtrack is a mix of theremin and space synth. I also found myself admiring my work as a director and adoring my newly built research center or staff lounge, which was incredibly relaxing. Also, if one finds oneself immersed in Galacticare, there is a good chance that one will appreciate its codex entries, which are as thorough as they should be.

The amount of depth that the descriptions for each species hold and how they contribute to their respective behaviors, motivations, and idiosyncrasies while still maintaining room for individuality is inspiring. No two NPCs feel the same in the game, which is a job well done.

Is Galacticare Good?

I often laughed at the game’s subtle humor and appreciated its jibes on the private medical healthcare system. All in all, I enjoyed every minute of my playthrough. While I have played some management sims before, this one is an experience.

If one enjoys the genre and isn’t looking for something that bends the rules too much but still tries something novel, then Galacticare will be right up to speed! There are also similarities between and inspirations from other critically acclaimed management sims in the title, which gives it a comfortable touch. All in all, Galacticare is a must-try for management sim enthusiasts and novices. To infinity and beyond!

Galacticare — 10/10