Autopsy Simulator is wonderfully morbid. Furthermore, it has a weird horror narrative that keeps you on your toes. However, a lack of freedom and the constant groaning protagonist were somewhat tiresome. Accordingly, I liked much of what I saw but found it far too linear and frustrating. This was disappointing as there was plenty of potential. Maybe the upcoming autopsy-only mode will make this flourish.
This linear narrative adventure was developed by Woodland Games and published by Team17 Digital Ltd. Moreover, it is a 1st person single-player game. This enhances the horror aspects whilst giving you a hands-on experience at the morgue. Alongside this, there is a censorship mode if you don’t fancy seeing the private areas of each dead body. Either way, the corpses must be sliced, diced, and examined if you wish to solve each mystery.
Autopsy Simulator tells a grim tale.
You play the role of a middle-aged pathologist who has an addiction issue. Sadly, his wife passed away in tragic circumstances. The hero cannot see past this event and his life is on hold as he grieves. However, his job doesn’t stop, and the bodies keep rolling in. Consequently, he fills his time by piecing together the clues and solving each crime.
This element of the game was fascinating. Though guided through each autopsy, you get a sense of authenticity at every stage. Autopsy Simulator does a great job of telling each story whilst methodically highlighting every moment. The hand-holding was infuriating and this was my biggest complaint. You are supposed to solve each crime through a logical process. Yet, you can mindlessly work through each case as the game pushes you to the correct conclusion. I hope this issue is removed when the developer releases its autopsy-only content.
Perfectly balanced action.
Where Autopsy Simulator excels is its well-balanced action. The story ebbs and flows alongside each case. Furthermore, as the hero becomes panicked or stressed, his addictions come to the fore. Though this wasn’t essential, it created a sense of empathy for the protagonist. Additionally, it was a nice distraction from each cold slab of meat on your dissecting table.
I also liked the varied tools and the gruesome but fascinating elements of each case. Removing organs and dissecting them never gets old. What’s more, the drip-fed mechanics ensured that there was something new to pique your interest. However, at times, I get lost when new items are added. Even though the required item was highlighted with a glorious hue, it wasn’t easy to find them. This annoyed me as I wasted plenty of time opening drawers and clicking on unnecessary items.
Bugs and glitches.
Sadly, the complaints don’t end there. I would have completed this much quicker if it wasn’t for the never-ending bugs and glitches. Unfortunately, the game crashed countless times, and the action became stuck in an endless loop. This wouldn’t have been too bad, but the game has no auto-save facility. Subsequently, you must restart every chapter if there is an issue.
Autopsy Simulator looks great.
Though the gameplay wasn’t perfect, I loved the attention to detail. Autopsy Simulator looks great. The horrific wounds and the bloated bodies were phenomenal. Furthermore, I liked the accurate equipment and the gruesome nature of each dissection. If you then add in the grim nature of the morgue and the oppressive 1st person perspective, it enhances the horror aspects.
The audio was a mixed bag. I adored the excellent acting and the uncomfortable sound effects. Moreover, the music was delightfully sombre. However, the constant groaning and moaning was enough to drive you insane. I know that working is lame, but moaning about it every 3 seconds was stupidly annoying.
Brilliant controls.
The hand-holding was frustrating. Yet, I liked how each activity revolved around a “mini-game”. Cutting requires you to follow a pattern, whereas organ removal requires you to examine every angle. The well-considered mouse and keyboard layout helps make this easy to master, and I understood the fundamentals quickly.
Autopsy Simulator is far too short. Even if you consider the glitches and bugs, I ran through the story in no time. This was disappointing as I wanted more cases to solve. Furthermore, the abrupt end to the action was strange. The game would have been longer and more fulfilling if the developers improved this.
Autopsy Simulator needs some polishing.
I enjoyed many aspects of this game. The grim setting and horror elements were captivating. Additionally, it was fascinating to dissect the bodies and piece together each crime. However, too much hand-holding and a lack of freedom were annoying. Moreover, the bugs and glitches were awful. Yet, despite the shortcomings, I recommend buying it here! Can you keep it together and complete each job? Take your pills, dissect every body, and solve every crime.
