Video Game Mini-Review: Bio Inc. Redemption

Developer: DryGin Studios

Publisher: Klabater

Genre: Simulation

Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch

Also Available On PlayStation, Xbox, and PC

Surgery simulators aren’t too common, but they are an interesting genre. Trauma Center was my first exposure to the subgenre, followed by Surgeon Simulator. Both games are more arcade-based, and that’s fine, but a game rooted in actual science has a lot of potential. Bio Inc. Redemption isn’t a surgery simulator, but it is a game where players act as doctors treating a patient, and it’s rooted in science. The twist is the player can also be the villain and infect their patient. It’s much like Plague Inc, but just for one poor soul instead of the entire world.

The core gameplay loop of Bio Inc. Redemption works incredibly well. If players choose life, their task is to quickly diagnose the disease through deduction. The patient has a few symptoms that are affecting various systems of the body, and the player will identify the cause, and then treat it. Of course, it’s a race against time.

Players can make upgrades throughout the race, including giving the patient healthier lifestyles or bonuses to the currency that allows them to diagnose and treat. It’s a nice balancing act that adds a welcome amount of strategy to the game.

Playing as death is similar, but instead of rescuing the patient, they are simply racing to infect as quickly as possible. They collect currency, then pick the most effective combination of diseases to eliminate the patient. This is also a strategic affair in which players want to pick diseases that affect multiple systems to make the work harder for life.

This is an excellent game that’s a whole lot of fun, but not on the Switch. Bio Inc. Redemption was likely designed for PC and touch screens, and using a controller and buttons is simply too cumbersome. On top of that, there are times when the game isn’t responsive, and players will spend time-fighting to get the game to register that they are holding a trigger to get the right menu to respond appropriately. It’s a frustrating affair that makes Bio Inc. Redemption incredibly difficult to recommend if players are going to play on the Switch.

If players can choose a platform that doesn’t use a controller, they should. Bio Inc. Redemption is a fun time with plenty of content, but the Switch isn’t the way to play. If players are willing to push through, it might eventually be enjoyable, but without a patch that fixes performance and control scheme, this isn’t worth it.