Vet Emergency 2

by Encore

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008I8RE
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: February 12, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,608 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #92 in Video Games > Mac Games > Strategy
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

In Vet Emergency 2, you assume the role of veterinarian in the busy animal hospital! You'll experience first-hand a wide variety of pets and problems, including a bird that can't fly, a sunburned frog, a ferret that's losing its hair, plus much more. It's real-life, heart-pumping drama, and you're always at the center of the action.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not So Well Done, But Entertaining & Educational, December 19, 2003

By 

aralissia "~aralissia" (North Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vet Emergency 2 (CD-ROM)

Vet Emergency 2 has bad graphics, bad sound, and a high learning curve which will discourage most casual players. But I LOVE this game. Probably because I want to be a vet myself. And I find it refreshing to be able to play a fun game and learn at the same time.
You start out as a new employee, and you can flick between 4 rooms in the clinic (trauma room, treatment room, reception, and lounge). The only rooms you really need to use for most of the game is reception and the patient room.
The reception is home to a board where you choose your patients (from a short report), and a computer where you can look up information on different diseases etc. It's packed with knowledge, but is clumsy to use. After you choose a patient you will sometimes see a video feed of some really bad actor coming in with their pet, and then it's to to the patient room.
Now instead of using drawn graphics, the makers of this game decided basically cutting out a picture of a non moving dog and placing it on a bed was the most approrpiate. This doesn't add any realism - in fact it detracts from it because you are reminded all the more you are playing on a computer. Also there's very little visual education on how these illnesses/fractures look. When you take an eye instrument and look deep in the eye you always get the same picture, no matter what the patient is suffering from. Same thing with the xray. The only differentiation is between species (turtles, fish, birds, dogs, cats, lizards) You have many instruments at your disposal and learn as you go, with hints availible if you're not sure what to do next. Normal procedure is checking the pulse on the back leg, the temperature in the ear etc. but in emergency cases you will have to act fast and make sure to stabilize the patient first with oxygen, ivs etc. Once you've gone through 5-10 cases you get an idea of the typical procedure, and the uses of some of the more rarly utilized equipment. The in game tutorial is basically a text walkthrough and I personally did not have the patience to go through it.
Whenever you treat an animal (or find out what's wrong with it and send it to the approrpiate surgeon, dentist etc)a bell will ring. You then know it's ok to fill out the sign out sheet - which is very realistic but can get confusing. At the end you are given a rating, and they go through the case telling you what the animal was suffering from, how it is cured, and what you did right (and wrong). After you've cured a certain number of patients you move up in the workplace. I guess this is what is sposed to keep you going, but for me it was because I kept learning! :)
This game is very educational, and perfect for anyone who really wants to learn more about animals and veterinary studies. While there's a lot more that could be done with a game like this (how bout starting with graphics that don't look like they are from the early 1990's?) I find myself having to give it 3 stars because it is the only game of its type I've managed to play, and is quite fun....if you like educational/simulation games that are challenging and are interested in animal health care. That limits the market a lot.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interact with animals, their owners and vet techs., March 16, 2006

By 

Carol Watkins "Psychiatrist" (Parkton, Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vet Emergency 2 (CD-ROM)

In this game, you play a veterinarian, treating a variety of animals. You also interact with vet techs and different types of human pet owners. The situations range from humorous to tragic. I enjoyed it as did my 11-15 year old children.

First, you pick a chart from the ones available at your level. Then, there is often an animated sequence in which the owner gives some history and in which you get some idea of how the owner has been dealing with his or her pet. Once you start diagnosis and treatment, you have a more static picture. You can go into diagnostic sections if you need to draw blood or use a stethoscope. You go to therapeutic drawers when you need to treat the animal. There are medications, splints, oxygen treatment and sutures. You not only have to pick the right equipment but you have to put it on the right part of the animal. Unfortunately, the hot spots on the animal's body are a bit buggy. Sometimes I have known perfectly well where to place a stethoscope, but the computer does not recognize an area as the abdomen or the lungs. Besides the elusive hot spots, there are some other difficulties with the interface. Sometimes it is difficult to get a diagnostic drawer to slide out when you click it or to go from one mode to another. These hot spot bugs are the reason I only gave the game an overall rating of 3. If you are persistent, you can work around these problems. A status bar tells you the animal's condition and whether you are takng too long.

After making the diagnosis, you have to make recommendations to the animal's owner. Often this involves advice on a different diet or differnt type of care. You do not have to know all of these specifics, but you do need to know that you need to give the owner advice.

I enjoy the interaction with the vet technicians. They have their own attitudes and they often give good advice. A few animal owners are repeat customers. The woman who gets a new pet every time she breaks up with a boyfriend is one example.

I am more interested in the drama and the intellectual challenge of treating a sick animal and the need to interact with the owners. I felt that there was enough animation to make things look good. SOme of Legacy's newer games have overemphasized animated sequences and cut back on the realistic medical sequences and the interaction between the characters.

Although the game can involve a lot of medicine, you should not be intimidated. This game can be played on several different levels. The easy level has enough hints that most non-medical people over 12 would be able to manage quite well. You can also learn about animal care and how a veterinarian's office works. As you advance through the levels, the cases become more complex and there is more of a time crunch. People interested in animals, animal care or medicine would enjoy this game. It is a different type of intellectual challenge than many interactive computer games.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh my gosh!!!, January 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Vet Emergency 2 (CD-ROM)

Vet emergency 2 is the best C.D. rom in the whole wide world. It helps you take care of and diagnose sick animals. While working with the animals you get a review of how your animal is doing and if he or she needs more treatment. If you have a pet and you're thinking of becoming a professional veterinarian definitely choose this fabulous, extraordinary, exotic,entertaining,educational and exciting game.
It's a winner!!!!!!!!!