‘Do No Harm’ Feels Like Ye Olde ‘Papers, Please’ Mixed With ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’, Bringing Anomaly Hunting to Medieval Times (Review)

Indie games are always trying something new. Rather than focusing on the idea of surgery or pushing to be the next big simulator, Do No Harm puts me behind a counter. I have a few vials of brightly colored liquid before me, and a man who is profusely sweating. He’s allergic to Beef and Onions, so I need to research and see what I can give him to ensure he doesn’t die. Do No Harm is an interesting, exciting, and genuinely high-stakes game that’s paired with beautiful graphics and sound. Oh yeah, and manmade horrors beyond my comprehension. I can’t forget about that part. Or maybe that’s just in my mind?

Keeping One Eye Open Is Always Important in ‘Do No Harm’

After making my way into a village as the new doctor, I quickly started learning the many tricks of the trade. I needed to study what was going on with my patients, and what I could do to help them. Some folks were incredibly helpful, giving me enough details to keep things rolling smoothly. Other guests, however, didn’t know exactly what was going on, and I had to study them deeply to figure out how I could help them.

Do No Harm had me step into the role of an unnamed doctor, and my main goal was to study the patients who came in. The idea sounds simple enough, but as more days continue to pass, the more difficult things become. I always had my trusty medical book by my side, detailing what symptoms I should be treating with a specific type of medication. And it was rather easy. For the first few days, at least. After folks started coming in with deformities, abnormalities, and rashes, I started unlocking more pages. More equipment. This is when things started getting far more interesting.

Even if Do No Harm kept its equipment to what I unlocked during the first few days, it would still be a rather engaging experience. But as days quickly started passing, I began to unlock even more ways that I could deliver medication. Alternative medicines for those who didn’t know how they were feeling. A magnifying glass so I could get up close and personal with the gorgeous art and freaky folks who came in. Manmade horrors beyond my comprehension that would randomly appear while I was helping someone out. Do No Harm isn’t just a pretty face; it’s a spot-the-difference horror game that quickly goes off the deep end.

Leave No Stone Unturned in ‘Do No Harm’, Unless You Want To Lose Your Mind

The hook of Do No Harm, outside of making bizarre concoctions of Blood, Phelgm, and two different types of Bile, is that something in this village just… isn’t right. Some men and women come into this shop, looking like something directly from The Fly. There are creepy eyes that stare at you from the exterior windows, watching your every move. And sometimes, the paintings would even take a moment to laugh at my wavering sanity. This is where the game truly starts to shine. There were a few times that I didn’t look everywhere, and I paid the price for it in the end. Multiple villagers died by my hands, and as the text on the screen became garbled, my sanity slowly started to waver and falter. My mind was failing me, and I was hooked.

Do No Harm, much like the proper medical field, has much to teach you. Every day, something new is introduced, and it makes the idea of trying to treat people much more difficult. The first few days are slow and steady, with small variables making things slightly more difficult. But then we factor in allergies and medication aversions, as well as the Humor Wheel, and it becomes a much more absorbing affair.

Prepare Yourself Well, Because Confusion Is All Part of the Journey

Even after my time playing, I’m still a touch confused about the Humor Wheel, but as I continue to play and learn, I’m hoping to understand its purpose a bit more. But if I couldn’t get something to work, I could always trust my natural remedies to help put me on the right path.

Do No Harm can be slightly confusing at times, as there are plenty of times that things feel like trial and error. But, in an era of games constantly holding your hands at every turn, it was quite refreshing. I had to learn, experiment, and figure out what I was doing right and wrong. Much like I imagine the medical field during this particular era of time was actually like. But, keeping my sanity up and avoiding these terrifying anomalies by pounding down a liquid drink kept me on the edge of my seat at all times.

Give ‘Do No Harm’ the Time It Deserves, and It Will Show You Its True Potential

Do No Harm isn’t a game that you’ll immediately understand. Even after playing, there are still some parts of it that are confusing to this day. The Humor Wheel, in particular, is going to require some close studying and directing to fully understand. But Do No Harm is engaging, entertaining, and genuinely creepy at times. Paired with an excellent art direction and great sound design, it’s truly a unique offering.

Plus, in a way, it’s infinitely replayable. Each case is different than the last. And it takes a good amount of time before you can get truly comfortable in your new skin as the latest doctor in town. The vibes are immaculate here, even if there’s a creepy face staring over the counter at me. Even as I lost my mind and caused a proper amount of chaos in Do No Harm? I was always excited to jump back behind the counter for another round.

Verdict: Strongly Recommended

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Do No Harm is available now on Steam. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.