[b]Plague Inc[/b] is a very unique game to me, as it blends horror with strategy; you play as a disease, and your job is to infect the entire world and kill everyone. A concept that scares me in a way, but makes for some fun gameplay. [b]Plague Inc[/b] has also just received a new DLC called [b]Aliens and Anti-Vaxxers[/b] at the time of writing this review, which brings in some new scenarios and content for the game.
[h1]Gameplay[/h1]
The gameplay for [b]Plague Inc: Evolved[/b] has lots of depth to it and strategy for you to use in order to win. There are multiple disease types that you can use; you only have access to one at the start, and a few add-ons for the game. But you can unlock more as you beat the [b]plagues[/b] one by one on normal difficulty.
There are 12 different [b]plagues[/b] for you to use; each has a different way of infecting people and ways for people to combat it. For your [b]plague[/b] to evolve and kill people, you will need to put in some upgrades to make it stronger. These upgrades cost DNA, which you can get gradually or by popping red and orange bubbles, which will give you some.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3745443971
Each [b]plague[/b] has a different play style and a strategy for you to beat it. I recommend trying to get transmissions first, so it can spread. You will get random [b]mutations[/b] for free on occasion, and you do have the option to keep them or devolve them if you have too many symptoms before infecting the whole world. Your [b]plague[/b] may get noticed early, and there is no way for you to win, depending on the [b]plague[/b]. This does, of course, depend on the [b]plague[/b] you choose. [b]Nano-Virus[/b], in particular, is a unique [b]plague[/b], as you notice from the start, and you must be aggressive to win.
However, I did mention that your objective is to wipe out humanity, so in return, humanity won’t like that, and they will try to fight you to stop you from spreading. They will also try to hinder or limit your ability to spread, and you will have to use DNA points on things like drug resistance, air and water travel, and [b]genetic hardening[/b] to help slow down research and cure speed.
You also have to keep an eye on sea and air ports, as these are your best ways to spread your plague. Countries will close their air and sea ports to stop the spread, and if that happens, it can be extremely difficult for the [b]disease[/b] to spread, or outright impossible. [b]Greenland[/b] in particular only has a seaport, and if they close their seaport and you haven’t infected them, your run is over, depending on your plague. [b]Fungus[/b] can spread by spores and is airborne, so it can reach other countries that way, and the [b]Xenolith crystal[/b] has multiple ways to win with it.
Your [b]plague[/b] will also get different reactions in different countries, and they will respond in a variety of ways that can both hinder and help you from spreading. Paying attention to the events of the world can be very helpful, as it will help you get a game plan on what you need in order to win with your disease.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3745443480
You will also want to spend some of your DNA on some symptoms. You will need to be careful about what symptoms you get, as if you have too many, your plague will be discovered. If you get discovered too early, especially on the higher difficulties, it may make your run extremely difficult or impossible to win. You also need to be careful about your lethality as well. If you kill all of your hosts before infecting everyone, you can lose the game that way too. You will also want to spend some DNA on some abilities like cold, heat, and drug resistance. You will need to get some drug resistance so you can increase your infectivity in richer countries.
You can also get some transmission, like air or water transmission, to help spread your disease. This is important as plans and boats will install filters that will prevent it from spreading, and if, let's say, some places do close their borders, you can still infect them with things like livestock, birds, insects, or blood. Unless it’s an island, where that may be a bit more difficult, unless, as mentioned before, you are playing as Fungus, as it spreads by spores.
Some of my favorite plagues to play as include the [b]Nano-virus[/b], with its aggressive playstyle. [b]Fungus[/b] can be very fun with its unique way of spreading, and the recent DLC released with the [b]Xenolith crystal[/b], where you turn Earth and everyone into a green crystal.
There is also a [b]Cure mode[/b], where you fight to save the world from a pandemic. It’s a new way to play the game, and it’s also difficult, as you need to not only fight the disease but also keep your public global authority up as well. If you lose your reputation, it’s game over, or if humanity dies out. There is heavy micromanagement, balancing resources, and political compliance, which are the few things that you have to worry about.
I haven’t really touched [b]Cure Mode[/b] much, so I can’t really say much about it, but it is a fun, different way to play [b]Plague Inc. Evolved[/b]. There are also costume scenarios, where you can play as a costume disease from the community workshop. However, there are also a few official scenarios made by the devs that you can play.
[h1]Final Verdict[/h1]
[b]Plague Inc: Evolved[/b] is a fun strategy game that has a good amount of content for the 19.49 CAD that it’s worth. The only thing that I would point out about the game is that there isn’t a whole lot of room for creativity in the game. As this is a strategy game, on the higher difficulties, you have to kind of play a certain way, or winning is just impossible. But other than that, Plague Inc: Evolved is a fun strategy game for those who like them.
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