Plague Inc: Evolved Explained

Plague Inc: Evolved
Developer:Ndemic Creations
Publisher:Ndemic Creations
Engine:Unity
Genre:Real-time strategy, simulation
Modes:Single-player, multiplayer
Composer:Joshua Kapalan
Marius Masalar[1]

Plague Inc: Evolved is a real-time strategy simulation video game, developed and published by UK-based independent games studio Ndemic Creations. The game is a remake of the developer's previous game, Plague Inc., adapted for PC and consoles. In the game, the player creates and evolves a pathogen in an effort to destroy the world with a deadly plague. The game uses an epidemic model with a complex and realistic set of variables to simulate the spread and severity of the plague, and has attracted the attention of the CDC.[2]

Gameplay

The core game of Plague Inc: Evolved is the same as Plague Inc. the player controls a plague which has infected patient zero. The player must infect and kill the whole world population by evolving the plague and adapting to various environments. However, there is a time pressure to complete the game before humans, the opponent, develop a cure for the plague. The developer has said that the game was inspired by Pandemic 2, a browser-based Flash game released in 2008 by Dark Realm Studios.[3]

The game series has been praised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who said "it uses a non-traditional route to raise public awareness on epidemiology, disease transmission, and diseases/pandemic information. The game creates a compelling world that engages the public on serious public health topics". The developer of the game was invited to give a talk at the CDC.

It also includes all of the expansion packs from the original Plague Inc. game.[4]

Plague Inc: The Cure

On 28 January 2021 Plague Inc: The Cure a free DLC (now paid) was released wherein the player attempts to eradicate a rapidly spreading plague[5] by creating a cure before they lose all of their "authority" due to too many people getting panicked about disease spread.

The player can slow the spread of the plague by imposing health guidelines, public awareness schemes and continental lockdowns.[6]

Development and release

Plague Inc: Evolved went live on Steam Early Access on 20 February 2014.[7]

In 2014, the developer used "almost half a million pieces of feedback and feature requests from players" to help him understand what players wanted from the game and said he was "only 50 percent of the way through the original Plague Inc. design document".[8]

A multiplayer mode, titled "VS. mode" was added to the game on 1 December 2015. In this mode, two players compete to spread their own plague across the world, while preventing in-game humans from inventing a cure and trying to eradicate the other player's disease. The mode adds new genes, evolution and abilities to the game.[9]

The 1.0 release took place on 18 February 2016.[10]

On August 9, 2019, Ndemic Creations released Plague Inc. Evolved for the Nintendo Switch; gameplay is operated through the Switch's Joy-Con, or the touchscreen.[11]

Reception

The Xbox One version of Plague Inc. Evolved has received "generally favorable reviews" from review aggregator Metacritic. Critics gave the game an average score of 80 out of 100.

In March 2016, the Italian edition of Eurogamer gave the game a 7 out of 10 score, praising the game for its relatively complex gameplay but mildly criticising it for a lack of depth caused by its origins as a mobile game.[12]

In October 2015, GamesRadar+ rated the game a 4 out of 5, stating that the game is a "delicate balancing act".[13]

There was some controversy due to the nature of the game during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to this Plague Inc. The Cure was given out for free on some platforms until it ended.[14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. https://ndemiccreations.bandcamp.com/album/plague-inc-original-soundtrack
  2. Web site: Khan . Ali S . 16 April 2013 . Plague Inc. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210622041811/https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2013/04/plague-inc/ . 22 June 2021 . 22 February 2014 . CDC.
  3. Web site: Parkin . Simon . 12 March 2013 . Plague vs. Pandemic: How James Vaughan's iOS hit Plague Inc. took the market from its inspiration . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210925122446/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/feature/49231/plague-vs-pandemic-how-james-vaughans-ios-hit-plague-inc-took-the-market-from-its-inspiration . 25 September 2021 . 22 February 2014 . Pocket Gamer.biz.
  4. Web site: Plague Inc: Evolved (PC) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210928221047/https://www.ndemiccreations.com/en/25-plague-inc-evolved . 28 September 2021 . 22 February 2014 . Ndemic Creations.
  5. News: Kelly-Linden . Jordan . 12 November 2020 . Gamers v governments: who can save the world from a deadly pandemic? . en-GB . . live . 2023-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210126120411/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/gamers-v-governments-can-save-world-deadly-pandemic/ . 26 January 2021 . 0307-1235.
  6. Web site: 28 January 2021 . Plague Inc: The Cure on Steam . 2022-11-26 . . en.
  7. Web site: Corriea . Alexa Ray . 2014-02-19 . Plague Inc.: Evolved hits Steam Early Access tomorrow . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211203074248/https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/19/5425560/plague-inc-evolved-hits-steam-early-access-tomorrow . 3 December 2021 . 2023-05-01 . . en-US.
  8. Web site: Gera . Emily . 21 February 2014 . Plague Inc: Evolved will use player feedback to shape multiplayer campaign, says Ndemic Creations . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211201205526/https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/21/5432022/plague-inc-evolved-will-use-player-feedback-to-shape-multiplayer . 1 December 2021 . 22 February 2014 . Polygon.
  9. Web site: Chalk . Andy . 27 November 2015 . Plague Inc. Evolved gets head-to-head multiplayer next week . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210619164831/https://www.pcgamer.com/plague-inc-evolved-gets-head-to-head-multiplayer-next-week/ . 19 June 2021 . 28 November 2015 . PC Gamer.
  10. Web site: 18 February 2016 . Plague Inc: Evolved is out of Early Access - Version 1.0 Launches for PC, MAC and Linux . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211028060305/https://www.ndemiccreations.com/en/news/108-plague-inc-evolved-is-out-of-early-access-version-1-0-launches-for-pc-mac-and-linux . 28 October 2021 . 20 April 2016 . Ndemic Creations.
  11. Web site: 2 August 2019 . Plague Inc: Evolved infects Nintendo Switch - available now! . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211028050746/https://www.ndemiccreations.com/en/news/161-plague-inc-evolved-infects-nintendo-switch-available-now . 28 October 2021 . 2020-06-23 . Ndemic Creations.
  12. Web site: Fazio . Lorenzo . 3 March 2016 . Plague Inc: Evolved - recensione . Plague Inc: Evolved - review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190529161417/https://www.eurogamer.it/articles/2016-03-02-plague-inc-evolved-recensione . 29 May 2019 . 29 May 2019 . . . it.
  13. Web site: Bell . Alice . 2 October 2015 . Plague Inc: Evolved review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210926105533/https://www.gamesradar.com/plague-inc-evolved-review/ . 26 September 2021 . 2020-12-13 . . en.
  14. Web site: Bonifacic . Igor . 12 November 2020 . Plague Inc.'s new 'The Cure' mode is free until the coronavirus pandemic ends . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211207101535/https://www.engadget.com/plague-inc-the-cure-mode-now-available-233222554.html . 7 December 2021 . 2023-05-01 . . en-US.
  15. News: Nightingale . Ed . 2022-05-27 . Plague Inc creator admits profiting from the pandemic was "awkward" . en-gb . . live . 2023-05-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220527110832/https://www.eurogamer.net/plague-inc-creator-admits-profiting-from-the-pandemic-was-awkward . 27 May 2022.

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