(Reviewed on PC)
(Available on PC)
(Available on PC)
Plague Inc: Evolved is a strategy-simulation game in which the player takes control of a pathogen with the sole intent of infecting and killing the entire human race. Developed by Ndemic Creations, this sadistic pandemic is a direct sequel to Plague Inc., the iOS and Android game that found itself with widespread critical acclaim. Currently in Early Access on Steam, this PC-exclusive adds a variety of new bells and whistles while still keeping true to what made the original unique.
Being in Early Access, a number of features are currently missing from the game. Of the various modes, the main mode, akin to the gameplay of Plague Inc., is the only one currently playable. A number of plagues – such as virus, fungus, parasite, and more – are available to choose from. However, they must be unlocked one at a time by completing the game. Each one specializes in a certain aspect, whether it be their ability to spread, the rate at which they mutate and become more deadly, or some other variable. Even though the plagues act differently, they don’t really change the core gameplay too much. Having played with each one, I found that the only thing that really changed was how long it took me to infect everyone. After choosing a plague, the player can then select five of any twenty-five genes that affect the plague’s DNA production, survivability, and transmission. These offer a lot more variety than the plague types do, but the core gameplay remains mostly unchanged. Assign your pathogen a name and you’re just about ready to start wreaking havoc on all of mankind.
The game presents you the world map with a pop-up message prompting you to choose a country, the start of your pathogen’s adventure. The counter at the bottom of screen keeps track of how many people you’ve infected and killed. Clicking on individual countries shows how many have been afflicted in them and the state of their governments. Throughout the game, bubbles will appear across the map as your disease spreads. Orange bubbles grant DNA points and red bubbles show that your disease has spread to a new country. DNA points allow you to purchase upgrades to your pathogen, changing its survivability, transmission and death rates. There are a lot of available upgrades and the UI in the menus is sleek and easily accessible. Blue bubbles begin to appear as people begin developing a cure, and clicking on these bubbles slow the curing process. Plane and anchor symbols on the map portray countries in which your disease can spread via air or sea travel. News is tracked on the top left corner. The news starts out as rather trivial nonsense, but as your disease grows the media becomes entirely focused on its destruction. There are two ways to lose: letting the cure counter hit one-hundred percent or killing every infected person before everyone on Earth has been infected. The gameplay is straightforward and easy to learn, with it being entirely compromised of clicking bubbles and deciding on upgrades. Being a simulator, you spend most of the time watching the game play itself.
Plague Inc: Evolved is surprisingly fun to play. Its accessible gameplay, underlying humor, and inviting nature are easy to become attached to. There’s very little actual gameplay going on, and so even the most casual gamers will be able to enjoy it. Though it lacks a lot of depth in the strategy apartment, there is enough that you can play the game multiple ways. Higher difficulties can be a real challenge, but once you’ve figured it out you’ll probably never lose again. There’s something strangely entertaining in being able to infect and kill every human being.
The audio and visual design is very simple and polished. The menus and UI are sleek and easy to navigate. Colors are vibrant and really grab your attention. There’s only one song to the game, and even though it doesn’t sound too bad, it becomes incredibly repetitive after having played for a while. They don’t add to the overall product too much, but they don’t take too much from it either.
Unfortunately, its biggest downfall is that it feels too much like a mobile game. The gameplay is much too simple and lacks depth. There’s no story or sense of immersion. And even though it’s fun to play, its horribly repetitive nature is bound to turn away most players after just a few runs. The added bells and whistles are nice, but they’re just a façade to mask the lack of depth. There’s nothing really worth sticking around for after an hour or two.
Plague Inc: Evolved is surprisingly fun to play. Its accessible gameplay, underlying humor, and inviting nature are easy to become attached to. There’s very little actual gameplay going on, and so even the most casual gamers will be able to enjoy it. Though it lacks a lot of depth in the strategy apartment, there is enough that you can play the game multiple ways. Higher difficulties can be a real challenge, but once you’ve figured it out you’ll probably never lose again. There’s something strangely entertaining in being able to infect and kill every human being.
The audio and visual design is very simple and polished. The menus and UI are sleek and easy to navigate. Colors are vibrant and really grab your attention. There’s only one song to the game, and even though it doesn’t sound too bad, it becomes incredibly repetitive after having played for a while. They don’t add to the overall product too much, but they don’t take too much from it either.
Unfortunately, its biggest downfall is that it feels too much like a mobile game. The gameplay is much too simple and lacks depth. There’s no story or sense of immersion. And even though it’s fun to play, its horribly repetitive nature is bound to turn away most players after just a few runs. The added bells and whistles are nice, but they’re just a façade to mask the lack of depth. There’s nothing really worth sticking around for after an hour or two.
At best, Plague Inc: Evolved is an okay game. Due to its simple gameplay, its current state of Early Access probably won’t be too different from the final product. It’s fun and interesting, but only for a short while. And while some may find it incredibly addictive, most will see that it’s just too shallow to provide an experience worth playing for an extended period of time. It just doesn’t offer enough beyond the original mobile game. Considering its weaknesses, its fifteen dollar price tag is rather steep and it will turn away most potential buyers. If you’d still like to play Plague Inc: Evolved, I’d highly recommend the much cheaper original game or wait for it to go on sale.
Overview:
Category Graphics Immersion Story and Narrative Sound Gameplay Lasting Appeal | Description They’re certainly nothing flashy, but they’re sleek and don’t distract you from the game. Colors are vibrant and grab your attention when necessary. You spend most of the time just watching your disease infect and kill people. Not being able to do it yourself removes any chance of immersion. Nonexistent. There’s only one song. It sounds okay, but is incredibly repetitive. You’ll be clicking on bubbles and upgrading your pathogen. While you’re not doing that, you’re sitting back and watching humanity crumble. It’s simple and very accessible, even to the most casual of gamers. Unless you really love the idea of being able to wipe out all of humanity, you’ll probably forget about this one quickly. Its novelty wears off rather quickly after only a few hours. |
Final Score:
6.2/10 - Okay