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Plague Inc: Evolved

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Plague Inc: Evolved
Developer(s)Ndemic Creations
Publisher(s)Ndemic Creations
EngineUnity
Platform(s)
Release
  • Xbox One
  • 18 September 2015
  • Windows, macOS, Linux
  • 18 February 2016
  • PlayStation 4
  • 31 May 2016
  • Nintendo Switch
  • 2 August 2019
Genre(s)Real-time strategy, simulation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

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.[1]

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot of Plague Inc: Evolved showing a map of the world, with infected countries in red. The user interface was optimized for console and PC.

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.[2]

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.[1]

It also includes all of the expansion packs from the original Plague Inc. game.[3]

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[4] 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.[5][non-primary source needed]

Development and release

Plague Inc: Evolved went live on Steam Early Access on 20 February 2014.[6]

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".[7]

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.[8]

The 1.0 release took place on 18 February 2016.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11]

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]

References

  1. ^ a b Khan, Ali S (16 April 2013). "Plague Inc". CDC. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  2. ^ Parkin, Simon (12 March 2013). "Plague vs. Pandemic: How James Vaughan's iOS hit Plague Inc. took the market from its inspiration". Pocket Gamer.biz. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Plague Inc: Evolved (PC)". Ndemic Creations. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  4. ^ Kelly-Linden, Jordan (12 November 2020). "Gamers v governments: who can save the world from a deadly pandemic?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Plague Inc: The Cure on Steam". Steam. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  6. ^ Corriea, Alexa Ray (19 February 2014). "Plague Inc.: Evolved hits Steam Early Access tomorrow". Polygon. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  7. ^ Gera, Emily (21 February 2014). "Plague Inc: Evolved will use player feedback to shape multiplayer campaign, says Ndemic Creations". Polygon. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  8. ^ Chalk, Andy (27 November 2015). "Plague Inc. Evolved gets head-to-head multiplayer next week". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Plague Inc: Evolved is out of Early Access - Version 1.0 Launches for PC, MAC and Linux". Ndemic Creations. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Plague Inc: Evolved infects Nintendo Switch - available now!". Ndemic Creations. 2 August 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Plague Inc: Evolved for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  12. ^ Fazio, Lorenzo (3 March 2016). "Plague Inc: Evolved - recensione" [Plague Inc: Evolved - review]. Eurogamer (in Italian). Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 29 May 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  13. ^ Bell, Alice (2 October 2015). "Plague Inc: Evolved review". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  14. ^ Bonifacic, Igor (12 November 2020). "Plague Inc.'s new 'The Cure' mode is free until the coronavirus pandemic ends". Engadget. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  15. ^ Nightingale, Ed (27 May 2022). "Plague Inc creator admits profiting from the pandemic was "awkward"". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
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