Plague Inc: Evolved

About

"Plague Inc: Evolved" is a strategic simulation game where you control a deadly pathogen, evolving symptoms and spreading it around the world to eliminate the human population. You must balance infectivity, severity, and lethality to adapt to various scenarios and countermeasures. The game features expanded gameplay elements, improved graphics, and multiplayer mode compared to the original Plague Inc.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 25,132 reviews

gameplay336 positive mentions

story35 negative mentions

gameplay
1,235 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
5%
The gameplay of "Plague Inc: Evolved" is characterized by its strategic depth and engaging mechanics, allowing players to evolve various pathogens to infect and eradicate humanity. While many players appreciate the addictive nature and variety of scenarios, some criticize the repetitiveness of the core gameplay loop and the simplistic mechanics that can lead to a lack of depth over time. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of strategy and simulation, appealing to both casual gamers and those seeking a more complex experience.
- “In 2024, it remains a relevant title, blending engaging mechanics with dark humor and surprising educational value.”
- “The core gameplay is straightforward yet immensely engaging: players begin with a single infection in a chosen country and must evolve their pathogen through various upgrades to ensure it spreads, survives, and ultimately eradicates humanity.”
- “With multiple pathogens to unlock, diverse gameplay modes, and a variety of global events to contend with, Plague Inc: Evolved offers endless replayability and strategic depth.”
- “Repetitiveness: after multiple playthroughs, some players may find the core gameplay loop repetitive, especially if they stick to standard modes.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are very simple, akin to a mobile game.”
- “The gameplay is boring and repetitive and the map that you're stuck looking at in every game is ugly and low res.”
graphics
622 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
68%
4%
The graphics of "Plague Inc: Evolved" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over the mobile version, including enhanced visuals and a more polished interface. While some describe the graphics as simple yet effective, others criticize them for being outdated and lacking depth, particularly in comparison to modern gaming standards. Overall, the visuals are functional and serve the gameplay well, but they may not satisfy those seeking cutting-edge graphics.
- “With enhanced features, improved visuals, and additional modes, the evolved version stands as the definitive way to experience the game on PC and consoles.”
- “The evolved version features vastly improved visuals compared to its mobile counterpart.”
- “The graphics are aesthetically pleasing, the gameplay is fun & multiplayer is a blast!”
- “From lackluster graphics that feel dated to gameplay that quickly devolves into repetitive clicking, this game falls short of expectations.”
- “Firstly, the graphics are a major disappointment.”
- “The graphics are terrible; they never updated it and it hurts my eyes.”
replayability
537 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
Plague Inc: Evolved is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its diverse range of pathogens, difficulty levels, and custom scenarios, which provide unique challenges and strategic depth. Many players appreciate the community-driven content and scenario creator, enhancing the game's longevity and engagement. However, some users feel that the replay value diminishes after extensive play, particularly if strategies become predictable or repetitive. Overall, the game offers a robust replay experience, especially for fans of strategy simulations.
- “With a multitude of pathogen types, difficulty levels, and custom scenarios, Plague Inc: Evolved boasts immense replay value.”
- “Endless replayability: with countless pathogens, game modes, and evolving strategies, Plague Inc: Evolved ensures that every pandemic you unleash is a unique challenge.”
- “The sheer variety of plagues, most of which significantly change how you play the game, and options you have to customize and mold your plague, give Plague Inc a huge amount of replayability.”
- “Not very replayable.”
- “The game play is really fun, and the wide variety of viruses and plagues, as well as the official and steam workshop scenarios really ups the replay value.”
- “Unfortunately loses replayability if you look up strategy guides.”
humor
487 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in "Plague Inc: Evolved" is characterized by a blend of dark comedy and clever satire, with players enjoying the ability to name their pathogens whimsically and witness the absurdity of the in-game news headlines. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to juxtapose the grim theme of global pandemics with humorous elements, such as funny disease names and unexpected symptom combinations, creating a unique and entertaining experience. Overall, the game appeals to those with a morbid sense of humor, offering a lighthearted take on a serious subject.
- “Plague Inc: Evolved is a masterclass in blending strategy and simulation with a darkly humorous twist.”
- “The great part is different combinations of symptoms can create some hilarious results, which help you and hinder the humans as they fight against you.”
- “It's a fascinating balance between strategy, science, and a dark sense of humor.”
- “The joke's not funny anymore.”
- “Insert unfunny corona joke here.”
- “You can just tell some irredeemably unfunny European added cool, timely 'social commentary' just as unoriginal as their bad rip-off game.”
music
295 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the tension and emotional weight of the gameplay. While many players appreciate the eerie and haunting soundtrack that complements the theme of global catastrophe, some note that it can become repetitive over extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, though there are calls for more variety and additional tracks to enrich the experience further.
- “The music and sound effects enhance the tension as you play, with eerie tones that underscore the feeling of impending global catastrophe.”
- “The soundtrack is atmospheric and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The music is great; it has something about it that makes us feel fear and anxiety, the feeling that something incredibly bad is about to happen.”
- “Plague Inc: Evolved doesn’t really have much in the way of music.”
- “The soundtrack is okay, and I kind of wish it was better because it gets tiring listening to the same soundtrack for 200+ hours.”
- “The music and atmosphere is sweet and generally just fits with the theme without being uncomfortable.”
story
286 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
77%
12%
The story aspect of "Plague Inc: Evolved" is largely minimal and often described as non-existent, with many users noting that the game focuses primarily on gameplay rather than a narrative. While there are some global events and scenarios that provide a loose framework, the overall plot is sparse, leading players to create their own stories or engage with user-generated content for a more enriched experience. The game's primary objective is straightforward: to infect and eradicate humanity, which some players find engaging despite the lack of a traditional storyline.
- “The pacing of the story is fast-paced and engaging, with new challenges and events constantly arising as the virus spreads.”
- “Plague Inc: Evolved is a great game with both a 'story' mode and hours of fun going through custom scenarios.”
- “This incredibly gripping and dark game has one mission above all: infect everyone.”
- “Aside from a few global events that can occur, such as the Olympics or Brexit, there's minimal plot or story in Plague Inc: Evolved.”
- “The main game (the 'story' if you will) has a very simple objective: wipe out humanity with the 10 plague types at your disposal.”
- “This game doesn't really have any one story.”
grinding
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
41%
57%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest significant hours to unlock achievements and upgrades. Many reviewers express that while the game can be enjoyable initially, it quickly becomes repetitive and frustrating due to the reliance on grinding and RNG mechanics. Some players appreciate the challenge it presents, but overall, the consensus is that the grinding detracts from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy... sometimes.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “As others have said, this game is fun for a little while, but then becomes incredibly tedious, as you essentially have to use the same tactic on every single pathogen, with no real way to play differently, lest you get screwed over by various game mechanics.”
- “Game becomes tedious and boring extremely fast.”
- “What seems like a fairly straightforward game is made complicated and frustrating by the fact that the game's longevity is padded out using grinding.”
monetization
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
34%
52%
The monetization aspect of the game is generally well-received, with many users appreciating the absence of microtransactions and ads that plagued the mobile version. Players note that while the game is not free on PC, it offers a complete experience without additional costs, making it a more favorable option compared to its mobile counterpart. However, some users express disappointment over in-game advertisements and question the overall value of the game given its price.
- “The game has no microtransactions or ads.”
- “It's a good game, graphics are good, audio is cool, gameplay is fun, and microtransactions aren't really a thing, so that's good.”
- “Quite a good game, the PC version is definitely superior to the app, as it has more information during the game, a better, more responsive GUI, and you don't have to make in-game purchases to unlock the types of pathogens.”
- “Requiring the player to click on popups to get the currency feels like a cheap mobile game, and the news popups now pause the game and must be clicked out of like an annoying advertisement.”
- “The developers' choice to include in-game advertising in a paid game is disappointing at best.”
- “This is without a doubt the most disappointing game I have ever played; it's not worth $2.99, so paying $10 for it is a complete waste of money, and anything more than that would be foolish. The game info and advertisements are misleading; what you get is the most basic point-and-click map of the world.”
stability
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
5%
73%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting frequent freezes and bugs, particularly in multiplayer and custom scenarios. However, others have noted that it runs well on various systems, including older hardware, and some users experienced minimal issues, especially in the PC version. Overall, while there are significant stability concerns, particularly in early access, many players still find the game enjoyable despite its glitches.
- “Runs great even on an old laptop - one of my personal favorites for long waits at the airport.”
- “Bug free and updated surprisingly often!”
- “It's also surprisingly bug free for an early access game.”
- “The tutorial freezes on my high-level gaming laptop.”
- “Freezes after a few minutes of play.”
- “Constantly freezes for a few seconds, up to 15 seconds, sometimes no sound; waste of money, do not buy.”
atmosphere
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
42%
10%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and suspenseful qualities, enhanced by a fitting and atmospheric soundtrack that complements the gameplay. Reviewers note that the unique style and personality of the game create a memorable ambiance, contributing to a chilling and engaging experience. Overall, the atmosphere effectively draws players into the game's world, making it enjoyable and distinctive.
- “The soundtrack is atmospheric and enhances the overall experience.”
- “Everything from the game's atmosphere to its menus is full of personality, and you could recognize anything from this game a mile away.”
- “This game creates a real-time and world feel, immersing you in a good atmosphere.”
- “If you want any sort of atmosphere in this game, ignore the news updates as much as possible.”
- “Cool and unique concept, however the game loses its atmosphere and apocalypse/horror tone (which are really the only two things it uses to draw you into the game) when you remember that the evolution of a disease will never be dictated by a human.”
- “Would be nice if there was some voice over or narration, like the above trailer, but the music and ambient background sounds set the tone well and bring a dystopian atmosphere to proceedings!”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a complex emotional response to the game, finding it both cathartic and disturbing. Many describe it as a coping mechanism during challenging times, such as the pandemic, while also feeling guilt and sadness over the game's dark themes of global destruction. The haunting soundtrack and narrative elements evoke a range of emotions, from humor to introspection, making the experience both engaging and thought-provoking.
- “I played this game during the heart of the pandemic and, not gonna lie, it helped me cope with the craziness and weirdly made me feel a little bit more in control.”
- “The first few times I killed over a thousand people, I would actually get emotional over what I was doing and want to turn the game off.”
- “The grim soundtrack introduces the apocalyptic setting very well and makes for an unforgettable and (dark) emotional experience.”
optimization
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
44%
12%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and impressive graphics even on older hardware, others experience lag and performance issues, particularly during frequent saves and loads. Some users suggest that further enhancements are needed, especially for specific hardware configurations, while others find the game well-optimized for PC compared to its mobile version. Minor stuttering and loading times have also been noted as areas for improvement.
- “Infinite potential and possibilities delivered in a small, well-optimized package.”
- “Played it first on mobile back in 2017/18 and had a fun time with it, but on PC it's miles better in terms of graphics, and while highly detailed, they're still insanely optimized to the point where even this shoddy Dell laptop I got in like 2016 runs it smooth as hell, even with default settings.”
- “It has been properly optimized for the PC and is twice as fun.”
- “Performance issues if you saved and/or loaded the game a lot of times.”
- “It all happened when I tried to get the RNG-based achievement, which shouldn't be included in the game in the first place if the game has such performance issues.”
- “Look, it's fun but it's not my type of game and it takes way longer than it should to load; it could probably be optimized more.”