Plague Inc. is a strategic video game originally developed for iOS and Android devices. It is currently also available for PC and Mac, and an Xbox One version will be released soon. The aim of the game is to spread an epidemic and exterminate the world's population before a cure is found. There are several pathogens available in the game, and one of them, the Neurax Worm, is a genetically manipulated organism that sneaks into the victim's brain. The problem is that it can alert health authorities, who can take action to find a cure.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Create the Neurax Worm
Step 1. Edit the DNA genes
The list of genes will affect the DNA points you earn over the course of the game. For the Neurax Worm in brutal mode choose Catalytic Conversion. This genetic code will give you more DNA points by bursting the blue (healing) bubbles.
- During the game, researchers will frantically try to find a cure for the virus, sending people around the world looking for clues. The presence of researchers on the map will be indicated with blue bubbles.
- Catalytic conversion is useful in the middle and late stages of the game.
Step 2. Edit the transmission genes
For this genetic set, choose Aquacito, the probability of the epidemic spreading by sea will increase.
- Most countries have ports, especially hard-to-reach ones such as Greenland and Iceland.
- With this gene, the epidemic will spread through water, as well as by ship, and transmission will be faster than normal.
Step 3. Edit evolutionary genes
This will give you the ability to change the evolution and regression values of your Neurax Worm. In brutal mode, choose Ionized Helix. It will give you some bonus DNA when the worm regresses.
It's not a bad idea to insert more genes, as long as they don't speed up the healing process
Step 4. Edit the mutagenic genes
These genes allow you to decide how the gene changes. They can also affect whether the gene changes or not. In this mode, use Darwinist.
- This gene increases the likelihood of the epidemic mutating, and becomes very useful late in the game.
- You can also use genetic mimicry; this gene makes it more difficult to cure. The possibility that the worm mutates does not require DNA points.
Step 5. Edit the environmental genes
Here you will find the genes that determine the behavior of the Neurax worm depending on the surrounding environment. In this mode, Extremophile is strongly recommended, because it gives the worm a bonus, albeit minor, in all environments.
Part 2 of 4: Spread the Neurax Worm
Step 1. Choose the country of departure
This step is of fundamental importance. You must choose a country with a poor health system to spread the epidemic quickly and effectively.
- Choosing a rich country will delay the generation of DNA points, which will heavily affect the outcome of the game.
- It is advisable to choose India as the country of departure, due to the warm climate. Your Neurax Worm will perform best in hot areas. Furthermore, the fact that India has China as a neighboring country will greatly favor the contagion.
Step 2. Evolve Eggs
The mode of transmission greatly affects the infectivity of the Neurax worm. To win in this mode, immediately evolve Eggs. This will cause the worm to lay eggs, which will hatch in the host's brain and then spread outside.
- This is particularly useful in more populous countries, such as China.
- This will unlock the most important vectors of this mode. Increase Birds to 1, Insects to 1 and Rodents to 1 to make the epidemic spread faster.
Step 3. Evolve Accordion movement
Accordion movement, which you can find in the Transmission panel, allows the worm to move by gripping one section of the body and dragging the others along. This favors the speed of movement outside the host and increases the infectivity index.
- This will unlock Wave Movement. Undulatory movement causes the worm to move inwards and outwards its own body; this makes it faster and further increases its infectivity index.
- If you have enough DNA points, evolve Wave Movement immediately after Accordion Movement.
Step 4. Evolve Air and Water
Evolving Wave Movement will unlock two additional transmission genes: Air and Water. Evolve them. The Neurax worm will begin to spread to other countries and the number of infected people will increase.
- If you have no DNA points at this point in the game, return to the game and pop bubbles. When you have enough DNA points you evolve the Air and Water genes.
- Air dehydrates the worm, making it lighter and floating it in the air, which is useful in countries with arid climates. It also affects air travel, making it easier for the epidemic to cross borders between states.
- The Water gene causes the Neurax worm to develop flexible cell membranes, which allow it to survive at great depths. It also affects water resources, infecting people directly from the tap. It is very effective in poor countries.
Part 3 of 4: Evolve the Skills and Level 2 of Transmission
Step 1. Evolve Drug Resistance
Thanks to the passive gene that we choose before starting the game, we can ensure that the Neurax Worm is able to evolve the Symptoms without the need for DNA points. Now that it has spread to other countries, it is better to evolve the worm with drug resistance 1. The worm will be so resistant to class 1 and class 2 drugs, which will make it dangerous even in rich countries.
If you have enough DNA points, evolve Cold Resistance 1 and Cold Resistance 2. As the Neurax worm is resistant to hot climates, it is important to focus on Resistance to cold rather than Resistance to heat. This way, it will be able to withstand low temperatures and will be more effective in the Nordic countries
Step 2. Evolve Air 2 and Water 2
Go back to the game and let the Neurax Worm spread. Pop all the red bubbles. As the epidemic spreads, the world will become increasingly involved in the search for a cure. Evolve Air 2 and Water 2, which will unlock a new gene, Aria 3. Evolve it.
- If you have more DNA points, go back to the skills and evolve Drug Resistance 2, then go back to the game and see how the worm spreads in the world.
- Pop all the bubbles, including the blue ones.
- More Trojan horse airplanes will appear. Use them to spread the Neurax worm in countries where it is not yet present, such as Greenland, Iceland, Sweden, the Caribbean and Madagascar.
- If the cure reaches 25%, open the Disease window, select the Skills panel and choose Genetic scrambling 1.
Step 3. Evolve Gene Exchange
Now that the treatment is in progress and the virus has spread to all countries, you must try to infect the entire world population.
- First of all, evolve Gene Exchange.
- Evolve Mutative Regeneration 1 and Mutative Regeneration 2.
- Since there have been no deaths yet, Body Nutrition 1 is useless. Mutative regeneration, on the other hand, increases the chances of mutation.
Part 4 of 4: Evolve the Symptoms to Adoration
Now that we have enough DNA points, we can evolve the symptoms. Symptoms increase the key characteristics of the disease and other special abilities of the worm. If the cure level has reached 75%, evolve Genetic Reshuffle 2. At this point in the game, the cure should still not exceed 50%.
Step 1. Evolve Brain Filaments
This increases the worm's control over the host's brain.
Step 2. Evolve Frontal engagement
The filaments will take hold on the frontal lobe, the center of conscious thought, making it possible for the worm to control the host.
Step 3. Evolve Immaturity
By altering hormone production, people's brain age and the level of hygiene are lowered, increasing the spread of the worm.
This will unlock the next gene, which will take away the faculty of thinking, making mind control possible
Step 4. Evolve Mania
The excessive production of serotonin due to this ability leads to manic behavior, increasing contact between people and decreasing the ability to concentrate.
This also affects the ability to find a cure
Step 5. Evolve Obsession
Damage to the orbital cortex leads to obsessive-compulsive disorders, all related to worms. This increases the effectiveness and infectiveness of Neurax.
Step 6. Evolve Devotion
The rise in dopamine and serotonin levels leads the guest to constantly think about the worm with peaks of true exaltation.
Step 7. Evolve Transcendence
The overdose of oxytocin and vasopressin leads the guest to a permanent state of acceptance / veneration. The Neurax Worm is regarded as an immortal god. Infected people will stop seeking the cure.
Step 8. Evolve Worship
This will lead infected people to voluntarily spread the epidemic around the world.
