Bibliography
Game Title: Plague Inc.
Genre: Simulation
Target: Teens+
Monetization: Paid, $0.99
Plague Inc is an interesting game where you play as an evolving disease trying to eliminate the human population. As you infect more people you gain points that you can spend to upgrade yourself. It then becomes a race as scientist try to find a cure against you. It is an engaging theme that despite the player being a microscopic disease it is pulled back to a global scale, allowing the player to get a sense of how diseases change and spread in the real world.
Like other simulation games, the player has access to a lot of data. Core information is displayed on the main screen, but global and each countries detailed information are accessible. After selecting the starting location for the disease, the player only has a few choices while playing the game; when and how to evolve their disease. But can continue to interact with the game by tapping popups to collect upgrade points. Progress is shown by locations turning red as they become infected. The map graphic is appealing and the black and white airplane and ship graphics contrast against it making them easy to see.
There are three difficulty settings and additional content that can be unlocked as you win games. Along with additional expansions that can be purchased, giving the game a lot of replay value. The music is very dramatic giving an additional layer of tension to the game, however with the music on many of the sound effects like buttons clicks blend in and are lost.
Ndemic Creations. (2017). Plague Inc.(version 1.13.3) [iOS].