Plague Inc: Evolved

Start Fake News scenario on Casual and start in Russia

Manifesto:

• Medical Fake News,
• Started By Kittens,
• Financial Gain Motivation,
• Blaming The Elderly

Notes: You need to buy these in order asap, no waiting or rearranging or it may mess up progression. You don't need it to be an exact 50/50 split but within the general area. This may also take a few tries due to RNG but it worked for me first try:

From the Growth tab:

1. Word of Mouth

2. Internet

3. Memes

4. Influencers

5. Bot Network 1

6. Bot Network 2

7. Out of Context

8. Hire Fake Experts

9. Media Outreach

10. Fabricate Data

11. Community Development

12. TV Targeting

13. Talk Show

14. Print Targeting

15. Buy a TV Network

16. Radio Targeting

17. Social Media Presence

18. Buy a Newspaper

19. Billboards

From the Adaptability tab:

1. Tweet Mean Things
2. Focus on Irrelevant Details
3. Claim Witch Hunt

Back to the Growth tab:

1. Onboard Politician

2. Onboard Political Party

3. Fundraising

4. Exploit Institutions

5. Podcasts

6. Online Video Production

7. Newsletters

8. Printed Leaflets

9. Peer-to-Peer Messages

10. Merchandising

11. Community Amplification

From this point, it should hit very close to 50/50 split and give you the achievement. Once the achievement pops, you can just do all four of the 'Expand Victim List' chain in Adaptability tab to win quickly.

I will write this as if I'm beating the game on Mega Brutal, which will pop the 'normal version' of the achievement as well if you don't already have it. Mega brutal has a random element of luck. A few times that I tried this, Greenland didn't get infected quick enough and I ended up losing. However, I was able to reproduce this win a few times as well with 110k+.

Genetic Code:

• Catalytic Switch
• Genetic Mimic
• Aquacyte
• Any environment gene (I picked Extremophile)
• Sympto-Stasis

Start in Saudi Arabia

Symptoms (evolve each 'group' in any order):

• Cysts
• Abscesses
• Rash
• Sweating
• Skin Lesions
• Coughing
• Pneumonia
• Sneezing
• Hypersensitivity
• Insomnia
• Paranoia
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea

Transmission:

• Air 1 and 2
• Water 1 and 2

Abilities:

• Heat 1
• Cold 1 and 2
• Drug Resistance 1 and 2

Symptoms:

• Necrosis

Now wait and pile DNA until...
... Greenland is first infected: evolve Dysentery and Anaemia (and any other symptom that isn't too lethal)
... Greenland is nearly fully infected: anything extremely lethal that you can afford. Kill the world!

Evolve the genetic reshuffles to drop the cure percentage as needed (whether during the 'wait' or after world is dying off).

I also made a video guide here:

Good luck!

I will write this as if I'm beating the game on Mega Brutal, which will pop the 'normal version' of the achievement as well if you don't already have it. This one is similar to virus but it gets lethal by itself quickly, winning this is all about timing the 'kill switch' right and a LOT of luck. This probably took a good 10+ games for me to finally get Greenland (everywhere else would die except there) but it is possible (proof at bottom). It also becomes entirely a race against the cure, my first (and best) attempt got a 3 star win but it was enough for the achievement. I would imagine a 5 star requires every nation getting infected early enough but I haven't been that lucky.

Genes: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aqualyte, Urbophile, Patho-Stasis

Start in Saudi Arabia. You want the central location and population to get this thing out there asap.

Symptoms:

• Coughing
• Pneumonia
• Sneezing
• Cysts
• Hyper Sensitivity
• Abscesses
• Nausea

Transmission:

• Water 1
• Air 1
• Water 2

Abilities:

• Gene Compression 1
• Deactivate Modified Genes 1
• Nucleic Acid Neutralization 1

(I call this the 'reset trio')

• Cold Resistance 1 & 2
• Heat Resistance 1
• Drug Resistance 1 & 2
• Genetic Hardening 1 & 2

(Need this thing strong everywhere)

• Gene Compression 2
• Deactivate Modified Genes 2
• Nucleic Acid Neutralization 2

(Reset again)

At this point, save and hold enough DNA (usually around 20) for the 'kill switch' (Unlock Annihilate Gene).

Your goal now is to wait for the world to get infected while keeping your finger on the button. Use Genetic Reshuffle 1-3 and your last 'reset' (Gene Compression 3, Deactivate Modified Genes 3, Nucleic Acid Neutralization 3) to buy time. Once the world is infected or the cure hits about 85%, hit the kill switch (and pray): Unlock Annihilate Gene. If you don't see it, evolve the last 'reset' trio and it will be in the center.

Afterwards, evolve more deadly symptoms to speed up the killing and drop the cure percentage: Paralysis, Coma, Insomnia, Paranoia, Seizures, Insanity.

If you were lucky enough to get all of the island countries before the end, you win. Otherwise: try, try again.

I also made a video here:

Good luck!

With virus disease types, you want to focus on getting out there asap due to the rapid mutation. The typical strategy of "hide, spread slowly, and don't get noticed" does not work so get up in their face.

Do note that mega brutal also has a random element of luck so it may take a few tries but I have successfully done and repeated it with this. By far your hardest part will be getting Greenland infected. The random mutations will come in quite often already so skip any that you get for free. Don't bother with Viral Instability, it already mutates symptoms fast enough and you'll need the DNA.

Genes:

• Metabolic Jump (bubbles will pop up so fast once it gets out there that you'll have a hard time keeping up. If you really want to pause that often for them, get Cytochrome Surge)
• Darwinist (Amplifies the virus' greatest strength for free.)
• Aquacyte (Goddamn Greenland.)
• Urbophile (Helps with urban centers and the start, Extremophile is another good option.)
• Sympto-Stasis (You'll need this to be able to afford the 'endgame')

Start in Saudi Arabia. You want the central location and population for getting it out there fast.

Get all of the following upgrades asap as you get the DNA.

Transmission:

• Air 1 (starts getting it out there asap)

Symptoms:

• Coughing
• Pneumonia
• Sneezing
• Cysts
• Abscesses

(cheap and fast way to get a country infected once it arrives)

Transmission:

• Water 1 (starts getting infected boats out there as well)

Abilities:

• Cold 1 + 2 (trying to get it up north faster for Greenland)
• Drug 1

Transmission:

• Birds 1
• Water 2 (More Greenland chances)

Abilities:

• Drug 2 (gets it through rich countries quickly)
• Heat 1 (helps with Africa)
• Genetic Hardening 1 (cure time is hilariously fast in MB without this)

Transmission:

• Birds 2

After evolving Birds 2, you should get a huge surge in DNA and a ton of bubbles at once. Time to leverage that Sympto-Stasis with some big purchases.

Symptoms (order of priority, including all prereq that you don't already have):

• Necrosis
• Insanity
• Coma
• Total Organ Failure

If you were fast (and lucky) enough, every country should be infected and the "world works on cure" popup should come up about now (or at least hopefully after you've got Necrosis + Insanity). But it is already too late. At this point, as long as all the islands are infected, you've essentially won so now it's just a matter of raising your score.

Evolve Genetic Reshuffle 1-3 at some point before the end to lower cure percentage as much as possible. With the rest, you can do whichever you like.

You can see a video guide of this strategy in action here (as well as an alternate older guide in the description which I based my strategy off of).