Plague Inc. is a deceptively complex strategy game where you play as a pathogen aiming to wipe out humanity. The Nano-Virus, one of the most challenging plagues to master, presents a unique obstacle: its inherent instability and rapid detection by scientists. Conquering it on Brutal difficulty requires a calculated approach, a deep understanding of the game mechanics, and a healthy dose of patience. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough to help you emerge victorious against the Nano-Virus on Brutal mode.
Understanding the Nano-Virus
Before diving into the strategy, it’s crucial to understand what makes the Nano-Virus so different:
- Rapid Cure Development: The Nano-Virus has an initial head start on the cure. Scientists are already working on a cure from the very beginning. This means speed is of the essence.
- Unstable Code: The virus gains random mutations. This can be both a blessing and a curse. Some mutations will increase infectivity, others will increase severity and lethality, potentially triggering a quicker cure response if not managed carefully.
- Deactivate/Reactivate: The Nano-Virus has a special ability to “Deactivate” and “Reactivate” its code. Deactivating slows down cure progress but also reduces infectivity. Reactivating increases infectivity, but also accelerates cure progress. This is a crucial mechanic to master.
General Strategies for Brutal Mode
Brutal mode is unforgiving. Here are some general tips applicable to all plagues, but especially important for the Nano-Virus:
- Start Location Matters: Choose a country with a large, dense population, a moderate climate, and good air and sea ports. India, China, and Indonesia are typically good starting choices. Avoid Greenland, Canada, and Iceland as initial infection spots due to their cold climates and isolated locations.
- Infectivity is Key: Your primary goal early on is to spread the disease as quickly and widely as possible. Don’t focus on symptoms too early. The more people infected, the harder it becomes to eradicate the virus completely.
- Cure Awareness: Keep a constant eye on the cure progress. The colored bar at the top of the screen indicates how close humanity is to finding a cure. Adjust your strategy accordingly.
- World Events: Pay attention to world events as they appear on the screen. Some events can significantly impact cure progress or infectivity.
- Genetic Reshuffle and Hardening: Invest in these genetic codes as early as possible. Reshuffle helps control unwanted mutations by allowing you to reroll them, and Hardening significantly slows down cure research, giving you breathing room.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Restart: Sometimes, the random mutations or initial cure progress can make winning impossible. Don’t hesitate to restart the game if you feel you’re at a significant disadvantage early on.
Step-by-Step Guide to Beating Nano-Virus on Brutal
Here’s a detailed walkthrough on how to conquer the Nano-Virus on Brutal mode:
Phase 1: Initial Infection and Spread
- Start Location: Begin in India. Its large population, warm climate, and mix of urban and rural areas provide a great starting point.
- Genetic Codes (Initial):
- DNA Gene: ATP Boost (Gives you extra DNA points at the start)
- Travel Gene: Aquacyte (Increases infectivity via sea)
- Evolution Gene: Genetic Mimic (Makes the virus harder to cure by slightly slowing cure progress.)
- Mutation Gene: Genetic Stability (Reduces random mutations early on, which helps you control the virus’s evolution.)
- Environment Gene: Extremophile (A slight advantage in all environments. Not crucial but helpful.)
- Transmissions (Prioritize these):
- Water 1 & 2: Extremely important for spreading to other countries via ship.
- Air 1 & 2: Equally important for air travel.
- Insect 1: (If you get the RNA or other genetic mutation tree. Insect 1 to increase infectivity)
- Rodent 1: (If you get the RNA or other genetic mutation tree. Rodent 1 to increase infectivity)
- Livestock 1: (If you get the RNA or other genetic mutation tree. Livestock 1 to increase infectivity)
- Abilities (Crucial Early Game):
- Code Fragment Interception 1 & 2: These abilities slow down cure research significantly. Invest in these immediately.
- Symptom Management: At this stage, DO NOT EVOLVE ANY SYMPTOMS MANUALLY. Let symptoms mutate on their own. This helps keep your visibility low and the cure research slower. If a symptom evolves that significantly increases lethality (like Total Organ Failure or Coma), immediately devolve it to minimize deaths and slow down cure progress. This is the most important part.
Explanation: The initial focus is on spreading the virus worldwide as quickly as possible while keeping the cure progress at bay. Water and Air transmissions are vital for reaching islands and remote countries. The ‘Code Fragment Interception’ ability will buy you valuable time. Genetic Stability prevents premature lethality.
Phase 2: Global Infection and Cure Suppression
- Monitor Infection Rate: Keep a close eye on the infection map. Ensure the virus is spreading to all continents, including Africa, South America, and Europe. Prioritize any remaining uninfected countries.
- Transmissions (Continued):
- Extreme Zoonosis: Improves infectivity.
- Continue upgrading Water and Air as available
- Abilities (Core Abilities):
- Genetic Hardening 1 & 2: This is a top priority. It significantly hinders cure development and provides a huge advantage.
- Code Fragment Interception 3: Upgrade to the maximum level to further delay the cure.
- Symptom Management (Continued): Continue to devolve any lethal symptoms that mutate. Your goal is still maximum infection with minimal deaths. Focus on devolving symptoms like Paralysis, Coma, Total Organ Failure.
- Deactivate/Reactivate:
- If Cure Progress is VERY high (75% or more): Use Deactivate to slow it down. But remember, this will also decrease your infectivity.
- If Cure Progress is manageable (below 50%): Keep the virus Active to maximize infection. Reactivate if you have deactivated it.
Explanation: At this stage, you are racing against the cure. Genetic Hardening is paramount. Managing the Deactivate/Reactivate ability is crucial. Use it strategically based on the cure progress. Don’t be afraid to let the cure progress a bit, as long as you are confident in your infection rate.
Phase 3: Lethality and Final Push
- Confirm Global Infection: Make sure almost the entire world population is infected (80% or higher is ideal). This is the point of no return for humanity.
- Abilities (Last Stand):
- Gene Modification 1, 2, & 3: These abilities allow you to suppress the cure completely but cost a large amount of DNA. Save up for these.
- Symptom Evolution (Now it’s time to kill): Once the world is almost entirely infected, it’s time to evolve lethal symptoms. Prioritize symptoms that cause rapid death and spread quickly.
- Start with: Coughing, Sneezing, Pneumonia. These symptoms increase infectivity by a lot.
- Then evolve: Immune Suppression.
- Next evolve: Pulmonary Oedema, Necrosis, Hemorrhagic Shock, Total Organ Failure. This combination causes rapid and widespread death.
- Consider: If you have evolved Insomnia, Seizures, Paralysis during the mutation part consider increasing them.
- Cure Suppression: As soon as you have enough DNA, use Gene Modification 1, 2, and 3. This will drastically reduce the cure progress, giving you even more time to wipe out humanity.
Explanation: This is the final stage. The goal is to evolve lethal symptoms as quickly as possible and suppress the cure. Gene Modification is your trump card. If you’ve managed the first two phases correctly, humanity will have no chance.
Detailed Symptom Strategy
The symptom strategy is pivotal for success. Here’s a more in-depth look:
- Early Game (Phase 1 & 2):
- Devolve Lethal Symptoms: As mentioned, immediately devolve symptoms like Coma, Total Organ Failure, Paralysis, and any symptom that significantly increases lethality.
- Tolerate Mild Symptoms: Symptoms like Coughing, Sneezing, Skin Lesions, and Sweating are generally acceptable as they increase infectivity without significantly increasing lethality or visibility to the cure.
- Late Game (Phase 3):
- Infectivity Boosters First: Coughing and Sneezing are your initial offensive moves.
- Immune Suppression: Weakens the body’s defenses, making it easier for other symptoms to take hold.
- Lethality Combination: Pulmonary Oedema, Necrosis, Hemorrhagic Shock, and Total Organ Failure create a deadly cascade that rapidly kills infected individuals.
- Neurological Symptoms (Situational): If you’ve already acquired symptoms like Insanity, Seizures, or Paralysis through random mutations, consider upgrading them to accelerate death. Be cautious, as these can also increase visibility.
Genetic Code Alternatives and Considerations
While the genetic codes outlined above are a solid foundation, you can adapt them based on your playstyle and the specific challenges you face.
- DNA Gene: Instead of ATP Boost, you could use Gene Start. It gives you a random bonus at the beginning of the game, which can be helpful but is less reliable than the ATP boost.
- Travel Gene: If you find the virus spreading very slowly on land, you might consider using Land Movement instead of Aquacyte. However, Aquacyte is generally more effective for reaching distant countries.
- Evolution Gene: If you have trouble controlling mutations even with Genetic Stability, you can consider using Symptom Stability. This will reduce symptom mutations but will reduce infectivity a bit.
- Environment Gene: Extremophile is a safe bet, but if you notice the virus struggling in a specific climate (e.g., cold), you can tailor the gene to that environment. For instance, Arctic Adaptation for cold climates.
Troubleshooting and Common Mistakes
Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when playing Nano-Virus on Brutal:
- Evolving Symptoms Too Early: This is the most common mistake. Evolving lethal symptoms before you achieve near-global infection will significantly accelerate cure research and likely lead to failure.
- Ignoring Deactivate/Reactivate: Not using this ability strategically can be detrimental. Use it to slow down the cure when necessary, but don’t leave the virus deactivated for too long, or you’ll lose valuable infectivity.
- Neglecting Genetic Hardening: This ability is essential for slowing down the cure. Prioritize it as soon as possible.
- Starting in a Poor Location: Starting in a country with a small population, a cold climate, or poor air/sea connectivity can severely hamper your initial spread.
- Panic Evolving: Resist the urge to evolve a bunch of symptoms at once when the cure gets close. This will only accelerate the cure even further. Have patience and plan before you act.
Conclusion
Beating the Nano-Virus on Brutal mode in Plague Inc. requires careful planning, strategic execution, and a bit of luck. By following this comprehensive guide, mastering the Deactivate/Reactivate ability, and adapting your strategy based on the game’s events, you’ll significantly increase your chances of successfully wiping out humanity. Remember to prioritize infectivity, manage symptoms carefully, and suppress the cure whenever possible. Good luck, and may your plague reign supreme!