Plague Inc. developer Ndemic just dropped a surprise sequel to the smash hit Plague Inc. Instead of a pessimistic pandemic simulator, the sequel is a sunny strategy game about rebuilding after the end of the world.
After Inc. is set in the aftermath of Plague Inc.’s zombie scenario. It tasks you with running human civilization in the United Kingdom after a zombie apocalypse. Unlike its predecessors, After Inc. has an optimistic hue. The aesthetic is colorful and painterly, in contrast to the harsh UI of Plague Inc. or the cold satellite-map style of Rebel Inc., a previous follow-up about combating insurgencies.
In an interview with newsletter Game File, game designer James Vaughn said, “I’ve tried to make a more happy and optimistic game this time.” In each session, you play as the leader of a settlement. You combat zombies, search for resources, navigate communal disputes, and research new tech. Playing through a scenario lasts around 20 minutes and will unlock meta upgrades that affect future settlements.
After Inc. costs $2, the same price as Rebel Inc. and $1 more than Plague Inc. The store page claims this is a “special sale price” to mark the game’s launch. Ndemic promises “no ‘consumable microtransactions,'” meaning any content you spend money on will last in the game forever. The app store page promises that it will be “updated for years to come.” You can pick up After Inc. right now on Google Play and on the App Store. A PC version will launch sometime next year.
Plague Inc.’s sales sky-rocketed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The developer even donated $250,000 to COVID-19 research and released a free-at-launch expansion called The Cure, which centered around fighting disease rather than fostering it.