How to Easily Complete All Plagues on Mega Brutal Difficulty

1. Save often. Success is not 100% guaranteed on the first try.

2. There is always a luck factor, you don't have direct control over random chances (like Greenland closing its port before you get there or major random events).

3. Don't lose any DNA or cure bubble, adjust the speed of the game if needed.

4. Some of these strategies can also guarantee a perfect score, in addition to the win. They work in all difficulties as well.

5. These are not my original walkthroughs. I summarized them to reduce time and unified them in one guide, considering my own experience.

6. Stick to the script if you want the guide to work properly.

7. You will need some important genes unlocked (in order to unlock all these genes you can play in the lowest difficulty and win):
   
   • Basic plagues → ATP Boost, Catalytic Switch, Metabolic Jump, Genetic Mimic, Darwinist, Aquacyte, Teracyte, Aerocyte, Suppression, Urbophile, Extremophile, Sympto-Stasis, Patho-Stasis.
     
   • Necroa Virus-specific → Spliced Activation.
     
   • Simian Flu-specific → Ion Surge, Together Strong.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Sympto-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve the following symptoms:
   
   • Rash, Sweating, Skin Lesions, Coughing, Pneumonia, Insomnia, Paranoia.
   
   
3. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Air 1, Water 1, Air 2, Water 2, Extreme Bioaerosol, Rodent 1.
   
   
4. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Drug Resistance 1 & 2, Heat Resistance 1.
   
   
5. Evolve late-game lethal symptoms:
   
   • Seizures, Necrosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Total Organ Failure, Insanity, Coma, Paralysis, Dysentery.
   
   
6. Evolve cure resistance abilities:
   
   • Genetic Hardening 1 & 2, Genetic Reshuffle 1, 2 and 3.
   
   
7. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Sympto-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Viral Instability 1, 2 and 3.
   
   
3. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Water 1, Air 1, Water 2.
   
   
4. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Drug Resistance 1 & 2, Heat Resistance 1.
   
   
5. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Air 2, Extreme Bioaerosol, Rodent 1, Bird 1.
   
   
6. When everyone in the world is infected, evolve symptoms:
   
   • Necrosis, Dysentery, Total Organ Failure and any other lethal symptoms you can afford (if they have not already mutated).
   
   
7. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Suppression, Urbophile, Patho-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Water 1, Bird 1, Water 2.
   
   
3. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Drug Resistance 1, Heat Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 2.
   
   
4. Grab 6 DNA points and evolve abilities:
   
   • Spore Burst 1 to 6.
   
   
5. Evolve Spore Eruption 1 ability.
6. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Genetic Hardening 1 and 2.
   
   
7. Evolve symptoms (if they have not already mutated):
   
   • Rash, Sweating, Skin Lesions, Necrosis, Insomnia, Paranoia, Seizures, Cysts, Hyper Sensitivity, Paralysis, Coma, Coughing, Pneumonia.
   
   
8. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Bird 2 and Rodent 1.
   
   
9. When 7 or less countries remain uninfected, evolve abilities:
   
   • Spore Burst 7 to 12, Spore Eruption 2.
   
   
10. When infections are high and rising fast (every country is infected with a decent number of infected people already), evolve Total Organ Failure symptom.
11. Evolve abilities:
    
    • Genetic Reshuffle 1, 2 and 3.
    
    
12. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Teracyte, Extremophile, Sympto-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Concertina Locomotion, Undulatory Locomotion, Air 1, Water 1, Air 2, Water 2, Air 3.
   
   
3. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1, Heat Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 1, Cold Resistance 2, Heat Resistance 2, Drug Resistance 2, Trojan Planes 1 (very important for infecting any remaining island countries).
   
   
4. Evolve Environmental Hardening ability.
5. Evolve control symptoms:
   
   • Neural Breach, Cerebral Tendrils, Adrenergic Constriction, Anxiolytic Infusion, Psychosis, Adoration, Devotion, Transcendence.
   
   
6. Evolve late-game lethal symptoms:
   
   • Confusion, Memory Loss, Aneurysm, Aphasia, Coma, Frontal Mesh, Obsession, Insanity, Apraxia.
   
   
7. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Sympto-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve symptoms:
   
   • Rash, Sweating, Skin Lesions, Coughing, Pneumonia, Cysts, Hyper Sensitivity.
   
   
3. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Water 1, Air 1, Water 2.
   
   
4. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Heat Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 1 & 2, Genetic Hardening 1 & 2.
   
   
5. When infections are high and rising fast (every country is infected with a decent number of infected people already), evolve late-game lethal symptoms:
   
   • Paralysis, Coma, Necrosis, Total Organ Failure.
   
   
6. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Genetic Reshuffle 1 and 2.
   
   
7. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Sympto-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve early symptoms:
   
   • Rash, Nausea, Sweating, Vomiting, Cysts, Hyper Sensitivity, Abscesses, Coughing, Pneumonia, Sneezing.
   
   
3. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Water 1, Air 1, Water 2.
   
   
4. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Heat Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 1 & 2, Genetic Hardening 1 & 2.
   
   
5. Evolve mid-game symptoms:
   
   • Pulmonary Oedema, Skin Lesions, Insomnia, Paranoia, Seizures, Paralysis, Coma.
   
   
6. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Neural Atrophy 1, 2 and 3.
   
   
7. Evolve Necrosis symptom.

8. Evolve Genetic Reshuffle 1 ability.

9. When infections are high and rising fast (every country is infected with a decent number of infected people already), evolve late-game lethal symptoms:
   
   • Total Organ Failure, Dysentery, Hemorrhagic Shock any other lethal symptoms you can afford.
   
   
10. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: Catalytic Switch, Darwinist, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Spliced Activation

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Zoonotic Shift, Rodent 1, Blood 1, Air 1, Segmented Genome.
   
   
3. When the cure reaches ~75%, evolve zombie-related symptoms:
   
   • Cytopathic Reanimation, Anaerobic Resuscitation, Enhanced Motor Control, Masticatory Tension, Anabolic Boost, Peptide Surge, Dermal Calcification (to unlock Cytopathic Reanimation, evolve the Insomnia tree diagonally down until Delirium and then you'll see it).
   
   
4. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Horde Instinct, Horde Mentality, Horde Vocalisation, Horde Pheromones, Structured Travel, Drifting Fermentation.
   
   
5. Use the Zombie Horde power to send zombies (only send them from countries with ~20M zombies):
   
   • China → Russia
     
   • Turkey → Central Europe
     
   • China → Australia
     
   • Any missing continents or islands
   
   
6. Send zombies to any country where a Z-Com base appears (again, only send them from countries with ~20M zombies).
7. Evolve late zombie symptoms:
   
   • Cranial Elephantiasis, Bone Dysplasia, Enhanced Sensory Integration, Temporal Lobe Manipulation, Hyperosmia, Adrenal Surge, Lumbrical Hypertrophy, Acidic Reflux, Naja Mortis, Autothysis.
   
   
8. Make sure you infected all countries and if another Z-Com base appears, repeat the same process from step 6.

9. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Sympto-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve early symptoms:
   
   • Nausea, Rash, Cysts, Hyper Sensitivity, Paralysis, Coma, Insomnia, Paranoia, Seizures.
   
   
3. Evolve Code Fragment Interception ability.
4. Evolve additional symptoms:
   
   • Abscesses, Sweating, Coughing, Pneumonia, Sneezing, Skin Lesions.
   
   
5. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Air 1, Water 1, Air 2, Water 2, Extreme Bioaerosol.
   
   
6. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Radical Elements Stabilized, Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Heat Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 1 & 2, Drug Immunity.
   
   
7. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Code Segment Interception and Replication Factory Overload.
   
   
8. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Genetic Hardening 1 & 2 and Encryption Breached.
   
   
9. Evolve late-game lethal symptoms:
   
   • Insanity, Dysentery, Necrosis, Hemorrhagic Shock.
   
   
10. When only 50k–150k people remain alive, evolve Broadcast Interceptor Overload ability.

11. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: ATP Boost, Genetic Mimic, Aquacyte, Urbophile, Patho-Stasis

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Saudi Arabia.
2. Evolve symptoms:
   
   • Coughing, Pneumonia, Sneezing, Cysts, Hyper Sensitivity, Abscesses, Nausea, Rash.
   
   
3. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Water 1, Air 1, Water 2.
   
   
4. Evolve early abilities:
   
   • Gene Compression 1, Deactivate Modified Genes 1, Nucleic Acid Neutralisation 1.
   
   
5. Evolve resistance abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1 & 2, Heat Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 1 & 2, Genetic Hardening 1 & 2.
   
   
6. Evolve cure resistance abilities:
   
   • Gene Compression 2, Deactivate Modified Genes 2, Nucleic Acid Neutralisation 2, Gene Compression 3, Deactivate Modified Genes 3, Nucleic Acid Neutralisation 3, Genetic Reshuffle 1, 2 and 3.
   
   
7. When everyone in the world is infected, evolve Unlock Annihilate Gene ability.
8. Evolve late-game lethal symptoms:
   
   • Paralysis, Coma, Insomnia, Paranoia, Seizures, Insanity.
   
   
9. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: Metabolic Jump, Ion Surge, Aquacyte, Extremophile, Together Strong

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

• VERY IMPORTANT → immediately devolve these symptoms if they mutate (follow this until you get to the step 15):
  
  • Coma, Dysentery, Gastric Ulceration, Haemorrhagic Shock, Hydrocephalus, Internal Haemorrhaging, Meningitis, Neuro-Enhancement 1, Pulmonary Haemorrhage.

1. Start in Central Africa.
2. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Simian Neuro-Genesis and Ape Colonies.
   
   
3. Place a colony in the starting country with the Create Colony power.
4. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cognitive Shift and Education.
   
   
5. Evolve transmissions:
   
   • Inter-genus Dissemination 1, Sebaceous Excretion, Blood Gift.
   
   
6. Place 4 more colonies in bordering countries of the starting location (5 total) for DNA farming.
7. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Primal Awareness, War Paint, Covert Expertise, Organised Travel, Logistics, Seafaring, Ape Rampage.
   
   
8. Use the Organised Travel power to send apes to Brazil, Russia and Australia from countries with no colonies (only if there aren't apes in those countries already).
9. Evolve abilities:
   
   • Cold Resistance 1, Drug Resistance 1, Genetic Hardening 1, Cold Resistance 2, Drug Resistance 2, Genetic Hardening 2.
   
   
10. Evolve advanced transmissions:
    
    • Inter-genus Dissemination 2, Cutaneous Transfer, Submissive Conception, Excrement, Hominidae Bridge.
    
    
11. Place a 6th colony in a bordering country and ensure all islands are infected (if is not the case, use the Organised Travel power from countries with no colonies to send apes).

12. Destroy all Gen-Sys labs fast before they setup using the Ape Rampage power (they will show up progressively, and they can appear under a colony icon, so watch out with that).

13. If a drone attacks a colony, just move the colony to the nearest bordering country using the Organised Travel power.

14. Evolve transmissions:
    
    • Air 1, Water 1, Air 2, Water 2, Extreme Bioaerosol.
    
    
15. When nearly everyone is infected (every country is infected with a decent number of infected people already), evolve symptoms:
    
    • Coma, Meningitis, Pulmonary Haemorrhage and other lethal symptoms.
    
    
16. Wait and win.

Genetic Code: Aerocyte, Extremophile (any other Shadow Plague-Specific genes are optional but they could be very useful, like Harvester, Bat Bolt, Frugal Researcher)

Difficulty: Mega Brutal

1. Start in Greenland.

2. Evolve Therianthropy and Blood Rage from the Vampires section.

3. Use Blood Rage power in Greenland to farm DNA points.

4. Evolve Dark Ritual 1, Adrenal Surge, Dark Ritual 2 from the Vampires section.

5. When everyone in Greenland is dead, fly to Iceland using the Vampire Flight power and repeat the Blood Rage process.

6. Stay in Iceland until you fully evolve the Blood Rage and Dark Ritual trees, even if Templars appear.

7. Fly quickly to every Templar base country and destroy them all using the Blood Rage power.

8. Heal the vampire in countries without Templar bases after an attack if needed by using Blood Rage.

9. Evolve Travel Speed 1 & 2 from the Vampires section to make this task easier.

10. After destroying all bases, farm 550 DNA points in a high population country using Blood Rage power.

11. Evolve Lair and Shadow Portal from the Vampires section.

12. Place lairs in these countries (you'll need them to teleport to in order to quickly destroy any labs that pop up across the world later on):
    
    • USA, Brazil, Central Africa, Ukraine, China, Australia.
    
    
13. Farm another 550 DNA points and evolve from the Symptoms, Vampires and Transmissions sections:
    
    • Shadow Blessing.
      
    • Blood Gift, Dark Cloud, Shadow Trail, Corrupted Air, Cold Tolerance, Anti-biotic Tolerance, Heat Tolerance.
      
    • Every single transmissions.
    
    
14. Infect the remaining countries (islands are the most important) while you destroy all labs to prevent further investigation of the cure by using the Blood Rage power.
15. At 70% cure progress, evolve symptoms:
    
    • Dark Pustules, Hypersensitivity, Malignant Pigmentation, Latent Adaptation, Pallor, Weeping Sores, Hyperdontia, Jugular Bite, Shadow Slaves.
    
    
16. Keep infecting every slow/not infected country and destroying labs until victory.