Info about Plague Inc: The Cure:

Official game description:
  
Can you save the world? Take control and stop a deadly global pandemic by any means necessary. Allocate resources to boost testing capacity, make facemasks compulsory, lock down countries or investigate experimental treatments in Plague Inc.’s biggest expansion ever!  
Created with the help of world health experts from all over the world including the WHO, CEPI and GOARN, Plague Inc: The Cure is an engaging and timely simulation of a global disease response.  
◈◈◈ "Plague Inc: The Cure encapsulates the complexities of a global pandemic response and highlights how crucial international collaboration is needed to address such a threat.”◈◈◈  
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations - CEO Richard Hatchett  
**Hunt the Disease:** Dispatch research teams around the world to find patient zero, track the spread of the outbreak and support local responses.  
**Control the Outbreak:** Implement measures such as contact tracing, lockdowns and border closures to limit the spread of the outbreak, whilst getting people to wash their hands and preparing hospitals to prevent them getting overwhelmed.  
**Support the Economy:** People won’t comply with poorly designed quarantine measures; use furlough schemes and other policies to drive community support and consensus.  
**Develop a Vaccine:** Research, manufacture and distribute a vaccine to stop the disease. Work carefully and promote global cooperation to accelerate development.

Release date: Jan 28, 2021

Categories: Simulation, Strategy, Resource Management, Educational Simulation, Political Simulation, Logistics Management, Real-time Simulation, Scientific Simulation

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 30; verdict: Mixed Perception with Significant Concerns; summary: The analysis of user reviews reveals significant concerns about the monetization strategy of turning previously free DLC into paid content, which is perceived as a blatant cash grab. While some users find the DLC to be reasonably priced and worth the money, especially on sale, there is a general dissatisfaction with the quality of the content provided. The reviews indicate a mixed perception of the DLC's value, with some users feeling that the content does not meet their expectations. Overall, the negative sentiment around the monetization strategy and content quality is prominent.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $3.00 - $5.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence indicates that users find the DLC reasonably priced around $5, especially when on sale. Multiple reviews mention that the DLC is worth the money and often goes on sale for even less than $5. One user specifically mentions buying it on sale for 40% off, suggesting a base price around $5 is considered fair. The positive sentiment around the pricing and value of the DLC supports this price range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: 20.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct and indirect indications of playtime. The first quote mentions 20-40 hours of entertainment, which can be interpreted as the total playtime for game completion. The second quote about finishing all 22 achievements suggests a significant investment of time, supporting the endgame playtime. The third quote indicates that a substantial amount of time was spent on the DLC, contributing to the session length. The fourth quote, while not directly mentioning playtime, supports the context of extended play sessions during a specific period.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is initially fun but becomes repetitive and tedious over time. Players express a strong desire for multiplayer modes to enhance the experience.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: Lack of multiplayer mode; Repetitive gameplay; Tedious mechanics
  - Unlock drivers: Addition of multiplayer modes; Custom cure scenarios
  - Conditions: Cooperative multiplayer; Versus multiplayer; Custom scenarios
- Player Archetypes:
  - Struggling Novice (deep sale)
    - Motivation: To overcome the game's challenges despite initial struggles.
    - Playstyle: Tries to play casually but finds it hard to manage basic game mechanics.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: casual player; new player
    - Reference games: Plague Inc.
  - Challenge Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: To find more challenging and engaging content within the game.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys complex mechanics and seeks additional challenges and multiplayer options.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: veteran player; strategy fan
    - Reference games: Plague Inc.; Pandemic
  - Value-Conscious Gamer (sale)
    - Motivation: To get the most value and content for their money.
    - Playstyle: Plays to achieve goals like unlocking achievements and seeks good value for money.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: achievement hunter; budget gamer
    - Reference games: Plague Inc.


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Positive feedback on DLC (weight 0.42): Players generally enjoyed the DLC, finding it fun, well-made, and worth the price. It was described as interesting and decent, providing good value for the cost.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.41): Many players found the game and its DLC to be very fun and enjoyable. The gameplay was described as satisfying and entertaining.
- Unique and realistic gameplay (weight 0.41): The DLC introduced unique gameplay mechanics and concepts that were well-received. Players appreciated the realistic game design and detailed mechanics.
- Great soundtrack and music (weight 0.14): The soundtrack and music in the DLC were highlighted as great and enjoyable, adding to the overall positive experience.
- Increased difficulty (weight 0.14): The DLC was noted to be much harder and more challenging than the base game, providing a good challenge for players.
- New mechanics and modes (weight 0.12): The DLC introduced many new mechanics and a variety of new modes, which were well-received by players.
- Best addition to Plague Inc (weight 0.09): The DLC was considered the best addition to Plague Inc so far, providing a really great and needed expansion.
- Free DLC during pandemic (weight 0.08): The DLC was offered for free during the pandemic, which was appreciated by players.
- Educational aspects (weight 0.08): The DLC had positive educational impacts, particularly in terms of pandemic control and realism.

Common complaints:
- High difficulty and poor design (weight 0.63): The game is noted for its high difficulty level and poor design choices, making it hard to grasp and not very enjoyable.
- Reputation system flaws (weight 0.33): The reputation system is criticized for being poorly designed and arbitrary, often decreasing independently of the player's actions, especially on higher difficulties.
- Authority system issues (weight 0.28): The authority system is widely criticized for being poorly designed, arbitrary, and frustrating to manage.
- Limited content and gameplay (weight 0.24): The game is criticized for having limited content and gameplay that feels like an uphill battle to maintain authority rather than fighting the disease.
- Poorly explained mechanics (weight 0.15): The game mechanics are not well explained, making it difficult for players to understand and enjoy the game.
- Luck-based mechanics (weight 0.14): The game is seen as relying too much on luck, which adds to the difficulty and frustration.
- Fast disease spread (weight 0.14): The disease spreads too quickly, making it challenging to control pandemics.
- Bio-weapon difficulty (weight 0.14): The bio-weapon aspect of the game is noted as being extremely difficult and problematic, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- Non-compliance and micromanagement issues (weight 0.14): There are significant issues with non-compliance and micromanagement, making the game more frustrating to play.
- Quarantine ineffectiveness (weight 0.08): Quarantine measures are noted to be ineffective, adding to the difficulty of managing disease outbreaks.
- Similar and unfair plague designs (weight 0.08): Plagues are noted to be too similar and unfairly designed, reducing the variety and enjoyment of the game.
- Difficulty in managing infected areas (weight 0.08): Managing infected areas and certain pathogens is noted as being particularly difficult.
- Frustration with game mechanics (weight 0.08): Players express frustration with the game mechanics and the behavior of in-game characters, adding to the overall difficulty.
- Translation and bug issues (weight 0.08): There are reports of translation errors and bugs, which affect the overall gaming experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Resource and reputation management (weight 0.3): Managing resources, including funding and public opinion, is crucial. Players must allocate resources strategically to handle pandemics and political issues.
- Vaccine development and production (weight 0.29): A significant aspect of the game involves researching, developing, and producing vaccines to combat diseases. This includes various stages from investigation to manufacturing and distribution.
- Quarantine and isolation mechanics (weight 0.24): The game features detailed quarantine and isolation mechanics, which can fail if too many people are dissatisfied. Players need to manage these measures carefully to control the spread of disease.
- Authority management system (weight 0.23): Players must manage an authority system, which can decrease as the pandemic progresses, especially with non-compliance from the public.
- Difficulty settings (weight 0.23): The game offers varied difficulty levels, which significantly affect the gameplay experience and require different strategies.
- RNG and strategy elements (weight 0.19): The game includes luck-based elements and requires strategic gameplay, with different pathogens needing different approaches.
- Bio-weapon and plague mechanics (weight 0.19): The game features bio-weapon mechanics and plague eradication mechanics, offering unique challenges and gameplay modes.
- Disease spread mechanics (weight 0.18): The game includes mechanics for uncontrolled disease spread and infection behavior, requiring players to strategize to control outbreaks.
- Multiplayer and custom scenarios (weight 0.17): Players have suggested the addition of multiplayer modes and custom scenarios, indicating a desire for more diverse gameplay options.
- New gameplay mechanics (weight 0.15): The game introduces new mechanics and modes, including treatment and noncompliance mechanics, which add depth and complexity to the gameplay.
- Narrative and role-playing (weight 0.14): The game's narrative involves saving humanity, with players role-playing as health organizations like the WHO, adding a layer of immersion.
- Research and investigation (weight 0.12): Researching viruses and investigating epidemics are key components, challenging players to understand and combat various pathogens.
- Disease-specific strategies (weight 0.09): Different types of diseases require varied strategies, making the gameplay tactical and engaging.
- Border control mechanics (weight 0.08): Players can control borders and ports to manage the spread of disease, adding a layer of strategic depth.
- Negotiation and health measures (weight 0.08): Players need to negotiate with countries and convince people to follow health measures, adding a diplomatic layer to the gameplay.
- Propaganda and censorship (weight 0.08): The game includes elements of propaganda and censorship, adding complexity to the management of public opinion and authority.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Mixed purchase recommendations (weight 0.38): Players have varying opinions on whether to buy the game or not. Some recommend purchasing it, especially if it's on sale or free, while others suggest not buying it unless you are a fan of the main game or have experience with the base game.
- Suggestions for new game modes (weight 0.16): Players have suggested the addition of new game modes, such as a scenario creator, a virus vs. cure multiplayer mode, and a versus mode. These suggestions indicate a desire for more interactive and competitive gameplay options.
- Positive reception for good intentions (weight 0.09): The game is appreciated for its good intentions and the amount of content it offers for a free DLC. Players commend the effort to reflect real-world issues in a meaningful way.
- Bug fixes needed (weight 0.05): Some players have pointed out that the developers should listen to fan feedback and fix existing bugs. This indicates that there are issues affecting the gameplay experience that need to be addressed.

Other player notes:
- Acquired game for free (weight 0.05): Several players mentioned obtaining the game when it was offered for free.
- Gifted by a friend (weight 0.04): Some players received the game as a gift from a friend, specifically mentioning it was for a birthday.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.34): Players are primarily frustrated with the game's high difficulty, lack of balance, and unclear mechanics. The reputation system, authority management, and certain plague types are particularly problematic, leading to a sense of lack of control and unfair gameplay experiences.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Players express disappointment due to the lack of variety and depth in the game's content. Issues such as limited plague types, lack of language support, and perceived poor execution contribute to a sense of the game being unbalanced and bland.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Players enjoy the game for its unique and fun gameplay experience. The challenging and creative aspects of the game, along with its unique rules and soundtrack, provide an entertaining break from other modes.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Players are excited about the new gameplay modes and the strategic depth they offer. The increased difficulty, variety of new modes, and unique challenges on higher difficulties contribute to this excitement.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Players feel satisfied with the well-made DLC and its engaging gameplay. The enjoyment of new mechanics, successful completion of challenges, and the overall entertainment value contribute to this satisfaction.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the depth and realism of the new game mode. The educational value, complexity, and good intentions behind the DLC, along with its free distribution, are highly valued.
- Challenge (weight 0.02): Players find the increased difficulty of the DLC challenging. The high stakes and fairness issues make the gameplay intense and demanding.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players are frustrated with the constant reputation loss and the rapid loss of authority. Balancing restrictions and maintaining reputation are significant pain points.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players are angry due to the lack of variety and broken balance in the game. Issues with noncompliance and budget management contribute to this anger.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Players are confused by the difficulty in understanding the game mode. The unclear mechanics and lack of guidance contribute to this confusion.
- Stress (weight 0.01): Players experience stress from the high-stakes gameplay. The challenge of containing a pathogen before it turns into a pandemic is a significant source of tension.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the new and meaningful gameplay experience. The unique and strategic aspects of the game contribute to this excitement.}