Plague Inc's city-building sequel is "more happy and optimistic" than its predecessor, even if its creator thinks its $2 price tag is a "huge gamble"

gamesradar.com:

A sequel to the incredibly popular mobile game Plague Inc just came out and it's all about rebuilding the world following an apocalypse – aptly named After Inc. It's free-to-play on Android (with ads) but iPhone users can buy it for just $2.

I was a massive fan of Plague Inc. I played it on Miniclip, which really shows my age, and then got it on my phone once it went mobile. According to an interview with game designer James Vaughan on Game File, it was the 11th most-downloaded paid mobile game, with some 190 million players.

Naturally, I had to try After Inc for myself during my lunch break, and it's just as moreish as its predecessor, maybe even moreso. I promise I'm not playing it during work like Oscar does with Balatro, honest. Rather than controlling a virus, you take charge of settlements as they leave underground bunkers and try to rebuild society after the necroa virus turned most people into shambling zombies. It's easy to learn and fiendishly difficult, which seems to be developer Ndemic Creations' style.

"I have had quite a lot of people worry that our games tend to predict the future," Vaughan says to Game File. "I've tried to make a more happy and optimistic game this time." It's certainly a pretty game, and there is hope to be found, but it's also incredibly stressful. Zombies can attack you suddenly, accidents happen that require resources to fix, and if your settlers lose too much morale, it's game over.

"After Inc. crunches a whole load of different things together and we end up with a pretty unique game which lets you build up a settlement in 20 minutes and improve your overall civilization at the same time for future games," Vaughan explains. Every time you win a mission with a specific settlement, you can unlock a new bonus that you carry through in all future playthroughs. Things like pigeon breeding for meat, or more efficient storage of toilets.

You get a decent amount for $2, especially when most mobile games are free-to-play. When asked if