As a corsair who has sailed at least SIX of the seven seas, I have seen more than a few poxes that ravage whole ships. It is only by the God Calypso that me and me crew were spared the worst that took upon other ships like treasure seekers to ancient, cursed booty. If sickness be caught, then thar be only two poxes that are allowed on me ship; scurvy, because our fruits are quick to rot, and sea sickness for the salty dogs that ride upon our ship. The thing that has me ponderin’, though, is how well a sickness can spread even under the best conditions. Morbid thought it may be, aye, but it makes for a compelling mechanic in Pandemic 2.5.
The Slow and Compelling Gameplay
Avast, if ye be one of those gamers that do not enjoy a patient game, then thar be nothing for you in Pandemic 2.5. However, if ye be of an open mind and are willing to play a game that doesn’t use zombies or shooting, then ye be seeking the alternative titles. In terms of gameplay Pandemic is slow, and calculating, often reducing your control for the sake of thinking and planning. This game be centered on creating a plague, the likes of which spread like the bubonic pox that me ancestors once faced, even while on long ocean journeys.
Of course, in this context, the virus has to start from somewhere, and that is totally up to the game. Ye may grow your virus anywhere between South East Asia to the Americas. The twist is that your final goal is to make it totally fatal. Aye, that be your main morbid goal, and in this game, it is fun to play. Ye see, one of the main challenges in the game is that the range of your virus might be limited when trying to reach land locked areas, or places where the virus wasn’t designed to survive.
The game isn’t simply about spreading however, and designing that pox is yer means by which ye can destroy large chunks of the population. The virus has several characteristics where you can spend “Evo Points” to enhance each. In fact, depending on where the starting point of your disease may be, some characteristics may be more useful than others. Ye’ll also be tasked to figure which symptoms can spread the disease even faster, or which ones will prove to be more discomfort for the land lubbers
How Spreading the Virus Looks
In terms of prettiness, this game really doesn’t hold much to be impressed about. Aye, the game is not one that resorts to 3D models or well designed backgrounds. Instead, ye be planning like ye were in the map room, plannin’ out where to land and plunder. Expect to see a vast map that spans all corners of the world at your disposal. Each piece of land that gets infected is highlighted in bright red and the map is very detailed in terms of how it is divided.
Should Ye spend Yer Gold on This Title?
For them Admirals that enjoy fightin’ in comfy chairs away from battles, this would be a treat. Land lubbers who like thinkin’ out the game during the whole fight will no doubt enjoy this title as well. The slow but sure gameplay reminds me of going out sea for months at a time. Very boring, but very compelling at the same time. Of course, those two game mechanics aren’t associated with mobile apps, but if you want to try something different, then ye should seek this out and play it.
