Before a player starts their game, they can insert Genetic Code. These genes allow personalization of pathogens by providing boosts to how one infects people, reacts to different environments, acquires DNA, and just the playstyle in general of your pathogen.
Every time a player wins a game with a standard plague, they unlock one of the 25 genes, regardless of the difficulty level. The same goes for victories in the Neurax Worm. However, the other special plagues normally unlock one of their special genes.
There are five different types of genes: DNA Genes, Travel Genes, Evolution Genes, Mutation Genes, and Environment Genes. Players can only have one of each type of gene per game, meaning that there are a large number of different genetic combinations that one can use for any disease. There are exclusive genes for Necroa Virus, Simian Flu, and Shadow Plague.
Genes
DNA Genes
ATP Boost
Get bonus DNA at the beginning (8 extra starting DNA Points).
Cytochrome Surge
Get more DNA from popping orange DNA bubbles.
Metabolic Jump
Get more DNA from popping red, biohazard bubbles.
Metabolic Hijack
Orange and red bubbles are automatically popped. This also pops colony bubbles in the Simian Flu, potentially allowing for more relaxed gameplay.
Mutation Genes
Darwinist
This gene increases the chance of your plague mutating.
This can amplify the tendency of Virus to randomly mutate.
Creationist
This gene decreases the chance of your plague mutating.
This can inhibit the tendency of Virus to randomly mutate.
Genetic Mimic
Your plague is harder to cure.
This gene is quite useful in the Standard Plagues at higher difficulties.
Base Hydrolysis
Your plague can mutate Abilities, but is easier to cure.
Caution is advised when considering this gene for playing at higher difficulties.
Base Oxidisation
Your plague can mutate transmissions, but is easier to cure.
Caution is advised when considering this gene for playing at higher difficulties.
Travel Genes
Teracyte
This gene increases the chance of your plague spreading by land.
This gene is useful for infecting areas with multiple countries in close proximity to one another, such as Asia.
Aquacyte
This gene increases chance of your plague spreading by sea.
This is useful in situations where Island Countries can be particularly difficult to infect, such as Pirate Plague.
Aerocyte
This gene increases chance of your plague spreading by air.
This is useful in situations where planes are less common than usual, such as Volcanic Ash.
Suppression
Your plague is more likely to cross a closed land border. This is useful in bypassing situations where a plague would usually be locked out, such as shortly after discovery.
Native Biome
This gene increases infectivity of your plague in its starting country.
Environment Genes
Xerophile
This gene gives your plague a bonus in arid climates.
This is useful in spreading in countries with an Arid climate, such as Saudi Arabia.
Hydrophile
This gene gives your plague a bonus to infectivity in humid climates.
This is useful in spreading in countries with a Humid climate, such as India.
Rurophile
This gene gives your plague a bonus to infectivity in rural environments.
This is useful in spreading in Rural Countries, such as Argentina.
Urbophile
This gene gives your plague a bonus in urban environments.
This is useful in spreading in Urban Countries, such as China.
Extremophile
This gene gives your plague a minor bonus in all environments.
Evolution Genes
Ionised Helix
This gene grants bonus DNA when devolving (+2 DNA Points for devolution).
This gene is useful at lower difficulties because devolution of low-tier Symptoms, for example, frees up DNA Points that can be used to evolve higher-tier symptoms.
Translesion +
Costs to devolve don't increase. This is useful when devolution of unwanted symptoms in Virus is preferred.
Sympto-Stasis
Symptom costs don't increase, but your plague will be easier to cure.
Caution is advised when considering the use of this gene at higher difficulties.
Trans-Stasis
Transmission costs don't increase, but your plague will be easier to cure.
Caution is advised when considering the use of this plague at higher difficulties.Patho-Stasis=
Ability costs don't increase, but your plague will be easier to cure.
Caution is advised when considering the use of this gene at higher difficulties.Note: Mega-Brutal infected population cost increase still applies to the "stasis" genes. Cost will still increase.
Necroa Genes (Exclusive to Necroa Virus, replacing Evolution)
Autolytic Reduction
This gene slightly decreases the speed at which zombies decay, allowing them to be dangerous for longer periods of time.
Cytopathic Boost
Infected corpses are more likely to reanimate as a zombie.ThermoNecro=
This gene reduces the zombie rate of decay in countries with a Hot climate.
This increases the effectiveness of zombies in hot countries.
Spliced Activation
Active abilities cost less DNA to use.
This allows the player to invest more DNA Points in improving the deadliness of their zombies if they wish to do so.
Dopamine Inhibitor
This gene increases the chance of a zombie victim becoming a zombie.
Simian Genes (Exclusive to Simian Flu, replacing Mutation)
Viral Affinity
This gene increases the rate of ape-to-ape transmission.
Call of the Wild
Apes are less likely to be found by humans.
This gene can be used to ensure the humans take a longer time to figure out that the Simian Flu is causing the apes to behave erratically.
Together Strong
This gene increases DNA gained from colonies (+1 DNA).
Leadership
Active abilities cost less DNA to use (1/2 cost).
This gene allows the player to invest more DNA Points into either improving their apes or negatively impacting humans.
Adrenal Surge
This gene increases ape strength and speed, but it is lethal over time.
The latter portion makes this gene potentially useful in a Simian Flu speedrun.Artificial Genes (Exclusive to Simian Flu, replacing Evolution)
Cortisol Sensitivity
This gene reduces research from Gen-Sys experiments on apes.
This has the effect of reducing the effectiveness of the Cure effort.
Latent Catalyst
This gene allows you get DNA when a Gen-Sys lab is destroyed.
Ion Deficit
It costs more to devolve, but it also makes the Simian Flu harder to cure.
Ion Surge
It costs less to devolve, but the Simian Flu is easier to cure.
ATP Overdose
Bonus DNA is given at the start, but it costs significantly more to devolve (+15 starting DNA Points), (20 more points devolution cost).Shadow Genes (Exclusive to Shadow Plague, replacing DNA Genes)
Witch Doctor
Vampire heals faster when in its lair
Shadow Spawn
Vampire less likely to be spotted in countries with lairs
Mad Scientist
All bubbles are automatically popped for you
Unholy Engineer
Harder for drones to target lairs
ATP Overdose
Lair DNA bonus triggers with fewer infected peopleBlood Genes (Exclusive to Shadow Plague, replacing Travel genes)
Healthy Eater
Increases vampire maximum health
Brawler
Vampire Blood Rage ability doesn't cost DNA
Harvester
Vampire gets more DNA when consuming people using Blood Rage
Scavenger
Vampire gets more DNA from destroying labs and Templar Bases
Berserker
Vampire Blood Rage ability kills more peopleFlight Genes (Exclusive to Shadow Plague, replacing Environment genes)
Bat Bolt
Vampire Flight range increases
Fair Weather Bat
Vampire flies faster when not injured
Socially Awkward Bat
Vampire starts Blood Rage automatically when entering a new country
Budget Bat
Vampire Flight ability doesn't cost DNA
Aerophobic Bat
Vampire flies faster but damages health
Unlocking via Gameplay
You can unlock genes by playing the game. Below are some ways people found which gene gets unlocked by which action, mostly tested on mobile (Android/iOS):
- Beating a Bacteria level should unlock a DNA Gene
- Beating a Virus level should unlock a Travel Gene
- Beating a Fungus level should unlock an Evolution Gene
- Beating a Parasite level should unlock a Mutation Gene
- Beating a Prion level should unlock an Environment Gene
- Beating a Nano-Virus level can unlock a DNA Gene
- Beating a Bio-Weapon level should unlock ?
- Beating a Neurax Worm level should unlock ?
- Beating a Necroa Virus level should unlock a Necroa Gene
- Beating a Simian Flu level should unlock a Simian/Artificial Gene
- Beating a Shadow Plague level should unlock a Shadow/Flight/Blood Gene
Multiplayer genes
Here is a list of some genes on Multiplayer games. Some of the genes on Multiplayer are VS Mode exclusive. This list is outdated and needs to be updated to fit the current game.
- Hydrophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in arid climates, but a penalty in humid climates.
- Xerophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in humid climates, but a penalty in arid climates.
- Urbophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in rural environments, but a penalty in urban environments.
- Rurophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in urban environments, but a penalty in rural environments.
- Pharmaphile: Gives your plague a bonus in wealthy countries, but a penalty in poor countries.
- Pharmaphobe: Gives your plague a bonus in poor countries, but a penalty in wealthy countries.
- Frigophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in hot countries, but a penalty in cold countries.
- Thermophobe: Gives your plague a bonus in cold countries, but a penalty in hot countries.
- Benign infection: Your plague is harder to cure but you start with less DNA.
- [VS Mode Exclusive] Safe house: Get more DNA from bubbles in your starting country, but your opponent gets bonus DNA when it is discovered.
- Unstable inception: Get bonus DNA at the beginning, but your starting country will be selected randomly.