How To Beat Bacteria Brutal Mode In Plague Inc.: 9 Steps - WikiHow

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How to Beat Bacteria Brutal Mode in Plague Inc. Download Article Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Creating Your Bacterium
|
• Infecting the World
|
• Destroying the Population
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Travis Boylls. Travis has been a tech writer at wikiHow for more than 10 years. He has also worked in technical support for Dish Network and AT&T Wireless. He studied graphic design and web design at Pikes Peak Community College. He specializes in Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and video game consoles. Travis has had a fascination with computers and technology that goes all the way back to childhood. He is proficient in all manner of software and computer operating systems. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 579,295 times. Learn more...

Bacteria is the very first unlocked plague type in the game; it is the most common cause of plagues and has unlimited potential. It has standard transmissions and symptoms available on most plague types but has a unique ability which allows it to resist tough climates. Beating Bacteria on Brutal Mode can be challenging, but if you manage your symptoms and ensure the bacteria spreads, you shouldn't encounter too much difficulty. This wikiHow teaches you a few strategies to beat Bacteria Brutal Mode in Plague Inc.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Creating Your Bacterium

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1. 1 Choose your genes. When starting the game, you will be able to choose a few upgrades for your virus. These are unlocked by beating the game multiple times, and you may not have access to all of them. This mode is still beatable if you don't choose any upgrades.[1] The following are some suggestions if you have them available:[2]
   • DNA Gene - Metabolic Jump. This gives you bonus DNA for popping bubbles.
   • Travel Gene - Native Biome. Gives you bonus infectivity in your starting country.
   • Evolution Gene - Sympto-Stasis. Keeps symptom costs from increasing.
   • Mutation Gene - Genetic Mimic - Slows down cure research.
   • Environment Gene - Extremophile - Gives a bonus to all environments.
2. 2 Choose a starting country. Your starting country is very important, as this will determine how quickly the virus starts spreading. Start in China, India or South Africa. China and India have the largest population in the world, which hasten the spread rate of the infection. South Africa has a lack of healthcare, which allows for fast growth.
   • Both nations have warm climates, which automatically gives your plague the ability to withstand warm weather.
   • China and India can quickly infect neighboring countries, and since both have seaports and airports, it won't take too long for the infected citizens to migrate on planes and boats and infect other parts of the world.[3]
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3. 3 Devolve new symptoms. Your bacteria will randomly evolve symptoms as the game progresses. Make sure to devolve every single one. Otherwise too much work will start on the cure. To devolve, tap the DNA button at the bottom left of the screen and then choose Symptoms. Tap on the gene that has generated and then choose Devolve. This can be found at the lower-right of the menu.
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Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Infecting the World

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1. 1 Increase the spread. Once you start earning some DNA, you can work on increasing the transmission capabilities of the virus. Start by unlocking Water 1 and Air 1. These will increase your bacteria's ability to spread over boats and airplanes.[4]
2. 2 Increase your bacteria's resistance. Bacterial Resilience is an ability unique to bacteria. This will thicken the Bacteria's shell, making it more comfortable in all climates. Drug Resistance allows the bacteria to spread in more developed countries. Improve the transmission and evolve the following upgrades:
   • Bacterial Resilience 1
   • Drug Resistance 1
   • Water 2
   • Air 2
   • Extreme Bioaerosol - This becomes available after maxing out Air and Water transmission. It gives a boost to both.
   • Bacterial Resilience 2 and 3
3. 3 Wait for the world to become infected. This will probably take a while, so set the game speed to the fastest setting. Make sure to keep popping bubbles and devolving symptoms when they mutate.
   • Once the entire population is infected, you will receive a message letting you know that there are no healthy people left. Time to unleash the symptoms!
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Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Destroying the Population

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1. 1 Hit hard with a batch of symptoms. With everyone infected, it's time to hit the population hard and fast so that they start dying before the cure is finished.[5] Evolve the following symptoms, preferably in order:
   • Rash
   • Sweating
   • Fever
   • Immune Suppression
   • Total Organ Failure
   • Coma
   • Paralysis
2. 2 Wait for people to start dying. Once people start dying off, hit them with another round of deadly symptoms. These have the added benefit of slowing down cure research as well:
   • Insomnia
   • Paranoia
   • Seizures
   • Insanity
3. 3 Slow down the cure. Most of the world should be dead or dying, but you may still have the cure to worry about. Evolve Genetic Hardening and Genetic ReShuffle to slow down the cure's progress. If your Cure percentage reaches above 60%, use Genetic Reshuffle. This will make your disease harder to analyze in the lab and slows future cure research.
   • Evolving this ability will also decrease the cure percentage to 15–20% percent.
   • If the cure rate increases beyond 60% again, use Reshuffle once more, upgrading it to level 2 then level 3 if it reaches 60% again.
   • Genetic Hardening is useful as well since this increases the time before the cure is finished. Use this to your advantage until the population in the world declines and no one is left.
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Community Q&A

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• Question How do you get more points? Community Answer Have a lower percent of the cure complete when you finish, play on harder difficulty and wipe everyone out in less time. These are the ways in which you will earn more points. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 11 Helpful 34
• Question Do I need double speed? Cats:) Community Answer No, but it is recommended although it will not affect cure research or the bacteria. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 22
• Question Do I have to to get the genes for modifying the bacteria, or is that just recommended? If so, how would I get these genes? Community Answer No. You can just play bacteria on casual over and over and you get more genes. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 15

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Tips

• Practice a few games on normal before playing on Brutal mode. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Avoid spending DNA on transmission upgrades such as Livestock and Bird. You're better off saving the DNA for better symptoms to help kill everyone at the end. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Avoid any other Abilities and Transmission traits that you are available to evolve. Devolve your transmission and ability traits except for drug resistance right before you make the bacteria deadly. Save the rest of your points for Genetic Reshuffle and Genetic Hardening.
• Once everyone is infected, you can devolve transmissions and things like heat resistance. If everyone is already infected you won't need them because you can't infect someone if they already are. You can use the extra DNA for the last few symptoms that kill everyone off.
• Take extra care to make sure that the hard island countries, like Iceland, Greenland, Madagascar, and the Caribbean are infected before you start adding symptoms.
• Don't get symptoms when it says scientists understand that symptom more. The cure percentage will shoot up and make it tougher to win.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

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References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVamdHExzns
2. ↑ http://gametipcenter.com/plague-inc-how-to-beat-bacteria-on-brutal
3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVamdHExzns
4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVamdHExzns
5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVamdHExzns

About This Article

Written by: Travis Boylls wikiHow Technology Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Travis Boylls. Travis has been a tech writer at wikiHow for more than 10 years. He has also worked in technical support for Dish Network and AT&T Wireless. He studied graphic design and web design at Pikes Peak Community College. He specializes in Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and video game consoles. Travis has had a fascination with computers and technology that goes all the way back to childhood. He is proficient in all manner of software and computer operating systems. This article has been viewed 579,295 times. 35 votes - 71% Co-authors: 18 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 579,295 Categories: PC Games

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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Article SummaryX

To beat Bacteria Brutal Mode in Plague, Inc., choose the genes you want and select China, India, or South Africa as your starting country. Devolve each new symptom as it appears by tapping the DNA button, choosing Symptoms, and clicking Devolve. Then, unlock Water 1 and Air 1 to increase your bacteria's ability to spread. You can also unlock Bacterial Resilience 1 and Drug Resistance 1 to increase resistance. Once the world is infected, evolve the following symptoms: Rash, Sweating, Fever, Immune Suppression, Total Organ Failure, Coma, and Paralysis. After more people die, evolve the symptoms Insomnia, Paranoia, Seizures, and Insanity. Finally, evolve Genetic Hardening and Genetic ReShuffle to slow down the cure. To learn more about evolving symptoms, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Written by: Travis Boylls wikiHow Technology Writer 35 votes - 71% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 18 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 579,295

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