Plague Inc. Evolved (Mobile game rewritten for PC)

[Draco18s]

...however that works, on a genetic level...mind control?

There are REAL diseases that do that.  Or at least, similar things.

There's a kind of bacteria (parasite? I've forgotten) that gets into mice brains and reprograms them to like the smell of cat urine.
The cat catches the mouse, thinking he's all hot stuff.
The bacteria goes "BREEDING PARTY" and breeds like crazy in the cat's intestines.
And is eventually excreted and makes its way back to new mice.

[Mánagarmr]

...however that works, on a genetic level...mind control?

There are REAL diseases that do that.  Or at least, similar things.

There's a kind of bacteria (parasite? I've forgotten) that gets into mice brains and reprograms them to like the smell of cat urine.
The cat catches the mouse, thinking he's all hot stuff.
The bacteria goes "BREEDING PARTY" and breeds like crazy in the cat's intestines.
And is eventually excreted and makes its way back to new mice.

...Okay, I'm now severely creeped out about what this Earth has produced

[Draco18s]

Ah, it's a parasite.
It's called Toxoplasma gondii.

[Wingflier]

As an aside, I just found out that the designers have partnered with 20th Century Fox to create a version of the epidemic from the newer "Planet of the Apes" movies!

http://www.ndemiccreations.com/en/news/75-mutation-1-9-announced-the-simian-flu-from-dawn-of-the-planet-of-the-apes

[Mánagarmr]

Correct. The "Simian Flu" plague type is now out and live on the Steam version, and it's...strange. I've yet to actually win a game with it, because I keep thinking it's like the Necroa virus, but it's not You can't kill off all humans and let the zombies mop up, you have to keep the plague alive in the human population. I'll definitely have to play a few more games before I wrap my head around how the balls to play this