Rebel Inc. (video game)
{{Infobox video game
| title = Rebel Inc.
| developer = Ndemic Creations
| publisher = Ndemic Creations
| composer = Marius Masalar
Joe Hamilton
| designer = James Vaughan
| programmer = Gerard Meier
Daniel Weston
Tim Lane
| artist = Mario Hros
Vander Moule
Rosanna Vaughan
| platform = iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
| released = iOS{{Video game release|WW|8 December 2018}}Android{{Video game release|WW|11 February 2019}}Windows{{Video game release|WW|15 October 2019}}
|image = Rebel Inc. video game cover.jpg
|alt =
}}
Rebel Inc. is a strategy video game developed and released by Ndemic Creations for iOS in December 2018. It was later ported to Android in February 2019. A Microsoft Windows and macOS version was released on Steam as Rebel Inc: Escalation in October 2019. The goal of the game is to stabilize a region of a country while preventing insurgents from seizing control.
Gameplay
The player assumes control of an operation tasked with stabilizing a war-torn region of a country. Players work with a monthly budget to provide the population with services, jobs, infrastructure, and other such amenities in order to gain their support. Eventually, an insurgency begins within the region and the player must finance military initiatives to put it down. Later on, peace can be negotiated with the insurgent leaders. The game features many strategic elements, such as budgeting, random events, peace negotiation, balancing civilian and military initiatives, counter mechanics such as inflation, corruption, and local concerns. The game features several governors that have different abilities such as the Warlord that uses a personal militia in warfare or the Economist that helps prioritize the player's income, but gives its entire budget annually. The game features multiplayer modes such as VS & Co-Op modes, as well as a Campaign mode. The game's Campaign mode, released in 2020, is about adapting insurgency and other tactics for counterinsurgents.{{Cite news|last=Bolding|first=Jonathan|date=2020-05-09|title=Counterinsurgency game Rebel Inc now has a campaign mode|language=en|work=PC Gamer|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/counterinsurgency-game-rebel-inc-now-has-a-campaign-mode/|access-date=2021-12-07}} The game has a collection of custom scenarios as well as a creator to make them.{{Cite web|last=Dellosa|first=Catherine|date=2021-10-18|title=Rebel Inc: Escalation lets you pick up the pieces of a war-torn nation in a realistic sim, out now on iOS and Android|url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/rebel-inc-escalation/rebel-inc-escalation-lets-you-pick-up-the-pieces-of-a-war-torn-nation-in-a-reali/|access-date=2023-05-30|website=Pocket Gamer|language=en}} Each region of the game has different geographical conditions. The player has to invest in civic initiatives to improve their reputation and stabilize the country, although the more initiatives are taken, the more corruption and inflation increase.{{Cite news|last=Kelly|first=Andy|date=2019-10-21|title=Trying to fix a war-torn country in Rebel Inc: Escalation|language=en|work=PC Gamer|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/trying-to-fix-a-war-torn-country-in-rebel-inc-escalation/|access-date=2023-05-30}} The regions of the game are inspired by the geography of Afghanistan.{{Cite web|last=Wales|first=Matt|date=2019-09-30|title=Plague Inc dev's peace-keeping military sim Rebel Inc: Escalation heading to PC|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-09-30-plague-inc-devs-enhanced-peace-keeping-military-sim-rebel-inc-escalation-heading-to-pc|access-date=2021-12-08|website=Eurogamer|language=en}} The game also requires the player to develop infrastructure as well as the creation of jobs in industries.{{Cite web|last=Hanyu|first=Kaisei|date=2021-10-14|script-title=ja:軍事/政治シミュレーション『Rebel Inc: Escalation』正式リリース。『Plague Inc』スタジオが描く紛争地域の安定化オペレーション|url=https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20211014-178985/|access-date=2021-12-07|website=AUTOMATON|language=ja}} Other game mechanics include investing in education, creating an army and building roads.{{Cite web|last=Vojtěch|first=Petr|date=2020-01-14|title=Recenze Rebel Inc. – Zabitím diktátora to nekončí, ale začíná|url=https://mobilenet.cz/clanky/recenze-rebel-inc-zabitim-diktatora-to-nekonci-ale-zacina-39841|access-date=2021-12-07|website=mobilenet.cz|language=cs}} The game contains a governance tab, in which governmental and financial anti-corruption measures can be created.{{Cite web|last=Bahrami|first=Behzad|date=2020-02-01|script-title=fa:بررسی بازی Rebel Inc|url=https://www.zoomg.ir/game-review/312428-rebel-inc-game-review/|access-date=2021-12-07|script-website=fa:زومجی|language=fa-IR}}
Development
The game was released on December 8, 2018 on iOS devices.{{Cite web|last=Pelegrin|first=Williams|date=2019-02-11|title=There is finally a sequel to Plague Inc., and it's called Rebel Inc. (Update: Available now!)|url=https://www.androidauthority.com/rebel-inc-game-930066/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Android Authority}} A version of the game for Android devices was released on February 11, 2019.{{Cite web|last=Nelson|first=Jared|date=2019-02-11|title='Plague Inc.' Follow-Up 'Rebel Inc.' Now Available on Android|url=https://toucharcade.com/2019/02/11/rebel-inc-android/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=TouchArcade|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Cosmos|date=2019-02-11|title=Rebel Inc. llega a Android, el nuevo simulador de estrategia del creador de Plague Inc.|url=https://www.xatakandroid.com/juegos-android/rebel-inc-llega-a-android-nuevo-simulador-estrategia-creador-plague-inc|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Xataka Android|language=es}} On October 15, 2019, a Windows PC version called Rebel Inc: Escalation was released.{{Cite web|last=Kirakosyan|first=George|date=2019-10-01|script-title=ru:PC-версия Rebel Inc. выйдет в раннем доступе Steam уже в этом месяце|url=https://www.igromania.ru/news/86766/PC-versiya_Rebel_Inc_vyydet_v_rannem_dostupe_Steam_uzhe_v_yetom_mesyace.html|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Igromania|language=ru-RU}} In an update of the game, version 1.8 added another region called "Opium Trail", which is about preventing opium trade.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-10-18|title=Rebel Inc.: Umfangreiche Militär-Simulation von den Plague Inc.-Machern|url=https://www.appgefahren.de/rebel-inc-umfangreiche-militaer-simulation-von-den-plague-inc-machern-309169.html|access-date=2021-12-06|website=appgefahren.de|language=de-DE}} Some of the game simulations were inspired by the political situation in Afghanistan.{{Cite news|last=O'Connor|first=Alice|date=2019-10-01|title=Plague Inc devs bringing counter-insurgency sim Rebel Inc to PC|language=en|work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/plague-inc-devs-bringing-counter-insurgency-sim-rebel-inc-to-pc|access-date=2021-12-07}}{{Cite web|last=Bischoff|first=Jens|date=2021-10-15|title=Rebel Inc: Escalation: Politik- und Militärtaktik der Plague-Inc-Macher ist startklar|url=https://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/PC-CDROM/41169/2200532/Rebel_Inc_Escalation-Politik-_und_Militaertaktik_der_Plague-Inc-Macher_ist_startklar.html|access-date=2021-12-07|website=4Players|language=de}} In 2020, Ndemic Creations started a beta tester program for Android and iOS devices in order to bring the campaign mode to these devices.{{Cite web|last=Partleton|first=Kayleigh|date=2020-07-08|title=Ndemic is bringing the Rebel Inc. campaign to mobile|url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/73858/ndemic-is-bringing-the-rebel-inc-campaign-to-mobile/|access-date=2021-12-08|website=pocketgamer.biz}}
The game has received several free updates as well as paid DLC.
Reception
Mike Holmes of Gamereactor gave Rebel Inc. a 9/10, "appreciating the depth, involvement, great pacing, varied gameplay, very interesting subject matter, and excellent value for money, but finding the winning strategies too easy to fall back on".{{Cite web|last=Holmes|first=Mike|date=2018-12-18|title=Rebel Inc. - Review|url=https://www.gamereactor.eu/rebel-inc-review/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Gamereactor|language=en}} Dick Page of Pocket Tactics gave it five out of five stars, finding it an "initially obtuse but ultimately highly rewarding spiritual sequel to one of the greatest mobile successes". He also gave it a 9/10 rating.{{Cite web|last=Page|first=Dick|date=2018-12-11|title=Rebel Inc. review|url=https://www.pockettactics.com/rebel-inc/review|access-date=2021-12-06|website=Pocket Tactics|language=en-GB}} In a 148.apps review Campbell Bird described the game as "fun, but if the player finds a strategy that works in the game, it is applicable in basically every part of the game".{{Cite web|title=Rebel Inc. review|url=https://www.148apps.com/reviews/rebel-inc-review/|access-date=2021-12-08|website=148Apps.com}}
Rebel Inc. received praise from Said Tayeb Jawad, a diplomat who then served as ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Kingdom. Jawad called the game "sophisticated and engaging".
=Downloads=
Along with Plague Inc., it was one of the most downloaded games on the App Store in 2020.{{Cite web|last=Bello|first=Jean|date=2020-12-07|title=Estos son los juegos más descargados en Apple Store este año|url=https://www.fayerwayer.com/2020/12/apple-store-juegos-mas-descargados-en-el-2020/|access-date=2021-12-06|website=FayerWayer|language=es}} It was also one of the most downloaded paid games on iOS devices in Hong Kong.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-02|script-title=zh:2021 Apple App Store Awards 公佈 最佳手遊：LoL : Wild Rift、MARVEL未來革命|url=https://unwire.hk/2021/12/02/2021-app-store-awards/mobile-phone/|access-date=2021-12-07|website=unwire.hk|language=zh-TW}}