In Video Games
| Name | Source | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| The Affliction | Guild Wars | Also referred to as 'The Canthan Plague'. A disease that spread in Cantha, causing victims to become hulking, aggressive, pained creatures known as 'the afflicted'. It was seen to affect humans, cattle, and various animals in a menagerie. The sufferers were initially believed to be contagious, but this was later found out to be false. |
| Ancient virus | Resident Evil series | A rare viral strain found in queen ant genes. It was discovered by Alexia Ashford, while she was studying ants. When combined with the Progenitor Virus, it creates the powerful T-Veronica virus. Probably the control power of it is due the Ancient virus. |
| Angel Toxicosis | Tales of Symphonia | A disease that cannot be transmitted, and affects only those with an unmounted Cruxis Crystal. Causes victim to eventually lose ability to taste, sleep, cry, feel pain, and talk. Also increases the victim's hearing, strength and sight abilities, as well as eliminating the need to eat and sleep. In early beginnings it allows the victim to gain crystal-like wings and fly until the disease is destroyed. The final stage of this diseases causes the victim to give up his/her heart and memory, and ultimately their life. The disease lasts for an unknown time, those afflicted are slowly "given" the symptoms via blessings of a person with a mounted Cruxis Crystal. A major example is Collette, one of the 8 protagonists of the game. |
| Blacklight Virus | Prototype | The Blacklight virus "plugs in" and activates the junk DNA in a target, causing biological changes that create (and recreate) a sentient mind inside the infected creature. It acts by affecting the protein encoding regions of the promoter introns in each cell. As a retrovirus, it contains both RNA and the reverse transcriptase enzyme, allowing it to insert its own genetic codes into living cells. It enters, re-purposes and changes the cell, replicating previously dormant non-coding segments of DNA. More often than not, these changes are too drastic and 99.99% of subjects die from massive organ failure and cell saturation however some variants have yielded other beneficial results; endowing the infected organisms with incredible superhuman genetic prowess, that greatly increase their natural abilities to levels far exceeding human capability. |
| Chimeran Virus | Resistance: Fall of Man | It mutates human DNA the infected into chimeran DNA thus make them as the enemies of the series. |
| Corprus | The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind | Corprus causes incredible mutations in humanoids, but it is an almost non-communicable disease. People infected with blight are often sent to a special institution called the Corprusarium, which was made for researching corprus. Corprus is caused by the volcanic ash that emanates from Red Mountain, but, as a positive side effect, grants 100% disease immunity. The only known antidote is proven to destroy corprus, but ends up killing the victim as well. However, the player is able to take the antidote without any adverse effects, presumably because he is the reincarnation of the demi-god Nerevar. |
| Corrupted Blood | World of Warcraft | Initially contracted from fighting Hakkar, the God of Blood, in the dungeon of Zul'Gurub. Highly infectious, with an incubation period of 2 seconds and can infect any person in the immediate area. Referred to players as "the Plague", "Hakkar's SARS" or "WoW AIDS" for a major outbreak of the virtual plague in the game due to a design oversight. |
| Creeping Derangea | Advance Wars: Days of Ruin | An artificial virus that is revealed to be a failed Bio-Weapon created by Dr. Caulder to test the extent of IDS technology. Due to its inherent flaw of photophobia, creeping derangea is only able to thrive when the sun was effectively blocked out by the vast amounts of dust that were kicked up into the troposphere and stratosphere by the apocalyptic meteor impact events. The Virus is initially only able to infect those under the age of 20 but a new strain is somehow introduced that can infect older hosts over time. Symptoms include headaches, paranoia, and a black diamond on the skin called "the mark". It causes flowers to grow inside a person and break out of the skin. A beautiful, albeit excruciatingly painful, way to die. Its scientific name is Endoflorescens terribilis. It is also known as The Creeper and the Green Thumb. |
| C-Vuris | Resident Evil 6 | A new, further evolved version of the T-Virus. Developed by Neo-Umbrella, it is responsible for creating the highly evolved, more intelligent J'avo, as well as being used in the worldwide bio-terrorist attacks. Jake Muller, being descended from Albert Wesker, is resistant to the disease. Because of this, Jake is seemingly being hunted by Ada Wong and her agents. |
| Diathronitis | Larn | Afflicts daughter of player character; serves as primary motivation for gameplay. |
| Doll Syndrome | hack GU.hack//G.U. | A mysterious medical condition in which a person falls into a completely unresponsive state. Doll Syndrome is in fact a physical side effect to an infection by AIDA. Salvador Aihara tries to do an undercover investigation regarding Doll Syndrome in especially young children for his show "Online Jack". |
| Shiva I-VII | Fallen Earth | The SHIVA virus, or at least SHIVA I, is hinted to be an airborne virus with a quick infection exposure time, and therefore has qualities much like a modern chemical weapon. Overall the SHIVA virus appears as seven distinct forms, with naming conventions of SHIVA I through SHIVA VII, with the seventh version being mostly non-lethal. The virus is named after te Shiva, the Hindu God of death due to the dance-like convulsions that it causes its victims |
| Flood Parasite | Halo | The Flood Parasite is depicted in the Halo franchise as a Parasite that mutates infected hosts into creatures similar to zombies. Depending on the size or condition of the Host's body, the Parasite either uses the host as-is to pursue new victims, or breaks it down to create "pure forms" from its biomass. |
| Forced Evolutionary Virus | Fallout | Originally known as the Pan-Immunity Viron Project, FEV, along with radiation, is responsible for many mutations in the wastelands. The most visible of these are the super mutants, former humans granted incredible strength and endurance as result of being infected. Exposure to the virus is also known to be fatal in many cases. FEV serves as a major plot element in Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout 3. |
| FoxDie | Metal Gear Solid | FoxDie is a virus responsible for killing people with certain genetic markers via cardiac arrest. FoxDie is given to protagonist Solid Snake by Dr. Naomi Hunter, only it is engineered to go off at an indeterminate time. FoxDie was also the cause of death of Liquid Snake, Decoy Octopus (impersonating DARPA chief Donald Anderson), and the ArmsTech President. |
| G-Virus | Resident Evil 2 | A mutagenic pathogen which causes the host to become a big, constantly evolving, practically unstoppable killing machine, with exceedingly high attack power and immense vitality, in addition to the ability to regenerate and mutate so quickly the carrier virtually loses its mortality. The purified virus can be injected directly into the host, or a mutated host can implant a small larvae, called a G-embryo into another host. The latter mode of transmission is most successful when the host and the new victim are genetically similar. The virus would later be merged with the T-Virus by Umbrella scientists in an attempt to balance the G-virus' rapid evolution with the T-virus' stability, creating an extremely dangerous, electromagnetic-capable variant called the T/G Virus. |
| Gagne | Michigan: Report from Hell | An experimental bioweapon that was developed in a consortium by the ZaKa Conglomerate, the U.S. Government, and the U.S. Military. It is a mutagenic virus that can be transmitted in the air and by contact with body fluids. Gagne takes the form of a thick fog that has covered the entirety of Chicago, Illinois and is causing animals and people to horrifically transform into grotesque monsters with large maws that can spawn leech-like larvae.
|
| Gangliated Utrophin Immuno Latency Toxin (GUILT) | Trauma Center: Under the Knife | A series of eight parasitic pathogens created by the medical-terrorist group Delphi. Despite its ingame introduction as a toxin, GUILT is referred as a "moving tumor", but behaves more like a parasite. During ingame sequences where the player operates on patients, GUILT diseases are normally shown as a pseudo-sentient core that attacks the patient from within, using lacerations, tumors and other ailments. Individual strains are named after Greek days of the week (Kyriaki, Deftera, Triti, Tetarti, Pempti, Paraskevi, Savato), the only exception being the eighth strain, called "Bliss". Neo-GUILT strains, which were developed independently from the original GUILT project, introduce four more strains (Nous, Bythos, Sige, Aletheia). Some GUILT survivors were also inflicted with a variation of the disease, dubbed the PGS (Post-GUILT syndrome). |
| Gray Death | Deus Ex | A global plague engineered using nanotechnology within a Universal Constructor by Majestic-12, the Gray Death virus is actually a hybrid (cyborganic) disease of biological and mechanical structures. It is based on the adverse and ultimately lethal effects of nanotechnology on an unmodified human body. Named the Gray Death because of the gray patches of discolored scar tissue that cover its victims' skins, if and when the disease is cured. Symptoms include the aforementioned discoloration of the skin, coughing, physical pain and death. |
| Hyper-evolutionary virus | StarCraft | The Hyper-evolutionary virus is a retrovirus produced by Zerg Queens. It is used to mutate "lesser" creatures into zerg warrior breeds. Only a small percent of humanity is fully compatible, who retain personality, intelligence, and psionics. Others mutate into living bombs, utterly dominated by the Overmind. It has a re-animation side-effect. It is transmissible through fluid transfer only, much like Solanum. |
| Incuritis | Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney | A rare, but lethal disease, curable only through the use of a medicine made from the Borginian Cocoon. The cure is very difficult to make, and if made incorrectly, it is a deadly poison, and thus the exportation of such a cocoon is illegal. The Chief Justice's son is afflicted with the disease. |
| Kepral's Syndrome | Mass Effect 2 | Drell are an almost extinct race, as their arid home planet Rakhana underwent an ecological disaster due to overpopulation. 350.000 of them were relocated to the humid, ocean-covered planet of Kajhe; this change of habitat and the unwillingness of the drell to separate themselves from the indeginous population, the jellyfish-like hanar, results in some of them developing this disease, which primarily damages their blood's ability to transfer oxygen. It is noncommunicable, and there is currently no known cure, though leading hanar scientific authorities are working on creating a genetic adaptation. |
| Las Plagas | Resident Evil 4 | A parasitic, organism which can infect a variety of hosts, including humans. It has the ability to control its host's behavior, inducing a hive-like mentality among the infected and extreme hostility towards uninfected individuals. The infected retain most of the characteristics of humans such as fine motor skills as seen through their use of simple weapons such as scythes and axes, and more complicated weapons such as chainsaws and chainguns. They are seen to obey "Queen" parasites, much like ants. |
| M2448 virus (The Freak Virus) | Crackdown 2 | The virus called M2448 was created by Catalina Thorne, the leader of Cell, during her time as a medical student working for the Agency. She conducted secret experiments of the virus but was discovered by the Agency and was kicked off the Agency-sponsored medical programme. She was enraged by this and wanted revenge on the Agency because it apparently ruined her life. To get her revenge she offered free vaccinations to the people of Unity Heights (formerly "The Corridor"), she was actually vaccinating her victims with the M2448 Virus which tuned them into Freaks. The virus spread across Unity Heights very quickly and soon made its way into the two other boroughs of Pacific City. |
| NE-Alpha Parasite | Resident Evil 3 | The NE-Alpha, or Nemesis Alpha, Parasite has an immunity to the T-virus, and is used to protect the higher brain functions of B.O.W.'s. However, if the B.O.W. is incompatible with the parasite, they die inside of twenty minutes. If they are compatible, however, the parasite acts as a second brain, taking over the functions mof the T-virus ravaged host brain. The host increases in size and strength; and become hardy enough to survive multiple gunshot wounds. |
| NE-Beta Parasite | Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City | The NE-Beta (Nemesis Beta) parasite is an evolved form of the NE-Alpha parasite. the parasite is capable of bonding to all B.O.W.s, from zombies to T-103 super soldiers. the parasite has an insectoid appearance, as opposed to the octopous-like form of its predecessor. However, it is prone to decapitating it's host. |
| Neuro-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (N.I.D.S.) | Sonic The Hedgehog (series)Sonic The Hedgehog | A rare, incurable, and fatal disease. Shortly after Prof. Gerald Robotnik refused G.U.N.'s request for him to discover the secret to immortality, his granddaughter Maria contracted N.I.D.S., causing Gerald to reconsider and begin Project Shadow. The cure was never found, despite Gerald's success at creating the ultimate life form. Maria later died of a gunshot wound during G.U.N.'s extermination of all involved in the project. |
| Porphyric Hemophilia | Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | Causes vampirism after an incubation period of three days. If the player is infected, they can go through a quest to cure the disease, however it is not necessary to be cured to complete the quest. |
| Pox of LeChuck | Tales of Monkey Island | The Pox of LeChuck (also named LeChucken Pox in the final episode) is a plague apparent in Tales of Monkey Island that swept across the Caribbean when Guybrush stabbed LeChuck with an enchanted voodoo sword at the Rock of Gelato. This caused LeChuck to be stripped of his voodoo powers, releasing a pandemic that transformed many pirates into green-skinned, foul-mouthed monsters. It also spread to Guybrush's hand, giving it a life of its own (even after being cut off by Morgan LeFlay), as well as infecting his wife, Elaine Marley. The only known cure is La Esponja Grande, which Guybrush embarks on a quest to find after speaking with the Voodoo Lady. |
| Progenitor Virus | Resident Evil | In the back-story of the series, the Progenitor virus is the primary virus created by the Umbrella Corporation, a mutagen based on ebola, with some of its components extracted from strange flowers that bloom underground, seen in Resident Evil 5. Successor viruses include the T-Virus, the G-Virus, and T-Veronica Virus. |
| Phazon Madness | Metroid Prime | A virus transmitted by being in close proximity to Phazon. The victim's mind is warped so they can no longer tell friend from foe, and exist only to destroy. Phazon Madness is extremely contagious, and it later develops into Phazon Fever, wherein the victim gains an obsessive compulsive disorder regarding Phazon. Infected victims can utilize Phazon as a weapon and normally can only be killed by Phazon itself. |
| Pokérus | Pokémon | A virus that afflicts Pokémon. Though it is incurable, it has no negative effects, and is in fact helpful. Pokémon afflicted gain double effort values in battle. The Pokémon retains this ability even after its contagious period of 48 hours has passed. Transmission is by proximity in a party, and the 48 hour "clock" is stopped by placing the Pokémon into a PC. |
| Roboenza | Mega Man 10 | A virus the affects humanoid robots, causing flu-like symptoms and eventually homicidal tendencies. Created and subsequently cured by Dr. Wily. Some theories hold that it is related to the Evil Energy from Mega Man 8 and the Maverick Virus from the Mega Man X series |
| Marker: DNA sequence | Dead Space | After the human colony, on planet Aegis discover an alien Marker, that contained complex and powerful DNA sequence, that enabled dead cells to revive. Unfortunately, one of the scientists working on this DNA sequence, dropped the dish containing these engineered cells. The cells, eventually infected one scientists, which then lead to altered mutations of the human body. |
| Maverick Virus | Mega Man X | A virus that affects Reploids. Causes violent insanity and is passed by touch. Victims can sometimes retain their intellect. Combination with the intelligence of the Maverick Hunter Sigma created a variant form called the Sigma Virus, which is airborne. Mega Man X can be harmed, but not mentally suborned, by this virus. Zero is actually strengthened by exposure, due to his unique status. The Zero Virus is a further evolved, faster version. |
| Rust Lung/Lambency | Gears of War 2 | When the Lightmass bomb that killed the multitude of Locust monsters in the first game vaporized the liquid element "Imulsion", the gas seeped into the atmosphere of planet Sera, resulting in 'Rust Lung', a disease that spreads quickly and deadly. However, in Gears of War 3 it is concluded that Imulsion is not just a fuel, it's a parasite, and it began to spread to humans as it had to Locust. In fact, as the subterran Locust tried to escape being turned into infested "Lambent", they had to start the genocide of the surface-occupying humans. The Lambent organism is present to some degree in every human's cells by the events of the game, and 'rust lung' is a sing of approaching transformation into a "former human", or just Former, a zombie-like creature. Locust, however, appear not to lose sentience after transformation, and some of them develop uncanny mutations amidst the heat of battle. All Lambent inherit Imuslion's qualities: glow in the dark and explosive properties. The point of the third game is to deal with the Imulsion's assault on the surface of the planet. |
| Scurge | Scurge: Hive | A parasite that can infect biological, technological, or coherent energy systems. It takes about one minute to overwhelm the special filters designed to ward off its infection. |
| Green Flu (Previously Unknown) | Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead 2 |
The Green Flu, commonly referred to simply as The Infection, has caused most humans who come in contact with it to change into homicidal, zombie-like beings. Anyone can catch it, but there are few out there who show no symptoms of the virus. They can, however, spread it to whoever comes in contact with them. These carriers seldom realize they are spreading the virus, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. |
| The Plague | Mass Effect 2 | The Plague is a virus possibly created by the Collectors which infects all species except humans and vorcha, with the latter being resistant to any infection, and the former being immediately blamed for the spread of the plague and hunted down by local non-human criminals. It causes horrible sores, a bad cough and coughing up blood, as a result of rapid mutations to the respiratory systems. It was being spread through the ventilation system of the slums of Omega by the vorcha under orders of the Collectors but was stopped by Shepard and doctor Mordin Solus, since Omega has no authorities whatsoever and the affected area was simply sealed until everyone would die. |
| The Plague of Undeath | Warcraft III | The Plague is responsible for the entire Undead race. It can re-animate dead creatures with a reasonable degree of sentience. However, the creature is usually dominated by the undead command structure, but they can escape from the tyranny of undeath. It also causes the soil beneath and around Undead structures to change into a substance known as Blight, which is poisonus to most plants. |
| Rosalia Virus | Trauma Team | A variation of viral hemorrhagic fever, capable of killing patients in days. The virus was originally found in the blood of Rosalia Rosselini by Cumberland College professor Albert Sartre. Sartre and his son attempted to use the virus to cure all disease, but instead found that it could not be used for positive means. An outbreak of the virus occurred, resulting in the Cumberland College Incident, where Sartre and Rosalia escaped to Mexico, and his son lost all memory of the incident, but was arrested and sentenced to 250 years of imprisonment under the ID "CR-S01". However, Sartre was inflicted with the virus, causing him to fall to insanity, killing Rosalia. Rosalia's blood splattered onto nearby flowers, which monarch butterflies fed upon, acting as vectors that caused a second outbreak. A variation of the Rosalia virus was encountered once, when one of the Rosalia patients, Naomi Kimishima, also had a pre-existing incurable genetic disease (thought to be related to GUILT). Interactions between the genetic disease and Rosalia gave birth to a "Twisted Rosalia" strain, which only one case was known to be documented. |
| Stigma | Trauma Center: New Blood | A virus accidentally created by Markus Vaughn and Lloyd Wilkens. It later is used as a bioterror weapon by the group Parnassus. It comes in six strains, named after body parts it resmbles or attacks (Cheir, Soma, Ops, Onyx, Brachion, Cardia). Unlike other pathogens, which store their genetic information in DNA, Stigma stores its genetic information in a film-like structure making it unique among pathogens. |
| T-Abyss Virus | Resident Evil: Revelations | A variant of the T-Virus, designed by FBC CEO Morgan Lansdale to show the world the dangers of bio-weapons and increase his own personal power through use of the 'Veltro' terrorist group. The virus crates zombies and BOWs who are strongly linked with water, and have numerous aquatic features such as tentacles and crab-like shells. It is encountered in the game when 'Veltro' threaten to infect the world's oceans, hoping to exact revenge for the loss of much of their forces during the bio-terrorist attack on the floating techno-utopia Terragrigia. It is encountered during exploration of three research vessals, where it has transformed the crew and several sea creatures into zombies, mutants and Tyrants. |
| T-Veronica Virus | Resident Evil Code: Veronica | A powerful strain of the Progenitor Virus, created by combining it with a rare retrovirus found in the genetic make-up of ant queens, discovered by unstable scientific genius Alexia Ashford, the result of an advanced cloning experiment. It is encountered in Code: Veronica, when it is being used by Alexia Ashford in her attempt to take control of the world. She experiments on her father, then on herself; her father is transformed into a terrifying monster, while she, going into hibernation after giving herself a dose of the Virus, manages to gain control over it and retain her personality and intelligence. She eventually becomes a dragonfly-like creature who has to be killed by Chris Redfield. It appears again in the 'Operation Javier' section of Darkside Chronicles, where it is being used by Javier Hidalgo to cure his daughter Manuela of an inherited illness. He also tried to cure his wife, but the virus overwhelmed her and turned her into a mutant. Manuela uses her developing powers (similar to Alexia Ashford's abilities before transforming into her insect form) to defeat the mutated Javier, and is then evacuated by Leon Kennedy and Jack Krauser. If Manuela survives at the end of the game, it is said that she is cared for by the US government, but her ultimate fate is left unknown. |
| T-Virus | Resident Evil | (short for Tyrant Virus, after the humanoid BOWs it is used to create) A virus that causes dementia and cellular necrosis in humans, turning them into zombie-like creatures who are difficult to kill. It can easily mutate into other strains, some of which have mutagenic effects on the host. In insects or amphibians, the resulting mutation often involves increased aggressiveness, increased size, and (almost always) the development of poisonous traits. In mammals, the results include aggressiveness, physiological changes of varying degrees, and an extremely increased evolutionary rate. However, it is shown that some humans can bond with the T-Virus and its variants and gain heightened speed, strength and strange powers while retaining their personalities, as in the case of Albert Wesker and Alexia Ashford. Variants include the NE-T virus, T-G Virus, the T-JCCC203 (used for pharmaceutical, but killed two people) and many others. |
| Technocyte Virus | Dark Sector | The metabolism of victims are increased and the surface of their skin hardens and forms a metallic exterior. The infection continues to mutate the host, driving them insane from the intense pain. The infected then become wildly aggressive and unpredictable, attacking anyone that is not infected on sight. The disease can be spread by physical contact and can affect animals as well as humans. |
| Tiberium poisoning | Command & Conquer | Tiberium crystals start to grow on a person's skin. These skin crystals eventually force their way through the persons vital organs, killing them. If the infestation is in a certain proportion, the victim mutates into a living bag of rotten skin and organs, called a visceroid. |
| Uroboros | Resident Evil 5 | An advanced strain of the Progenitor virus, the Uroboros virus was created by Albert Wesker, with inadvertent help from Jill Valentine. Exposure to Uroboros can lead to one of two things – forced evolution via DNA integration, leading to extremely heightened abilities, or rejection via the virus, leading to the parasitic nature taking over and forming a mass of black, leech-like pustules, which can grow in size if exposed to more organic matters. The only individual known to survive the process was Albert Wesker, which was more than likely due to the fact of his previous exposure to the T-virus. Other beings that took positive mutations from the Uroboros virus include the Reapers; cockroaches exposed accidentally to the virus, who then in turn grew largely in size, gained armour-like carapaces and scythe-like appendages, explaining the name. |
| Wailing Death | Neverwinter Nights | A bubonic-like plague that infects almost the entire city of Neverwinter. Thought to be just a natural plague, it is later discovered that it was magically created and unleashed upon the city. |
| (unknown) | Madworld | A disease created by the Organizers to force innocent people to compete in the bloodsport Deathwatch for an antidote. |
| Van Horton's Syndrome | Saturday Night Live | In the October 4, 2005 episode, Van Horton's Syndrome is a fictional condition also called Voice Imodulation or VI. This is a disease in which the people affected cannot control the pitch or volume of their voice. This disease also effects many Americans, including the guy who plays Rodge on what's happening and tennis great Pete Sampras. Although Pete Sampras suffers from low-grade voice imodulation and is a poster child for VI awareness |
| X-2 Virus | BattleTanx, BattleTanx: Global Assault | An extremely deadly virus released in 2001 and further researched in 2006 that killed 99.9% of the world's human female population that did not possess a special psychic ability known as 'The Edge'. Those that were spared were treated with the utmost respect, authority, and loyalty, thereby earning their title of 'Queenlord'. |
| Twin Fever | Metroid Prime | A Virus native to Twin Tabula causing double vision. When the twin sight fades, the victim is near death. |
| Kuru (Zombie version) | Dead Island | Is a neurological disease endemic to the Papua New Guinea region. It is widely passed among the local tribes and is believed to be the cause of the zombie outbreak. Doctor West needs a non-mutated strain of this disease to work on a cure. Doctor West also believes that people with O Negative blood are unsusceptible to the infection |
Read more about this topic: Fictional Diseases
Famous quotes containing the words video games, video and/or games:
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“It is among the ranks of school-age children, those six- to twelve-year-olds who once avidly filled their free moments with childhood play, that the greatest change is evident. In the place of traditional, sometimes ancient childhood games that were still popular a generation ago, in the place of fantasy and make- believe play . . . today’s children have substituted television viewing and, most recently, video games.”
—Marie Winn (20th century)
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