I first heard of Among Us when a friend asked me if I wanted to play a match. That was only a few months ago, right around when the game started catching popularity with YouTubers and streamers around early September. It has also made an impact on meme culture and has skyrocketed in popularity over the past month. Surprisingly, this game was created by three people at the indie game company “Innersloth” in 2018. Familiar to others for their work on Dig2China and The Henry Stickman Collection, this small company created the number one trending adventure game in the world and one of the most popular games on Twitch at the moment. But what makes this game so special? 

Among Us, in simple terms, is like a game of Mafia in space. The game follows 10 or fewer players on one of three maps, which consists of crewmates and imposters. The goal of the imposter is to eliminate the others without getting caught. The imposter kills players while trying his best not to look suspicious. How many imposters depends on the game mode, and it can range from 1-3. Crewmates carry out tasks, and they try their best to live and hopefully find out who is the imposter. 

Playing as the imposter can be considered to be the better position to play, so much so that some players leave when they learn they are not the imposter. The imposter has a few capabilities that are unique compared to the crewmates. Of course, the imposter is the only one to kill. The player can also “sabotage” different parts of the map. Some of these can be life-threatening if not treated after 30 seconds, such as the nuclear reactor overheating or the oxygen tank running out. Others mess up gameplay, such as turning off the lights and removing the tasks from the screen. Another feature of the imposter is that they can travel through vents, which can offer quick transport across the map and away from any crime scene.

Being a crewmate is the other option, and their job is to complete tasks and sniff out the imposter or imposters. The crewmate is defenseless to the imposter murdering them, but they are able to do a few things to make sure they win. One way is through doing tasks, which results in a win if everyone finishes the ones they were given. Tasks are different actions that need to be completed around the ship. This method is ingenious because it does not make everyone group up and it helps the imposter to make a clean move. When a crewmate dies, another crewmate could report the body, and there will be a session when people decide who the imposter is. After a conclusion is met, they vote to kick someone off the ship. If they get the imposter, they win. These voting sessions are key to the game since people state their excuses, and people decide who they can trust from there. 

Another interesting thing about this game is when you die. If this happens, you are put in a ghost mode, where you can freely roam around the map and finish your tasks as a crewmate. Invisible to the other players, you can follow the imposter, or look over your friend to make sure he or she is safe. This can also happen to you as an imposter if there is still another imposter alive. Still, you can help by sabotaging and shutting doors to help your friend kill the others and carry your teammates to victory.

Each map has its own different features, which include security cameras. It has very simple graphics and no music, but it all adds to the tense nature of the game. The game makes you hold onto your seat, and it makes you wonder who you may trust. You can join a server online or create your own, which makes it an amazing party game. This game is full of betrayal, lies, and survival. 

Generally, I really enjoyed this game. My only complaints are that it is a bit hard to type out your thoughts during polling fast enough, so it is suggested that you talk on a discord server or in real life. Some tasks can be hard to do on mobile, but other than that, it is an amazing gaming experience that I suggest you try out. Playing with friends is an amazing experience, and that is what adds to the fun of it all. It is accessible on mobile free with ads, and $5 on Steam, extra skins included. This is the perfect game to play in quarantine. 

If you were keeping an eye on the game, you may have heard the news that Innersloth plans to create a sequel, but they have changed their mind. They have made a decision to add all the new features and ideas in a new update of the game. So, make sure you keep your eyes open for the new update!