“Among Us” received a fair amount of attention when it was released in 2018. However, it wasn’t until 2020 that the game gained widespread international recognition. By September 2020, it had surpassed 100 million downloads and reached a peak of 3.8 million players worldwide.
The COVID-19-induced mandatory lockdown played a significant role in this popularity. During this period, there was a surge in the rate of popular content creators and gamers streaming the game to their massive audiences. However, Among Us’s intrinsic qualities, such as its social mechanics, engaging gameplay, plot, features, and characters, mainly contributed to its viral success.
This guide explores the fundamentals of the game, “Among Us,” discussing its gameplay, features, plot, modes, and characters.
Table of Contents
Game Plot
Among Us is a multiplayer game that revolves around human interaction and strategy. This social deduction mechanic is likely why it gained viral attention during the pandemic, providing a way for people to connect despite the lockdown.
The game’s plot/storyline is straightforward. It centers around a group of crewmates on a spaceship (or various other locations/maps like the Airship, Skeld, office building, and planet base) who must complete tasks to keep the ship running. However, while carrying out these tasks, one or more impostors work covertly to sabotage the mission and eliminate the crewmates. The crewmates are also tasked with identifying and voting out suspected impostors.
The excitement and intrigue of this game come from the crewmates trying to identify the impostors before it’s too late. On the other hand, the impostors aim to kill the crewmates and sabotage their efforts while remaining undetected. In a way, the gameplay is similar to poker, with parallels like deception, bluffing, reading opponents, and social dynamics between the two games. Speaking of poker, you can click here to enjoy a wide range of exciting online casino titles.
Game Characters
‘Among Us’ can be played between a minimum of four and fifteen players. Most players are designated as crewmates, while up to three players are secretly assigned the role of impostors.
Crew Mates
At the start of the game, crewmates are assigned various tasks in the form of mini-games. These may include puzzles or simple toggles that, when completed, perform maintenance on vital systems in the map or initiate the download of essential data. Crewmates must carry out all assigned tasks and avoid being killed by impostors or voted out to win the game.
Impostors
Impostors cannot perform tasks, so they have to pretend that they’re participating. While feigning participation, they sabotage the crewmates’ efforts and eliminate them. They do this by damaging systems such as lights, ventilation ducts, or oxygen generators, which crewmates must repair in time to prevent their demise.
Ultimately, impostors win the game by killing enough crewmates to equal their number or sabotaging a critical system on the map without it being fixed in time. They also win if they remain undetected until the number of crewmates left is equal to or fewer than their number.
Ghosts
Players who have been voted out or killed become ghosts. In this state, they are invisible to living players, can pass through walls, chat with other ghosts, and roam around the map, following players. Interestingly, crewmate ghosts can perform tasks, while impostor ghosts can still sabotage. This allows eliminated players to remain engaged and contribute to their team’s success even after being eliminated.
Gameplay
Since impostors cannot perform tasks, crewmates are always on the lookout, usually through various surveillance systems and indicators to identify them. Visual tasks requiring animated cues are a perfect way to determine who’s an impostor and who’s not. Crewmates also use it to confirm their identity to other crewmates, reducing the risk of being wrongly voted out.
When a player discovers a dead body or suspects foul play, they can call an emergency meeting. During these meetings, players share their suspicions and provide evidence or reasons for accusing a specific player of being an impostor. Impostors may attempt to blend in by accusing others falsely or lying to conceal their identity.
However, it becomes challenging for impostors to deny accusations if they are caught killing or sabotaging. However, excellent and convincing impostors may sway opinions and avoid ejection by persuading others to doubt the accuser’s credibility. Ultimately, players vote based on the credibility and value of each other’s statements. The player with the most votes is ejected from the game and becomes a ghost.
The game host usually sets the various defining characteristics of the in-game characters (crewmates and impostors) and aspects of gameplay before the game starts. These include player speed, number of tasks, visual tasks, and times an emergency meeting can be called.
They can also decide whether to reveal an impostor’s identity upon being voted out, which helps crewmates assess their voting accuracy. Additionally, players can customize their in-game appearance with different elements such as skins, visors, hats, and other accessories, which are purchasable via microtransactions.
Updates and Game Modes
Since its release in 2018, ‘Among Us’ has been updated periodically to include additional features and game modes. These updates include new game maps, roles, customization elements, etc. Notably, the 2021 update introduced several new features, such as:
- Guardian Angels: This allows ghost Crewmates to protect living crewmates by temporarily shielding them from impostor kills.
- Specialized Roles: Crewmates can have roles such as Engineers, who can use vents, and Scientists, who have access to vitals at any time.
- Shapeshifter Role: This allows living impostors to temporarily morph into other players and assume their color and appearance.
One notable game mode introduced is “Hide and Seek,” which came with the 2022 update. In this mode, there are no votes or meetings. Instead, one player is assigned the impostor role and must kill all the crewmates before a predetermined countdown ends. Crewmates, on the other hand, must hide and avoid being caught by the impostor.
Conclusion
“Among Us” offers a unique blend of social deduction and strategy that has captivated millions of players worldwide. Its engaging gameplay, simple yet effective plot, and intriguing characters make it accessible and enjoyable for casual and hardcore gamers. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, feel free to dive in, play with friends, and experience the game’s thrill, endless fun, and suspense.
