larsonj@lopers.unk.edu

“Among Us,” released in 2018, is a mobile game that recently gained massive popularity over the past few months. Its explosion in popularity was kickstarted by Twitch Streamers and YouTubers posting streams of them playing this game. The attention given to this game by YouTubers and Twitch Streamers intrigued fans, making many want to play this game.

“Among Us” takes place in a spaceship, where players must try to figure out who the alien imposter is before the imposter kills them all. The plot of the game seems to be like that of an alien movie. Players play as either the innocent crewmates, who solve tasks on the ship while also trying to figure out who the imposter is, or the imposter, who picks off the other players and lies to the crewmates to cover their tracks until they are the only one left on the ship.

From the game’s launch there have only been three different maps players can choose to play. Because of this,  the spaceship map gets boring after playing for a while. Having different maps would make it harder for players to get used to its layout and use that knowledge to their advantage over new players, who tend to play the game casually. Players would have to adjust their playing style to new layouts so that they can win. Luckily, these changes seem to be on the way in future updates.

The tasks that the game gives players to do are really simple, which allows players to complete them quickly. However, this makes the tasks a bit one-dimensional. I would prefer if at least some of the tasks were a bit more challenging. At any rate, there should be a better mix of hard and easy tasks. Having some harder tasks might give players a better chance to think and feel like they aren’t doing something a little kid could easily do.

However, I like the player communication feature, which allows players to discuss who they should kick off the ship. It is easier for players to talk to each other if they are near one another in the real world, so you can talk face to face, though Zoom or Discord could work just as well, because players are better able to prove that they are not the imposter.

This game requires players to be cunning, observant, and manipulative. If you’re not a good liar, then you probably won’t make a good imposter. For those who like causing a little chaos, this game gives many opportunities to bring out your mischievous side. And, arguably the best part about this game, is that it is great for a group of friends.