Among Us

In this multiplayer escapade of social intrigue, players find themselves engrossed in an outer space setting, where the gameplay borrows elements from the traditional group game Mafia and gets an eerie twist reminiscent of the science fiction horror masterpiece, The Thing. The gameplay is structured around individual roles—most participants assume the identity of Crewmates, while a select few are designated as Impostors.

Crewmates have the primary goal of identifying and ejecting the Impostors hidden within their group while completing a range of different assignments located across the game's landscape. Victory for the Impostors comes when they achieve numerical parity with the Crewmates or successfully cause a catastrophic sabotage that remains unresolved. Among Us, conceived and released by the game studio Innersloth, first appeared for iOS and Android users in June 2018 and expanded to Windows users in November 2018, permitting cross-platform engagements. The game's reach grew with its December 2020 launch on the Nintendo Switch.

Gameplay

Within this strategic contest, two antagonistic factions emerge: the Allies, known as Crewmates, and their adversaries, the Deceivers, referred to as Impostors. The mission for each faction is fundamentally opposed; Crewmates must diligently identify and neutralize the sly Impostors embedded within their ranks, while the crafty Impostors plot to sow chaos and eliminate the very members they walk amongst. The game unfolds over the course of six distinct intervals.

Impostors must maintain their facade, avoiding detection at all costs. It falls upon the Crewmates to use their wits and discern who among them is an Impostor. The gameplay oscillates between two pivotal periods: Daytime and Nighttime. Throughout the Daylight span, players aim to accomplish a specified quota of assignments, often collaborating in duos or trios for a more effective workflow. Upon the day's culmination, a voting session ensues where the Crewmates cast their suspicions on potential Impostors and Impostors cast their votes to protect their identity. Elimination mode operates on the principle of plurality voting: if one vote is cast against a participant, they will be eliminated from the game. Interestingly, players have the option to cast a vote for themselves, a risky move that could blast their cover. If the vote ends without the contestant being expelled, the cycle will start again with a new Day.

Graphics

Set against the backdrop of an interstellar environment, this game unfolds within the confines of a 2D realm. Visual elements are rendered with a minimalist aesthetic, employing geometric forms to represent structures, flora, and wintry elements. Despite the game featuring three-dimensional visuals that evoke the flair of graphic novels, the visual fidelity may not match the gloss seen in other titles. Nonetheless, this does nothing to detract from the enthralling nature of the gameplay experience.

Replayability

Among Us is exclusively a multiplayer game, lacking any sort of a solo campaign mode.

Conclusion

Innersloth's online multiplayer game, Among Us, invites gamers into a virtual realm of intrigue and subterfuge. It holds the distinction of being Innersloth's inaugural title to land on the Nintendo Switch console. Debuted in June 2018 for smartphones running on iOS and Android, it subsequently expanded to Windows users in November 2018. Among Us fosters a community of cross-platform gamers, allowing seamless play experiences across the varied devices.