Since the start of 2020, I have seen a recent rave of a video game known as “Among Us.” The most accessible knowledge of the game came through social media, which is where I first started hearing of this. I’m not a big fan of trends, or video games, for that matter, so I naturally just ignored it. 

It was not until recently that I began to get curious. My friends introduced me to the game and explained to me how to play it. This got me interested, as the theme of the game intrigued me. Perhaps what worked out best for me was the game’s availability as an app on phones. Generally, these trendy video games are often accessible through a video game console, which I don’t have. 

So, I downloaded it and began to play it. From what I understand, “Among Us” takes place on a rocket ship in space. The player’s objective is to find the imposter or the bad guy. This is how it works: upon opening the app, the player is required to enter a name for themselves. I recommend not entering your own name for confidentiality reasons. The player then has three options: they can either create a game, find a public game, or join a private game by entering a code. 

If the player creates a game, they can choose the number of players (maximum of 10) and imposters (maximum of three). If they want to join a public game, they can choose from a variety of games listed and choose them based on the number of players and imposters. With public games, I recommend choosing the game with fewer players to begin with, around three to six players, because seven or more players means the game is full or has started. 

Once they are in the game, the player is thrown into a lobby with other players. The host of the game can choose to start the game whenever they like (usually when they have 10 players). On the left side of the screen are the settings of the game, such as the speed of the players, the number of imposters, etc. The player can customize the avatar too. 

Once the game starts, the player will be assigned two roles: crewmate or imposter. Both have different controls when playing the game. In the crewmate version, the player will be assigned tasks to complete, and their job is to complete those tasks while looking out for imposters. During the game, the player will either see dead bodies of other crewmates or suspicious activity, which they can report using the report or emergency meeting buttons. The report button will activate upon contact with a dead body and the emergency meeting button is located in the cafeteria (the ship has multiple rooms inside).

Upon activating both buttons, the player will have to discuss with other players about the situation, such as who was around the body, who is acting suspicious, etc. After discussing, the player will have to vote for who they think the imposter is. They can also skip voting if there isn’t enough information. Depending on the majority, the game will kick out whoever is voted for the most. This means that there is a possibility that a player can get ejected, even if they weren’t the imposter. The game will not eject a player if the majority of votes are skipped or tied. After voting, the player is free to continue their tasks accordingly. The goal of the crewmate is to find all the imposters to win. I don’t really like this version, as it puts too much on my plate. Having to finish your tasks and running away is too much to do. 

In the imposter version, however, the player has less duties to take care of. Their objective is to sabotage and kill everyone on board in order to win the game. I like this version a lot more since it puts me in control of everything and I can do whatever I want to in this version. 

The mysterious plot of the game is what drew me to it in the first place. I like solving mysteries and, sometimes, being the villain. I also appreciate the game for not being too graphic. Because it is a dark themed game, I initially expected it to be extremely graphic, or in other words, good design. This type of design is seen in other games such as “Call of Duty.” I also like the routine of the game, in the sense that each round of the game is the same: you finish your tasks and find the imposter. The most exciting part of this game is being the imposter and voting others out. This game also permits me to be free with my actions and creativity, as I normally have limits to these in the real world. 

The part that keeps the game’s reputation up is possibly the role of the imposter. As a player, I really like discovering who the imposter is and reporting them. The imposter is pretty much the whole point of the game, so even if you don’t like doing the tasks, finding the imposter is the fun part. Also, trying to finish your tasks without getting caught by the imposter is thrilling for me as well. 

Overall, this game is really entertaining for me. I normally stay away from video games, as I don’t want to get addicted, but this game is worth it. “Among Us” is also worth it if you want to try something new and branch out of your comfort zone. It is a fun and friendly game that is low on violence and gore, if that concerns you. If you want to play “Among Us,” you can find it on the App Store or Google Play Store