All about Among Us: The online game that took the internet by storm

When the coronavirus pandemic came along in 2020, the entire world came to a halt. In these times, people turned towards the internet for seeking some sort of togetherness and it emerged as a place where people could socialise more than ever before. This gave rise to a host of online group activities and games where multiple people could have fun together and interact without leaving their houses. One such game that took the internet by storm was Among Us. Loved by kids, teenagers and adults alike, it is still incredibly popular two years into the pandemic. Read on to learn more about this online game. 

What is Among Us all about? 
Initially released in 2018, Innersloth’s Among Us rose to prominence during 2020. It is an online multiplayer game set in a virtual space setting. Here, 10 players find themselves either in a spaceship, sky headquarters or a planet base. One out of two roles are designated to each player is a ‘crewmate’ or an ‘imposter.’ The latter is essentially a type of shapeshifting alien who resembles the rest of the crewmates with the sole purpose of sabotaging the mission. The game is based on the principle of social deduction. The aim of the imposters is to deceive and the kill the crewmates. On the other hand, the crewmates have to stay wary of the imposters and take them down.  

What are the rules of Among Us? 
Survival is the ultimate goal of this game. 4 to 10 people can play this game at a time. If there are more players involved, the number of imposters can go up to 3. Throughout the process of this game, the crewmates have to complete certain simple assigned tasks. The imposters have to try and blend in with the others in the setting. It is more fun being an imposter as one can sneakily conjure plans to betray other crewmates. The players have to conduct a vote on who they think is the betrayer. If a certain member is killed, it gets reported to everyone. Although players cannot directly converse with each other through the game, additional communication platforms such as Discord are often used. They can discuss which players seem to be the secret imposters and plan attacks accordingly. Keep in mind- the imposters are also a part of this discussion and hence need to protect their identity.  

Where can one play Among Us? 
This popular game can be downloaded on iOS, Android as well as Windows. It is free of cost on the former two, while it has to be purchased on the Windows Steam Store for ₹199. It can also be directly purchased from the Among Us official website for $5, which amounts to approximately ₹327.