[Introduction]
Among Us is a multiplayer social deduction game inspired by the party game Mafia. Developed by the game studio Innersloth, it’s a game listed for ages 9+ and is available for cross-platform play on PC,/Android, Windows, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and VR.
[Argument]
Among Us makes use of of simple yet intricately layered mechanics that offer diverse avenues for social deduction to resonate with a wide range of players which is a key aspect that differentiates it from other games.
[Analysis]
The key mechanics of Among Us are simple. Players can be crew mates or imposters. Crew mates can win the game by either completing all of their assignments or ejecting all of the imposters from the spaceship. On the other hand, imposters win the game by killing or ejecting all crew mates from the spaceship. This division of roles allows for competition and fellowship as notable game aesthetics. Furthermore, we can see how Among Us is a unilateral competition game where outcomes are zero-sum. Other key mechanics include voting for a player to be ejected after discussion through text-based chat or voice chats, ability for crew mates to play mini games to complete tasks (and imposters’ inability to complete these), ability for imposters to sabotage the space ship (ex: turning off lights), ability for imposters to go through ventilation ducts, and ability for crew mates to view surveillance cameras.
With these key mechanics as building blocks, the dynamics and aesthetics of Among Us become really interesting. First of all, we see the possibility for players to form alliances and engage in fellowship to find the imposters. Players might team up and do their tasks together, acting as each others’ body guards, or they might vouch for each other when it comes to voting. Speaking of voting, this key game mechanic is very important when it comes to Among Us as a social deduction game. The voting aspect of Among Us, where players can discuss who they think might be the imposter is the ground for various intricacies to arise. Players might choose to manipulate each other, lie, or on the other hand be completely honest. Players demonstrate their internal biases, formulate arguments, and engage in debates. Players can make use of other key mechanics in Among Us such as surveillance cameras to make a point (or lie) as well as leverage the fact that mini games are unavailable for imposters to prove that someone might be the imposter (or not). These voting sessions can range from absolute chaos to simple “I saw blue kill white” discussions, making Among Us for a very dynamic gaming experience.
Furthermore, Among Us allows players to make their own party with people they know or to join random games with strangers. This is another key mechanic that I argue makes a huge difference. Though both instances rely on social deduction, the former allows for more complex forms of social deduction to arise, which I believe is key to the game’s success. When playing the game with people one knows, Among Us starts to extend beyond the boundaries of the “Among Us world.” Players start utilizing elements of their real world by analyzing background knowledge they have on other players —behavioral tendencies, psyche, relationships, past games, etc… Thus, by expanding the magic circle to extend into the player’s real world, Among Us becomes a game that is way more intricate and subtle than its key mechanics may have suggested. Players are now actively strategizing and striving to outwit each other through psychological tactics and acute observations.
This type of game dynamic is exemplified through Disguisted Toast’ s Among Us gameplays. Disguised Toast is a gaming YouTuber who made several videos playing Among Us with his friends. His videos went viral 1. because people liked the friend group’s dynamics during play 2. Disguised Toast used trolling and good narratives as his deception techniques creating for believable and engaging stories when it came to voting sessions. Thus, this serves as a prime example of how complex social deduction can arise from Among Us’ key mechanics and complex dynamics when players play with people they know.
Going off of my argument above, I do believe that the text-based chat method of discussing during voting sessions as well as the playing with random strangers option within Among Us is not very ideal. I’ve played this version of Among Us before, and I found it very boring because 1. text-based chats have to be concise due to time constraints creating for dry conversations 2. playing with strangers doesn’t allow one to make use of background knowledge regarding certain players, making it less engaging. I do think that part of the fun of Among Us is trying to figure out when your friends are lying and getting to know them within a context of murder and deception. Ultimately, I think Among Us’ popularity can be attributed to the ability to explore and strengthen interpersonal relationships with real people in your real world.
