I played the game “Among Us”, created by InnerSloth. It allows for cross-platform play. Platforms include Android, iOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/ 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Its target audience is adults and teenagers who enjoy social deduction games. I also saw a lot of youtubers and streamers play Among Us.
From the very beginning, I knew I wouldn’t be a good imposter. I don’t mind being lied to in a game setting, but I really don’t like lying myself. In fact, I felt uncomfortable every time I was assigned the imposter role. I didn’t know when or where to kill someone. In one game, I killed the first person I saw in the hallway and got caught in the next second. That round ended quickly. I didn’t even want to pretend or make up a story. I just wanted to admit it was me. Over time, as I kept being assigned the imposter role, I started to learn how to kill more secretly. But still, I didn’t enjoy the feeling of hiding, deceiving, always watching my back. I just hoped that the game would end sooner without disappointing people or ruining the excitement.
On the other hand, I felt relieved whenever I was a crewmate. This role felt more natural to me. I typically don’t want to stand out in the group, I prefer to blend in. The same instinct was reflected in the game. I became a passive, lame defender when accused.
I really enjoyed completing tasks because it gave me a sense of contributing quietly to the group. It made me feel useful without having to talk much. However, there were several moments when I got accused while I was focusing on tasks. I was not good at verbal communication and was often caught speechless. When I did manage to say something to defend myself, everyone had already voted to eject me. This became even worse when the voting time was short.
The time pressure to talk, guess, and vote in the game highlighted my weaknesses. At one point, I stayed close to another player so they’d see I wasn’t doing anything suspicious. Instead, they either killed me or accused me of stalking. That misinterpretation blew my mind. The game’s mechanics create so many subtle signals that others can read completely differently. That ambiguity is a brilliant part of the game’s design.
Despite all the nervousness, I think “Among Us” is a well-designed game. It mixes several types of fun/aesthetics: challenge, expression, and fellowship. All of these contribute to a sense of submission as well. One can indulge in it and forget about time. It stands out from other games in that there’re countless concurrent interactions that no single player knows all. Unlike “Mafia”, where people voice themselves openly in every round and most information is laid out, in “Among Us”, a lot of times players don’t even know what’s happening until a body is found and they are pressed to vote. This can easily lead to framing and mistakes.
Regarding ethics, as lying is part of the gameplay, I don’t think lying constitutes a wrong action. Without lying, there wouldn’t be any fun. People join the game to have fun. If someone’s feelings are hurt, they can always opt out. The reason why people play bluffing games, I believe, is that people want to challenge themselves and enjoy the unusual excitement one seldom encounters in real life. This also teaches us something valuable, i.e., how to tactically deceive or defend someone when necessary, which might be helpful in daily interactions. For people like me who don’t dare lie in real life, being assigned the imposter role is the only chance I get to practice lying. I can learn how to lie in a low-stakes way, without any real-life consequences and at a proper learning pace. I believe being good at lying in games does not make someone a liar. It just helps us better read people and adapt to real-world situations.
