There is a sudden spike of interest in a game that has people wondering, “what is Among Us?” It is a social deception multiplayer video game and what parents need to know about the video game Among Us.
Video gaming is one of the biggest industries in the world. Some play games for leisure while others play as a lifestyle. In recent years, video gaming has become the main source of income for many people. With the launch of streaming websites like Twitch.tv, or YouTube, video games became popular content to watch. Now, there are thousands of gaming streamers who play games from various genres to entertain people.
So, you might be wondering, ‘What is Among Us?’ Well, to put it simply, it is one of the most popular games currently among gaming streamers and players.
There are some games that not only professional players but also beginners or casual players play for the sake of leisure. It is a family-friendly game that is popular among high school kids as well. It is played by almost every streamer, and now the general public is also playing it with friends and families.
If you are looking for a game to play, Among Us can be a good option to consider. You can also have Among Us download on your phone or on your pc. The app is quite user-friendly, but still, it is important to know what is Among Us.
Here is a complete guide for people who are looking for answers to what is Among Us:
What is Among Us and What Parents Need to Know About Among Us?
Among Us is a popular video game introduced by a gaming studio called Innersloth on 15th June 2018. It is a multiplayer featured game that is themed around social deception. It is an inclusive game that you can play with your friends online by creating a group, or you can play with strangers as well. Moreover, it involves teamwork, cohesion, and a sense of responsibility among players.
This game was released five years ago but raised to popularity in 2021. You can either have Among Us download on android or iOS. There is a pc app to play the game on your laptop, but you have to purchase it for money.
Among Us has been featured on TV and web apps for a long time, but the streaming community picked up the game only recently to create popular content. If you open Twitch.tv and search what is Among Us, you will find many streaming gamers’ videos uploaded or live streaming while playing it.
It is a very socially inclusive game and fun to play as a pastime or hobby with its simple rules.
How does Among Us work?
Now that you know the basic stuff about what is Among Us, you should know how it works.
The course of events in the game unfolds with time. Initially, players are assigned “roles” for the game. You can either be a Crewmember or an Imposter. The game takes place on a spaceship-like platform with many rooms to walk around.
The minimum number of players to play a game is four, while the maximum is 10. Furthermore, the host has the option to have more than one Imposter in the game.
The Crew members are given a list of tasks that they have to complete in order to depart in the spaceship. These tasks are divided into categories based on the difficulty level. Some can be easy to complete, some are tricky and require a lot of teamwork.
Among the Crewmates, there is an Imposter whose role is to prevent the Crew from completing the tasks on time. The Imposter has to kill all members to get hold of the spaceship secretly. However, the Imposter should not be found by the Crew members while killing.
As the Imposter kills Crew members, they turn into ghosts. Every time a Crew member’s body is found by another Crew member, the game pauses, and the members are supposed to discuss among themselves to figure out who the Imposter is. There is a round of voting. If the Imposter is voted by the majority, then Crew members win. If not, then the innocent Crew member is ejected from the plan, and the game continues.
The Crewmates can also hold an emergency meeting by pressing a button that is present in a particular room of each map. The emergency button does not work if the game is sabotaged. Furthermore, a Crewmate cannot call an emergency meeting if they exceed the limit put by the host through settings.
The game ends with either Imposter killing all Crewmates and Crewmates failing to complete the tasks or the Crewmates identifying the Imposter.
Among Us is named after the idea of an Imposter among the Crew members. There are basically five roles for a single game in Among Us, Engineer, Scientist, Guardian Angel, Spaceshifter, and Imposter.
Who are Crewmates in Among Us?
A Crewmate is a player who has to perform all the tasks without getting murdered by the Imposter. Crewmates can be Engineer, Scientist, and Guardian Angel. They have access to specific features because they are assigned roles to complete the task.
Once the Crewmate dies, they become a ghost. Ghost loses the ability to vote for Imposters, but they can help in completing missions with the alive Crewmates.
What is the role of an Imposter in Among Us?
The Imposter is chosen randomly and is a single player among the Crew members. The Imposter has the role of killing all Crew members without being detected. They also don’t know the tasks given to Crew members, so they have to pretend to do fake tasks to escape the suspicious eyes of the Crew.
A Spaceshifter and an Imposter both have roles in killing the Engineer, Scientist, and Guardian Angel. The Spaceshifter can pretend to be a Crewmate by changing forms for a limited time, but the Imposter remains the same.
If the Imposter fails to kill all members before they have completed all tasks, then the Imposter loses. And if all Crew members are murdered, then the Crew loses.
Who is the host in Among Us?
Among Us gives us the option to host a game by inviting friends or strangers to the platform. You can either send an invite by sending a code that they can use to get in or wait for the game server to gather members from around the world on the platform.
The host can control the game. They can set a number of tasks and access other options that are normal Crew members or the Imposter cannot. They can kick out or include people in the lobby. Furthermore, hosts are the ones who begin the play.
What are tasks in Among Us?
As mentioned before, Among Us is a social deception game with missions or tasks to complete through teamwork. The Crew members have to be wary of the Imposter and vote for the right Imposter or complete tasks on time to win the game. These tasks can be easy to complete or require a lot of effort.
The Crew members and ghosts have to work together to carry out these tasks successfully. The Imposter does not know of these tasks but is given fake tasks to complete to help Crew members identify the Imposter.
Some tasks are as follows:
Short tasks
Short tasks are easy to complete and do not require much effort. Usually, the short tasks can be completed by one Crew member as there is nothing complex to carry out.
The short tasks can be like Clean Vent, Align Telescope, Make Burger, Assign Artifact, Measure Weather, Polish Ruby, Pick up Towels, Run Diagnostics, Empty Garbage, Fix Shower, Insert Keys, and many more.
Long tasks
Long tasks can take up time depending on the speed of the player. The long tasks consist of stages that need to be completed one by one. The Crew members have to travel a long distance and wait for a certain time to fulfill the requirements of the task.
Long tasks such as Open Waterways, Reboot Wifi, Rewind Tapes, Reset Breakers, Submit Scan, Inspect Sample, Unlock Safe, Water Plants, Divert Power, Develop Photos, Fix Weather Node, Upload Data, Start Fans, and others.
A Crewmate can either work alone on the long task or need another’s Crew member’s help to complete it on time. The Imposter has to use that opportunity to lure the Crewmate into a trap and kill it without making anyone suspicious.
Common tasks
Common tasks are declared by the host at the start of the play. These tasks can be one or two, but they are common to all players. If the host assigns ‘Fix Wiring’ as common tasks, then the Crew members have to complete it.
Common tasks are the best way to point out the Imposter since they only know these tasks, not short or long ones. Common tasks also help in declaring an alibi for your safety in the Crew. These tasks can be like Swipe Card, Enter Id Code, Insert Keys, or Scan Boarding Pass.
Visual tasks
As the name suggests, visual tasks are tasks that are shown on the screen of each player, including the Imposter to give a hint. The host has the choice to either disable to enable this task. The Crewmates have to pick up the hint to complete the task as soon as possible.
Visual tasks are a smart way of identifying the Imposter among the Crew members if the visual task is performed in front of everyone. They can be Prime Shields, Clear Asteroids, or Clean Garbage.
Maps in Among Us
You know the answer to what is Among Us, but there is more to it.
Among Us has four maps on one airship. Each map has its own features that can be of advantage to both Crew members and Imposters.
All the above-mentioned tasks are available in four maps alternatively. There might be tasks that are not available in one map but are there in the other two maps. All players have access to Admin, Customize, Door log, Report, Security, Use, and Vitals.
It is important to know the map’s location, vents, and security cameras in each room to make the game easier. Not only can you escape from the eyes of the Imposter, but also the Imposter can escape the room after killing to keep their identity hidden.
Following are the four maps in Among Us:
The Skeld
The Skeld is the biggest map in Among Us that shows all the rooms on the spaceship. It helps the Crew members to navigate through the rooms to complete their tasks without wasting time looking for them manually.
The Skeld consists of 14 room locations, each carrying importance related to tasks. The Cafeteria is the main room where players gather for an emergency meeting. Any player can press the emergency button if they find someone suspicious. The cafeteria is connected to a vent and three hallways that lead to various rooms.
To the east of the Cafeteria is the Weapons. Weapons have the role of performing three tasks; it connects two corridors and a vent that the player can access. Navigation has two vents, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the room. Admin contains an Admin map to track other players in the airship; it shows whether a player is dead or changing rooms; the map does not show what room they are in.
In the situation of Oxygen Depleted, caused by the Imposter, can sabotage the players’ safety; they have to go to the O2 room to normalize oxygen levels. There is only one hallway connected to the room. Other rooms are Shields, Communications, Storage, Electrical, Lower Engine, Security, Reactor, Upper Engine, MedBay. All rooms contain solutions to complete tasks for the players. Except for Communications and Storage, all rooms have vents from where players can travel from one location to another.
MIRA HQ
The second most important map in Among Us is the MIRA HQ that is connected to Mira company. This map shows the earth’s atmosphere. After traveling in the Skeld, the Crew members have to go through MIRA HQ to complete certain tasks.
The map contains no security cameras but door logs that you have to access. The map of MRIA HQ is small compared to other maps. Moreover, the map features a vent system to use for traveling long distances. Some tasks are only available in MIRA HQ, so it is essential to be familiar with the map.
Some rooms are common between MIRA HQ and the Skeld but have different functions, with some additional rooms. Launchpad is a room where the players gather to operate the engine through a diagnostic computer. Communications consist of a computer and equipment to access door logs; it updates whenever a player uses the sensor. Admin is located in the Greenhouse in the MIRA HQ map.
Other rooms include Locker Room, Office, Cafeteria, Decontamination, Hallway, Laboratory, Reactor, Storage, and Greenhouse. You have to finish tasks based on the features of each room.
Polus
Polus is the third map that is named after the planet Polus in Among Us. It is a base where research-related tasks are completed. It has a security system and vents on the map that every player can access.
Also, it has two decontamination rooms where the long task takes place. The Crew members have to spend a lot of time to complete the task here, which can be of advantage to the Imposter to carry out their mission.
Dropship is the main room on this map where players gather; it is like a lobby of the map. Electrical is a room that contains all the electrical systems of the map. To hold an emergency meeting, the player must go to the Office room to press the button. Decontamination is located in two rooms, Admin and Laboratory.
Polus also has rooms Security, Storage, MedBay, Communications, Boiler Room, Specimen, O2, Outside, and Weapons. Polus also has slots assigned to each player, which helps in identifying the Imposter quickly.
Each map has different rooms with different functions. The rooms that have similar names are not present in the same location; they are named that way. For someone to ace in Among Us, they have to be familiar with the maps deeply.
The Airship
The most recent map released by Innersloth is the Airship. It is known to be the biggest map up-to-date with various rooms. The rooms feature new mechanics like ladders and other features. The rooms of the Airship are quite spacious, and you have to carry out specific tasks.
The Airship contains a Cockpit that includes the Admin table. The is also a Vault room shaped in a circular form that has a ruby in it. The Meeting Room is the place to gather all players for an emergency meeting to vote for the Imposter in case of a murder or suspicious activity. Gap Room contains a moving platform. There is also a Hall of Portraits that link to the Kitchen and Security.
Airship also has Engine Room, Medical, Brig, Records, Main Hall, Electrical, Showers, Viewing Deck, Lounge, Armory, Cargo Bay, Ventilation, Communications, and Outside.
Among Us download
Now that you know what is Among Us, you can play it without confusion. Among Us is a free app so that you can download it whenever on your phone. The gaming app is designed to facilitate the players well; it is quite unique and user-friendly. You can download it on your iOs or Android device.
For PC users, you have to pay to buy the app on the desktop. It is more convenient and more accessible to the user because of the controls.
The app is quite easy to navigate. The home screen shows two options, either you can make your own room or play with strangers. There is also an international server chart where you can connect with people from different continents to play.
If you have four friends, you can make a room and share the code with them. Once all members are gathered, you can select options based on preferences; if you are the host. The game begins on the Skeld map with all Crew members informed about their tasks.
Is Among Us kid friendly?
Many parents show their concern as to what is Among Us and why it is so popular among the kids. Among Us is a kid-friendly app because, according to Google, the age limit specified on the app store is 9+ years.
It is a healthy video game because it doesn’t involve violence or anger triggers. However, it does involve interaction with strangers online. As long as your kids are educated about not interacting with strangers, then the game is kid-friendly.
The theme of social deception is not something serious because kids learn about lying and deception, which is reality. You can always monitor your kids when they are playing to ensure that they do not develop any bad habits.
If you want to be part of your kid’s gaming adventures, you can always play together with other family members too.
Is Among Us violent?
No , it is not violent.
Conclusion
This article details you about what is Among Us so that you get familiar with the recent obsession over the game. If you have nothing to do, Among Us can be a good sport to play. Furthermore, games bring people closer. If you play the game with your friends, you can interact more. Among Us is a party game of teamwork and betrayal
Among Us first became famous when Twitch.tv user Streamer Sodapoppin played on a Livestream and created content related to Among Us. Now, it has become one of the most popular games among the public and gaming community.