Don’t be Sus

An Amateur’s Guide to Among Us

Let’s start with the basics. Among Us is an online cross-platform game. You can play on PC, Nintendo Switch or your Smartphone. Game roles are divided into Crewmates and Imposters. The job of the Crewmate is to complete their assigned tasks. The job of the Imposter (or Imposters) is to sabotage the crew and take them out before they finish their tasks. A round is won when either the crew completes all their tasks, they successfully vote out the Imposter or the Imposter kills enough Crewmates so that the number of Crewmates equals the number of Imposters (usually this means until there is one Crewmate left).

Tasks are simple mini-games located throughout the game map. Difficulty of mini-games seem to depend on which platform you play on. Ask someone on a PC versus on a Smartphone how the card swipe task is and you’ll understand. They can be anything from connecting wires, shooting asteroids, sorting artifacts or the dreaded “Simon Says” type game. You would think grown adults could remember a sequence of five squares but it’s harder than you think.

Figuring out the Imposter is up to crew. No one knows who the Imposter is. Your role is determined at the start of each round and only you can see what that is. This is what makes the game unique. Everyone looks the same. So when an emergency meeting is called or a dead body is reported (the only two ways to start a discussion to sus out the Imposter) everyone seemingly starts out on the same foot. With most groups I have played with they choose to set up a voice channel in order to talk it out during the meeting time. I’m not sure how else you would have time for a full discussion unless everyone is playing on a PC and can type very fast. At this point it becomes a game of poker. Who’s the best liar and who’s the best at calling a bluff.

Thursdays in this household have become Among Us Thursdays. An open invitation to a group of friends to socialize once a week through means of lying and murdering. It’s been a great way to catch up and have fun at the same time. Though despite playing at least once a week for a few months, I am still by no means an expert. For all you beginners out there I can at least offer a few tips.

Tip #1: If playing on a Nintendo Switch remember the difference between the X and Y button. For you Imposters, X is the kill button and Y is the report button. When you’re frantically trying to get away with murder it’s easy to mash multiple buttons without knowing it. At this point I’ve accidentally self-reported so many times everyone immediately suspects me as the Imposter. So watch out! If you aren’t like me self-reporting can be a clever tactic to throw the rest of the crew off your trail. Play it cool and maybe no one will suspect you.

Tip #2: As a Crewmate, stay with a group. Or at least pass by a few people. It’s easier to prove you are not the Imposter if someone can vouch for you. Though if they end up being the Imposter you’re screwed anyway.

Tip #3: Try staging a murder when there is a group of Crewmates together. If you’re lucky and it’s a group task, chances are they may never even see that someone is dead until the report button shows up. You’ll just be one of the crowd, someone who was almost a victim.

Tip #4: When you’re an Imposter, I’ve found it’s easier to have an alibi if I’m pretending to do tasks. If I can successfully fool someone into thinking I’m innocently doing my tasks then they won’t see it coming when I sneak up from behind. It helps if you pretend to do tasks you’re familiar with. Just remember the game settings. If visual tasks are on don’t try to fake a med scan or the asteroid blasting tasks.

Tip #5: Remember to have fun with it. If you can get a good group of people together you’ll have a good time no matter what. Who cares if you accidentally vent in front of someone or your alibi falls through. As long as no one takes it too seriously you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

Have fun out there!