If you’ve been on Youtube the past few weeks or are just a video game enthusiast, chances are you’ve heard of the game Among Us. Although  the game was originally released in June of 2018, it has just recently gained immense popularity. So the question remains, how did Among Us rise to popularity?

Among Us is a sci-fi murder mystery game that takes place in fictional planets out in the universe. Even though there are many Sci-Fi like murder mystery games out there, there definitely aren’t many that look like Among us. Unlike some of the most popular games like Fortnite, Call Of Duty: Warzone, Valorant, which are all shooter games, Among Us is nothing like those because it doesn’t include any of those aspects that come from those popular games, which is what many think sets it apart from any other game.  

 At the start of a game, 10 crewmates board a rocket ship and fly over to a laboratory, and on the way there two random crewmates are notified that they are the imposter. The goal for the Crewmates is to complete all of their tasks which include fixing wires, taking out trash, and sending data to homebase. “Although I’d rather be an Imposter, Crewmates are very crucial to winning the game. If we don’t finish our tasks before the Imposters kill enough Crewmates, then we lose,” sophomore Ethan Docter said.

If all Crewmates complete their tasks, they win, but in order to keep them from winning, the Imposters have to kill crewmates. Imposters are disguised as Crewmates who can’t be told apart from the others. The goal for the Imposters is to sabotage the laboratory and kill crewmates by doing things such as closing doors, turning off the lights, and starting reactor meltdowns. 

In addition to this they also have the ability to slip through vents to get away from a crime scene. In a full group of 10 Crewmates, if the Imposters kill 6 people, they win, but if the Crewmates complete all of their varying tasks, they win. Although the chances of being an Imposter is quite small, when you get to be the Imposter, it is quite the rush. “Being an Imposter is something different than being a Crewmate and doing tasks. It’s fun sabotaging the map and seeing the Crewmates so frantic to fix the error,” senior Faith Xiong said.

Many people live stream the game on a streaming platform called Twitch. These big streamers that average about 15,000 people per stream, play Among Us and may be the reason why it got so popular.  “Big streamers like Ninja, Dr. Lupo, and Courage JD have shined a lot of light on this game,” sophomore Cason Wilson said. 

Big streamers may be one reason why the game is so popular, but the features of the game are also popular with players. The aesthetics of the game may be why it is set apart from any other game out there. The designers of the game went for a basic yet compelling art style that is just enough to make it unique. The designers didn’t try to go over the top with the game design and graphics.  “I enjoy the aesthetics and overall look of the game. It is definitely something different from any other game I’ve played,” sophomore Danny Simmons said.