Among Us

 
Smaller indie titles often live their whole lives in the shadows, yearning for a big break that never comes. That was almost the fate of Among Us, a simple yet addictive take on the classic group game, mafia. However, the world took an unexpected turn in 2020 that left people aching for a way to connect with each other, and Among Us was how many filled that void. With a low price tag and a big community, the game's accessibility helped to make it into the runaway success that it became.

The gameplay revolves around the crew of a spaceship attempting to keep things running, despite the presence of imposters whose only goal is to kill everyone on board. When a round starts, your role is automatically assigned, and then it's a mad dash to get everything done before the opposition succeeds in there mission. The major point of interaction that made this game perfect for 2020 comes once a body is discovered (or when someone calls an emergency meeting). In the meetings, players attempt to determine who the imposters are through discussion and debate. If the imposters can't create enough doubt and confusion to avoid being voted off of the ship, the lose the game. If they can eliminate enough real crew members to make a majority vote against them impossible, then they win!

Because I'm not a huge fan of discussions with strangers, I only really played this with friends. Thus, my time with the game was spent rather sporadically, which I think helped me stay interested, despite the repetitive structure. As long as this title has an active community, and you have friends that will play with you, Among Us can easily offer a fun experience.

The game is available on Steam here (as of 1/2/21): https://store.steampowered.com/app/945360/Among_Us/
The game is available for Switch here (as of 1/2/21): https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/among-us-switch/
The game is available for Android here (as of 1/2/21): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.innersloth.spacemafia&hl=en_US
The game is available for iOS here (as of 1/2/21): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/among-us/id1351168404

Popular posts from this blog

Meow Tower: Nonogram Pictogram

Image
I seem to have a thing for mobile games about cats, and I am a huge fan of Nintendo 's Picross series. Normally those two interests don't overlap, but Meow Tower changed that. Combining the fun of befriending cute cartoon cats and solving intricate number puzzles hooked me immediately. While it's technically not a Picross game, seeing as that is a Nintendo trademark, the nonogram puzzles are still the same, and I loved being able to play them on my phone. Granted, there have been plenty of options to play these kinds of puzzles on the phone for years, but Meow Tower  sets itself apart from the rabble thanks to its stellar aesthetic. The developers behind this game are true artists. While it's a solid, straightforward nonogram game at its core, Meow Tower just looks so much better to play than any of the numerous generic options that crowd the app stores. The bubbly sticker-book style used for the art and menus gives Meow Tower a lot of charm and personality from t
Read more

Space Lich Omega

Image
Inspired by the ever popular Candy Box and Candy Box 2 , Space Lich Omega is an browser-based RPG adventure with an almost entirely ASCII display. However, it chose to step away from the established fantasy style of it's inspiration for a more science-fantasy theme. I ended up having a fun time with this game, despite its need for a little polish, thanks to the unique story and hilarious pop-culture Easter eggs that can be discovered throughout the different explorable locations. Despite the crude-ish interface, I never had any trouble navigating throughout the game. I actually ended up beating it in a relatively short time, especially when I had my gunk production going all out, allowing me to jump my health up enormously. Although I did need to do a little grinding every now and then for an item that I missed, that didn't interfere with my enjoyment too much. Ultimately, this is no Candy Box , but it still has its merits and is worth playing if you ever find yourself in
Read more

The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes

Image
Reusing game engines has proven to be pretty popular in the Zelda series. It offers developers a chance to craft more experimental and risky games, as the initial investment on the engine was covered by the previous, more traditional release. As a huge fan of A Link Between Worlds , I was ecstatic to learn it was getting a pseudo-follow-up. My excitement only grew when Nintendo sent me an early-access demo, and I somehow had no concerns that this was another multiplayer-focused game, despite my preference for solo play. Since the previous multiplayer Zelda games had pretty functional single-player modes, I anticipated that I could expect the same here. Unfortunately, that wasn't an entirely accurate assumption. Like its predecessors , Tri Force Heroes is level-based in order to accommodate its multiplayer focus. All of the stages are designed like dungeons, so they hold up really well for puzzle-solving challenges, but they lack a lot of the same charm you can find in Four Swor
Read more