BEING THE IMPOSTOR IN AMONG US

‘Acting kinda sus’ is my new favourite way to be.

“ ll I know is that it can’t be Ali,” my friend pipes up during an Emergency Meeting. “He’s been with me the whole time, he definitely could have killed me if he was an impostor.” Since I actually am an impostor, his espousal of my innocence is ideal. Thanks to this, I’m able to pick off other players with impunity, the burden of guilt not falling on me even after I stab my naive companion in the back three rounds later. As the end screen reveals my role and his indignant fury erupts through my headphones, I can barely stop myself from rubbing my hands with malevolent glee.

AAmong Us riffs on the success of social deduction games like Secret Hitler and Werewolf, in which the good guys attempt to root out a murderous minority before the latter can outnumber and overpower the former. In these games, where innocence and guilt are two sides of the same coin, bare-faced bluff is, more often than not, a key part of coming out on top. What makes being an impostor so special, however, is that your ability to lie to someone’s face is just one aspect of a successful sabotage.

Bending the truth is important – you won’t get far if you can’t spin a good alibi out of thin air when challenged. But while that might be all you need in tabletop games, in Among Us, the impostor’s role goes deeper than the lie. It’s a detailed charade, a performance of innocence to sow uncertainty, confusion, and paranoia as your prey realise they’re running out of time and they’re still no closer to rooting you out.

It’s not just about choosing who to kill, but about making sure your

N E E D T O K N OW

RELEASED November 16, 2018

OUR REVIEW N/A

IN AMONG US, THE IMPOSTOR’S ROLE GOES DEEPER THAN THE LIE

EXPECT TO PAY Not much.

LINK innersloth.com