Since the beginning of quarantine, the amount of free time to play video games has increased, as seen with the surge of people trying to get their hands on the Nintendo Switch. Currently, one of the most popular games out there can be found in the app store.

Among Us, a sci-fi murder-mystery simulation app, is quickly gaining popularity on the internet and video streaming sites such as Twitch. Although it was first released for IOS and Android in 2018, it is currently the #1 action game on the Apple app store.

Among Us follows a very simple premise: among four to 10 players is one impostor whose main goal is to sabotage or kill other players. The other players must discover who the impostor is before they kill other members of the team or sabotage their mission.

When a body has been found by a fellow teammate, an emergency meeting begins. Once there, all players must discuss and then vote out the person they suspect to be the impostor. If they are wrong, the impostor remains and the game continues until the impostor succeeds or is caught.

Teammates must elude the impostor by completing special tasks all around the map. Certain features allow the crew to view security footage and monitor their fellow members and to view where everyone is in the administration room.

The game can be played in multiplayer online or with friends across multiple devices. It also offers three maps to choose from: The Skeld, Mira HQ and Polus, with each map presenting different layouts and obstacles for the players.

The Skeld is set on a spaceship where the players tasks are to keep the ship running and on course. Mira HQ is set on a space station roughly the same size as The Skeld, but the players’ tasks differ slightly from the previous map. Lastly, Polus is set on a research base on the planet Polus. The players are given 12 new tasks here.

Each game lasts about 10 minutes, with the team either succeeding in discovering the impostor or failing their mission. With each member that is killed, the tension escalates among the team, making the game perfectly addictive. 

Another interesting option in the game is to chat with members in order to accuse other members of being the impostor or defending yourself from those same accusations. It always creates a sense of apprehension when it comes to being accused. Rest assured, those who are voted out can remain in the game as ghosts to see it through to the end.

Among Us quickly became a fan favorite due to how easy and accessible it is. Whether it’s a quick game between classes or to pass time waiting for takeout, the Among Us servers are always active. 

The creators of the game, InnerSloth LLC, released the first map when the game launched in 2018, with the other two released in 2019. According to Sensor Tower, there have been 5 million downloads from the Apple app store in August 2020 worldwide while the Google Play Store had 13 million downloads in the same month worldwide.

The most recent update about Among Us is that a sequel game, Among Us 2, has been announced recently. Not much is known about the game other than a tentative release date set in August 2021.

The game can only be expected to rise in popularity as it is currently the #3 most watched game on Twitch in September, with over 78 million viewer hours according to TwitchMetrics. With over 86 million downloads since its launch in 2018, Among Us’ servers are active and ready for new members.