The feeling of tricking a room full of people is a specific yet satisfying one. Among Us is not the first game to do this, but it is the most tense hidden-role game(1) out there. Something as simple as walking between mini-games becomes a scary endeavor. Anyone can be a threat, and this is made all the more horrifying by your forced silence. Only speaking during mandatory meetings is a lot scarier when you can see a murderer encroaching. Functioning as the killer also becomes more freaky when it is possible to literally see you during your misdeeds, unlike in a text-based hidden-role game. An eye-witness report is hard to discount when everyone’s lives are at stake, so the imposter must work extra hard to blend in. All and all, tension manifests in different forms that allow both of the roles to be fun and replayable. Among Us may not have a huge amount of variety, but it makes up for that in smart design decisions and in relying on the players to make their own fun. The true reason that a simple hidden-role game has gotten so popular is accessibility. Being easy to learn allows a number of those who have never experienced these feelings before to interact with each other and be able to enjoy this new experience. A game doesn’t need to be complex or perfect to make many people happy. (1): “A game that uses a "hidden roles" mechanic requires you to hide your goals and abilities from the rest of your friends.” Definition from: https://www.crhallberg.com/blog/hiddenroles.html#:~:text=A%20game%20that%20uses%20a,the%20rest%20of%20your%20friends.&text=Hidden%20role%20games%20are%20a,definitive%20classic%20of%20the%20genre.
2 Comments
|
AuthorMcRae Walker, an 20-year-old writer and lover of many dorky topics. Archives
September 2022
Categories |
Proudly powered by Weebly