Since it’s release back in 2018, Innersloth‘s The Thing-inspired take on the Werewolf/Mafia party game format, Among Us, has enjoyed almost universal popularity. By the close of 2020, it was experiencing player numbers of over 60 million. This is most likely due to the concurrence of Covid-19 and Among Us being about the only social experience most of us could enjoy. The game has hours and hours of replayability and with our Among Us character guide, you will never get left out in the cold.
Among Us: All Colours
The Among Us characters come in a variety of different colours, and aside from the obvious pop-psychology answers – these colours do not affect gameplay in any way. Each colour can only be chosen by one player each, but the colours can then also be customised with various attachments and items to really make the character yours. There are 20 colours in total and they are:
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Pink
- Yellow
- Black
- White
- Coral
- Tan
- Gray
- Banana
- Rose
- Maroon
- Lime
- Cyan
- Purple
- Orange
- Brown
- Beige
- Sky
Personalisation
Each colour can be personalised using the game’s internal decoration system which allows for masks, hats and clothing. You can also choose to have props and pets to really take the customisation to the next level. This customisation has birthed the “Among Us Fashion” movement, so be careful when you’re choosing your outfit, don’t want to be upstaged by a particularly flamboyant Rose after all!
Among Us Roles
In addition to the colours and customisation, Among Us has roles for players to take on in each mission. The roles vary across games and can sway the outcome for the team lucky enough to know how to use them. The roles are;
1. Crewmate
Crewmates are the generic role which every player has access to from the beginning. The crewmates job is to fix the ship whenever something goes wrong, report deaths and finally root out the impostor Among Us.
They must also ensure their own survival by voting any suspects out of the game. Either all crewmates are dead, excluding impostor(s), or the crew has found and ejected the impostor(s), ending the game. However, since any crewmate can be an impostor, it is always worth keeping an eye on anyone with whom you are left alone.
2. Impostor
An impostor is quite simply the evil Among Us. It is the ‘crewmate’ who is not quite as all others are. They can be seen pretending to complete tasks and usually isolating other crewmates for a summary devourment.
Impostors do this while remaining anonymous and shifting the blame whenever they are placed under suspicion themselves. They can use vents to navigate the ship quickly and are able to murder with reckless abandon if they so wish. Lastly, they can also sabotage the ships systems and make it nigh-impossible for the crewmates to complete their tasks before they are all consumed. Impostors can be spotted entering and exiting vents, and this will lead to a swift ejection if observed.
3. Ghost
While not ‘technically’ a role, as no-one would ever choose it, the ghost can be a very valuable addition to a team. A ghost appears when a crewmate is killed. They can travel across the map freely, complete tasks without being seen by the impostor and can view the impostor themselves, however.
The ghost cannot liaise with the living any longer, therefore is unable to tell the remaining players the impostors identity. That being said, if you are friends with the ghost player on another chat system, you can always talk on there. However there are no diegetic ways for this to happen in-game. Once you’re dead, you’re dead as the old saying goes.
4. Guardian Angel
A role handed to the first crewmate to die, the guardian angel is all-but symbolic. The guardian angel can use a shield to defend a player about to die at any time.
This proves exceptionally valuable when there are very few crewmates left as the decision to do so – and in many cases – is the difference between victory and defeat.
5. Scientist
The scientist is able to check everyone’s vitals – thereby being able to see if anyone has died yet and not been reported – and can do this without visiting the medical bay.
The scientist is able to do this via a portable replica of the panel itself, however this device must be charged. The device is charged via completing tasks throughout gameplay. The scientist is invaluable in the right hands, and the worst enemy of anyone on the impostors team.
6. Engineer
Engineers are a wonderful addition to any team. They are able to repair damaged systems, and distinguish between explored and unexplored locales on the level. Engineers are able to travel around via vents also.
As with the scientist, their abilities do have limitations – this time in the form of a cooldown. But when you consider that the engineer can also liaise and reverse feeds for security cameras placed throughout, the engineers value becomes apparent, as it is one of the only roles which can identify the impostor with 100% certainty.
7. Shapeshifter
As if Among Us wasn’t difficult enough at times, now we have to contend with a shapeshifter. The shapeshifter is able to mimic another crewmates appearance perfectly, impostor or otherwise. They do this by obtaining a sample of the player they wish to copy, and proceed to change their appearance.
This can make identifying the impostor incredibly difficult with the Shapeshifter in play. As with the majority of the abilities, the shapeshifters abilities have a cooldown and must be used sparingly, still, when you consider that the shapeshifter could appear to be anyone, it makes the cooldown worth the wait as they can kill covertly and travel across the map with ease with each usage of the ability.
Closing Out
Going from strength to strength, Among Us proves that the party game/social deduction genre is far from dead, and it will be a cold day in space before we see the back of this wonderful little horror-inspired indie title.
