Overview
Among Us is a popular mobile game that takes its own spin on the classic “whodunnit” games. Imagine the board game Clue but instead of professors in a mansion, it’s little alien people in a spaceship.
The basic premise of the game is this: There’s a group of players on a spaceship and they have to do simple tasks to keep the ship running. Among the crewmates is an “impostor”, someone who is trying to sabotage the ship and secretly kill off crewmates. It’s up to the crewmates to figure out who it is before the imposter takes out everyone on the ship.
Among Us is a wildly fun game that can get a family or group of friends pretty animated and competitive! But much like finding the imposter on the ship, it’s important for parents to find potential dangers in games their kids might play. So we went ahead and found those things for you and put them all right here — let’s take a look!
Harmful Content ❗️
The biggest danger with Among Us is the chat option. Other players can bring tons of inappropriate content through the chat option, which wouldn’t otherwise be a problem from the game itself. And if your kid plays the “online” version of Among Us, they could be playing with total strangers.
While a crucial part of the game is chatting with other players to figure out who the imposter is, it’s worth noting that the conversations have to be very fast-paced and focused to actually play the game right. So it’s not necessarily common to see off-topic chatter during the game. But parents should know that players can also chat freely in the “lobby” before a game is started, which is where more off-topic and inappropriate conversation may take place. To take it a step further, players may move conversations to a completely different platform like Discord instead. This is a gaming messaging app where your kids would be more likely to encounter harmful content or potential online predators.
Language
Among Us itself does not have any offensive or adult language. But as mentioned, inappropriate content could easily flood the chat box, depending on who your child is playing with.
One really cool thing about Among Us is the parental control features for the chat settings. Players are required to give their age before playing. If they are under 18, they have to use pre-set chat responses to eliminate kids being exposed to inappropriate language. Of course, kids could always put a different age to bypass this, so it’s important to be vigilant if you know your child is playing this game on their own. You can also select the censor feature in settings so that any inappropriate words will be “bleeped” in the chat.
Sex
Among Us does not have any sexual content or references.
Violence
The premise of the game is somewhat violent, considering the goal is to either kill other players or avoid being killed. When a player is “killed”, the body looks like it’s cut in half with a bone sticking out of the torso. And there’s a small bit of blood around it. But the animation style is very cartoonish and unrealistic. It’s similar to something like Scooby Doo — far more silly than it is intense.
Positive Value 💫
Among Us is a fantastic game to play as a family or with your kid’s group of friends. As soon as the game begins, all sorts of hilarity and chaos are sure to ensue! As the game goes on, players will get more and more hyped as they theorize and accuse others, and even make alliances with each other outside of the screen to win the game.
It’s an easy game for anyone to engage in, which makes it perfect for families with kids about 10 and up. The game also utilizes some important skills like problem-solving and strategizing as players try to find the imposter (or remain unknown as the imposter).
So, should my kid play it?
Yes, you and your kids will love playing this space murder mystery game! Just be sure you’re mindful of the chat function and use the available parental controls in situations where your child is playing by themselves.
