Among Us was one of the hits of the pandemic. It brought social deduction from tabletop to video games. But more to the purpose, in doing so it solved a number of issues that social deduction games have. Let's take a look at common issues with the genre and how Among Us solves them.
(No) Player Elimination
A number of social deduction games have addressed player elimination, but many only mitigate it by delaying the elimination or limiting 'after death' roles to the first player or two that is eliminated. Additionally, dead players are usually at a disadvantage and have less interesting things to do than the living players. The task system in Among Us relies on all players, alive or dead, to complete their tasks in order for the crew to win. In fact, tasks are easier to complete as a ghost, because the map is easier to traverse. Ghosts do not participate in voting, and a ghost with no more tasks can just float aimlessly, but just exploring the map (or watching the imposters stalk the crew) is arguably still more fun than getting eliminated in a tabletop social deduction game.
Another fun innovation to player elimination is in the debate and voting timers. If players cannot come to a majority decision on who to eject in time, the game automatically starts another round with no one eliminated. This keeps the game moving and adds a layer of strategy- sometimes your odds are better if no one is ejected because the game ends (and imposters win) if a round would start with an equal number of imposters and crew members which prevents a voting majority for the crew.
(Alternate) Win Conditions
Most social deduction games rely on last player standing win conditions. As stated above, the task system in Among Us adds an interesting element to the typical social deduction formula. Players can win by completing tasks or by ejecting every imposter. I think the best innovation here, though, is the sabotage system. Imposters can win by surviving to the end of the game, killing every crew person individually, or by setting off a system failure that the crew fail to fix in time. The sabotage system can be used to win the game, but also to draw players to different parts of the map, interrupt the completion of tasks, and just generally ratchet up the tension.
(Less) Limited Information
The 'night' phase of a typical Werewolf-style social deduction game is also the most boring: closed eyes and some pointing. Then in the 'day' phase players have very little information from which to deduce who is what role. In Among Us, players get to play out the night phase in real time on a map. The night phase takes on a cinematic quality that cannot be reproduced in tabletop. Because players cannot see each others' screens, this phase of the game takes on a hidden movement mechanic feel that is much smoother than anything that could be attempted in tabletop. Because players can follow, run away from, or sneak up on other players, various details from this phase become the basis of accusations during the voting phase. A skilled observer will have a competitive edge in trying to determine who is lying.
(Fewer) Design Constraints
Among Us offers more options for players than most tabletop social deduction games. Imposters can commit crimes of opportunity, kill multiple people in a single round, report dead bodies to throw off suspicion, etc. Crew can choose to rush a task victory or try to spy on other players. Game groups can adjust settings to allow for more imposters, longer death cool downs, and so on. Among Us has the spatial freedom of a video game and the house-rule-friendly freedom of a tabletop game- to the degree that the player-base has invented entirely new game modes using just the existing settings, such as a hide-and-seek game where the imposter announces who they are at the start of the game.
How does all of this apply to board game designers? Among Us solves existing problems and limitations in social deduction games by changing the medium. Digital hybrid board games are one way to introduce a new medium to old problems, but we can use similar problem-solving techniques using traditional components. Among Us excels at only having the bare minimum needed for the best possible player experience. Adding lots of mechanics and components that don't solve problems does not make for a well designed game. In some games, a modular board is a brilliant design choice, in others it is unnecessary. Other games solve problems in ways that improve the gameplay but don't add any excitement. If Among Us teaches us anything, it is that our solutions to design problems should be the solutions that produce the best possible player experience.
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