Written by Allen Atienza and Lance Lasam
Art by Maui Carlouisse M. Maramag
We have explored for ways to replace the physical interaction that was robbed from us. Ever since we were caged in our homes, we have longed companionship other than our families. In video games, of all things, we have found fun and bliss that is better when played with other people. We bring to you two games that have saved people from potential millions of hours of boredom in the past month, Fall Guys (PC/PS4) and Among Us (PC/Mobile).
In August 2020, Newzoo recorded a total of 112.8M hours watched on Fall Guys Twitch streams, while Among Us recorded a total of 30.5M, landing them on the top 2 and top 10 games, respectively. Among Us was released on June 15, 2018, while Fall Guys was released on August 4, 2020. Among Us suddenly blew up in popularity, while Fall Guys became a huge success that contends even the greatest games of all time such as League of Legends, and CS GO.
What made Among Us become popular two years after its release? What made Fall Guys a huge success in its first month? The games have certain charms and mischiefs that anyone can pick up, but if you want the description, here’s why.
Among Us: It’s Not Me, I Promise
For a game that actively fosters both teamwork and distrust among everyone, Among Us is really enjoyable and fun to play. A group of at most 10 players get to join in a spaceship or a planet as crew members and must fix it and return to civilization. Only problem is that there is someone killing the crew members one by one - the Impostor.
This InnerSloth has recently gained popularity when Twitch streamers and YouTubers from PewDiePie to GLOCO partook in the chaos.
Now how do you play this game? Basically, this is one (or two or three) versus EVERYONE. As a crewmate, you need to find the Impostor. As an Impostor, you need to kill everyone else. The crew fixes the ship, while the Impostor (or Impostors) sabotage it while blending in with the crew.
The game requires calculation, tactics and wit. You can use every feature present in the map and every diversion technique possible to thwart every other player from their mission. But, YOU MUST. BE. AWARE.AND VIGILANT. The last one standing, whether he be an Imposter or a Crewmate, wins.
Despite its competitive edge, Among Us is a less stressful and a more enjoyable game to play. All you really need is a device and Wi-Fi, and it lets you in the simple yet compelling gameplay, and makes you develop your intelligence (and your growing cynicism) along with your friends and other players. Basta ‘wag kang sumunod sa yapak ng mga peenoise diyan. Please.
Fall Guys: So Random You Can Hug People
Your character? A Bean with arms and legs in a costume. Your options? Run, jump, grab, or fall. In order to win, you must go through a set of challenges and eliminations where even a potato brain can reign supreme in a lobby full of 60 random and unpredictable humans. That is Fall Guys, a massive multiplayer party game on PC that has become a hit for more than a month since it's release.
Besides Among Us, Fall Guys has been a huge hit for the community, and a huge source of content for streamers and Youtubers alike. It’s developer, Mediatonic, gave the game a chaotic design that made the game enjoyable and a breath of fresh air.
Why do people enjoy this game? There are three simple points to enjoyment in Fall Guys:
Cosmetics gives the game lots of energy
Imagine the final obstacle course, the pursuit for the crown, in a level full of vibrant colors. A hotdog racing against a smoothie zooming past obstacles. The game’s aesthetic is defined by its rainbow palette, coupled with a collection of random skins that players can earn by playing the game.
Both design and physics are goofy
It seems to have a charm similar to Takeshi’s Castle and Wipeout, as you have one goal with a lot of random contenders going through a level that is filled with random but doable obstacles. Couple that with its goofy cosmetics, and you will have a very random overall experience that is guaranteed to entertain you.
The design is funky, but the physics is even more goofy, which makes up for bizarre moments such as characters flailing around, getting tackled into the air, or even falling flat on the face due to a missed jump. Predicting how the physics goof up in the game is as much fun as not even expecting it at all when you play.
The game is simple enough for everyone to play it.
Risk and reward has always been apparent in video games, and so has the frustrations that come along with it. Grinding and training to be number 1 makes for a pretty stressful time. Fall Guys goes beyond this concept due to the enjoyment it brings in its simple design.
The controls are simple enough for anyone to play. The game tells you what you have to do, and the lobby is so full of players that you are going to worry about getting tackled (in a fun way) by other players into a pit of pink goo. It’s simple and chaotic, but it makes up for a good time, and for very fun and silly moments.
References:
BlueStacks. (2020). How to Be a Smooth Criminal in Among Us. Retrieved from https://www.bluestacks.com/blog/game-guides/among-us/amongus-smooth-criminal-guide-en.html
C.A. (n.d.). A Dummy’s Guide to Dealing With Toxic Filipinos in Among Us. Retrieved from https://udou.ph/lifestyle/a-dummys-guide-to-dealing-with-toxic-filipinos-in-among-us/
Innersloth. (n.d.). Among Us. Retrieved from http://www.innersloth.com/gameAmongUs.php
GLOCO. (2020). FILIPINO VTuber Plays AMONG US. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOjtTj6OqL0
Grayson, N. (2020). Among Us’ Improbable Rise To The Top Of Twitch. Retrieved from https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/09/among-us-improbable-rise-to-the-top-of-twitch/
Newzoo. (2020). Most Watched Games on Twitch. Retrieved from https://newzoo.com/insights/rankings/top-games-twitch/
PewDiePie. (2020). Among Us but IQ is 600. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l73BDS95OpM
Scheurle, J. (2020). The silly, chaotic, random design behind Fall Guys’ success. Retrieved from https://www.polygon.com/2020/8/20/21375212/fall-guys-game-design-randomness-esports-success-sales
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