We all remember theAmong Uscraze that swept the internet in 2020. Given the circumstances at the time, we were all craving games that gave us that sense of connection with others.
Social deduction games fit the bill perfectly, offering both the social interaction and the tension-filled rivalry that define much of the human experience.
While the gaming industry has since moved on, the success of Among Us inspired a wave of new social deduction games—and some of the best ones are still going strong today. Let’s take a look at 8 of them.
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8Project Winter
Survival of the Cruelest
When it comes to social deduction games, Project Winter brings a unique twist to the genre. Players take on the roles of travelers stranded in a harsh, snow-covered environment with a blizzard fast approaching.
They’ll have to repair two key objectives and call for help before the storm locks everyone in. Of course, things are never that simple.
As with most social deduction games,a minority of players are secretly traitorswhose mission is the opposite: sabotage the travelers' efforts and eliminate them one by one, all while avoiding detection and the consequent vote-out.
What sets Project Winter apart is its incorporation of survival mechanics. Travelers must contend with hunger, scavenging, and, naturally, the local wildlife—who are more than happy to lighten the traitors' load. It’s a clever blend of genres that worked very well.
7DEATH NOTE: Killer Within
Just as Planned
Death Note Killer Within
DEATH NOTE: Killer Within attempts to capturethe intrigue and deception of the manga, but on a much smaller scale. Players take on the roles of either investigators or followers of Kira, with two players assuming the roles of Kira and L themselves.
Followers of Kira must mislead the investigators while secretly discovering their identities and passing them to Kira, who will write their names in the Death Note to eliminate them—until they can finally take down L.
Meanwhile, the investigators must track down the Death Note, with L leading the charge, aiming to catch the Kira group in a fatal mistake.
Though the presentation leaves something to be desired, the gameplay itself is deep and engaging, offering much more complexity than typical Among Us clones.
No People? No Problem
Social Deduction games involve interaction between players at the core of their gameplay. This relegates them to the multiplayer space since it’s almost impossible to capture this kind of interaction with AI.With one notable exception.
Gnosia is a single-player social deduction game that places you on a ship drifting through space, where some of the crew have been replaced by Gnosia—alien life forms that mimic humans with the intent to destroy them.
Your mission is to identify the Gnosia and vote them out, or, if you’re playing as an alien, avoid being voted out in the usual mix of investigation and meetings.
What sets Gnosia apart from other social deduction games is its unique investigation phase. Instead of looking for physical clues like movement or location during a murder, you’ll need to observe subtle shifts in demeanor, speech patterns, and personality to unmask the aliens.
With a visual novel presentation and a variety of classic roles from the genre, Gnosia successfully captures the spirit of social deduction—despite being a single-player experience.
5Town of Salem 2
A Taste of the Classic
Town of Salem 2
Town of Salem 2 is the game on this list that most closelycaptures the essence of tabletopsocial deduction games like Werewolf and Mafia. It follows the classic day/night cycle: someone is killed at night, and during the day, players must vote to execute someone they suspect.
As with other social deduction games, there are roles that allow players to gather information or identify murderers, but trusting someone who claims to have useful abilities is always risky. They could be lying to manipulate you or conceal their true identity.
The original Town of Salem predates Among Us by several years, and the sequel improves on its formula in nearly every way. It’s considered a classic, with a dedicated community that continues to keep it alive.
4Dale & Dawson Stationery Supplies
Almost Too Real
In a genre dominated by games where the goal is to eliminate each other, it’s refreshing to find one that brings the concept at lower stakes with a healthy dose of humor. Dale & Dawson Stationery Supplies offers a hilarious take on the everyday grind of office life.
Players are divided into two groups: Specialists and Slackers. Specialists receive work-related objectives to help the company succeed, while Slackers must avoid doing work at all costs—without getting caught by the manager. The manager holds a special role, with the power to fire anyone they suspect of slacking.
But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Is that person enjoying a cup of coffee, slacking off, or just taking a break after hours of work? Is the person making so many bathroom breaks slacking or just refilling toilet paper? And, um, why is the trash can on fire?
3Lockdown Protocol
Summary Executions
Lockdown Protocol aims to be a social deduction game with no slow moments. Everything in the game happens in real-time.
Tasks are completed by directly manipulating objects in the environment, and there are no meetings to pause the action. If a dissident is suspected, the situation must be dealt with immediately—no discussions, just swift action.
The first-person perspective complements this high-paced premise, encouraging players to stay mobile—either completing tasks or hunting down isolated targets. This also means that the game can quickly spiral into chaos.
An employee might spot a dissident and attempt to eliminate them, but a bystander could mistakenly assume the roles are reversed.
In Lockdown Protocol, you need to keep your wits about you at all times. Quick thinking and fast decisions are what separate the survivors from the fallen.
You Are the Impostor
Of course, no list of social deduction games would be complete without mentioning the title that reignited interest in the genre. Despite being around for a few years now,Among Usremains incredibly popular, with thousands of players logged in at any given time.
The gamecontinues to receive regular updates, adding new maps, roles, and even an additional game mode, ensuring its place as the go-to social deduction game for many. It’s still the first title that comes to mind whenever the genre is mentioned.
The only reason it’s not at the top of this list is that there’s actually another social deduction game with a higher player count than Among Us…
Goose Goose Duck Breaks Among Us' Concurrent Players Record
The hit indie game has pushed past Among Us' all-time players record on Steam.
1Goose Goose Duck
Goose Goose Duck
Goose Goose Duck takes the Among Us formula and expands it with a humorous twist. Players assume the roles of a gaggle of geese, tasked with completing objectives before the ducks hidden among them manage to eliminate enough of the group.
While the core gameplay remains similar to its main competitor, Goose Goose Duckstands out by offering more roles, additional game modes, and extensive customization options.
These features have helped it become the most-played social deduction game on Steam by a significant margin.
It’s a game that’s egg-sactly what you need for some chaotic, feather-filled fun!
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