The ability to have pets in Among Us is undeniably cute, but once a Crewmate is killed they suddenly becomes a much more depressing addition.
Pets are a great addition to Among Us' character customization options, but they also make the game unbelievably sad. Players can choose from all sorts of companions in Among Us' pet pack, including a brain slug, a small robot, and even an adorable little dog. Having a secondary character follow the player's Crewmate around in an undeniably cute addition to the game, but once the inevitable occurs and the pet loses its master, the reality of the situation hits all too fast.
Pets in Among Us need their Crewmates to look after them and keep them safe, just like in real life. Although Among Us' pets don't need to be fed or watered, they do apparently need the company of their Crewmate, as evidenced by the fact that once that Crewmate dies, the pet doesn't really know what to do next.
Pets aren't free in any version of Among Us. Players need to spend $2.99 to unlock the full array of options. but once they do they can have a companion for every Among Us match in the future. Among Us' pets are great companions in stressful rooms like The Skeld's Electrical, especially the little blue dog. Its wagging tail and smiling face act as a perfect salve for the tension which grips most rounds of Among Us - until the owner of the pet is killed, that is.
During Among Us' kill animations, players who own pets can see just how traumatized they become at witnessing their master's death. The little blue dog's tail stops wagging and, instead of smiling, its lips begin to tremble in fear. It's even worse afterwards, because while the Among Us Impostor can simply vent away and go try and not be sus somewhere else, the poor animal will not ever leave the side of their owner's body.
This is something which becomes even sadder in subsequent rounds, especially if multiple Among Us pet owners have been killed throughout the current game's map. Although bodies in Among Us disappear after they are reported, the mourning pet will remain. This means players (and, notably, the remaining Impostors) will run past sad-looking creatures mourning the loss of their friends in the exact spot they were killed over and over again. With the little blue dog in particular, it's hard not to think about the saddest episode of Futurama every time.
Among Us, despite featuring so much lies and murder, is not really a sad game - unless pets are included. By showing how the death of a Crewmate affects the lives of their pet, Among Us' developers have made the Impostors appear a bit more cold-hearted than they would otherwise. Among Us' pets are a great addition to the game and obviously adorable, but they can also make dying a little more impactful than players were expecting.
