Terminal 13 imposter tells: photo mismatch, wrong country/job, backwards text, demonic voice, extra limbs, glowing eyes = imposter. Vague origin, part-time job mentions, "I don't know" duration = human.
I shot a human because she said "I work in construction" when her passport said "Construction Worker." Turns out that's the same thing. Meanwhile, the guy with backwards text walked right through because I wasn't paying attention.
This Terminal 13 imposters guide covers every type of imposter and exactly how to identify them. Some are obvious. Some will fool you if you're not careful.
Need the full game walkthrough? Check our Terminal 13 Not Human guide first.
Quick Reference Table
| Tell Type | What to Look For | Imposter? |
|---|---|---|
| Photo mismatch | Face doesn't match passport | Yes |
| Wrong country | Names different country than passport | Yes |
| Wrong job | Completely different profession | Yes |
| Backwards text | Can't read their speech | Yes |
| Demonic voice | Inhuman sounds | Yes |
| Extra limbs | More arms/legs than normal | Yes |
| Glowing eyes | Unnatural eye appearance | Yes |
| Vague origin | "Small town near there" | No |
| Part-time job | Student mentions work | No |
| "I don't know" | Forgot duration | No |
Visual Imposters (Instant Tells)
These imposters don't even try to hide. You can spot them the moment they approach your checkpoint.
Physical Mutations
Extra limbs are the most common. Three arms, four legs, tentacles where arms should be. If the body count is wrong, shoot first.
Missing body parts work the same way. No head? Imposter. Floating torso? Imposter. You get the idea.
Distorted proportions are trickier. Arms too long, head too small, body twisted at wrong angles. Trust your gut. If something looks off, it probably is.
Face Anomalies
Glowing eyes are a dead giveaway. Normal humans don't have LED eyeballs.
Wrong eye colors compared to passport photo. Blue eyes in the photo, red eyes in person? Imposter.
Distorted faces include stretched features, melted skin, or faces that just look wrong. The game does a good job making these unsettling.
Audio Tells
Demonic voices are unmistakable. If you hear something that sounds like Satan gargling gravel, that's an imposter. The Discord calls these "spawn of Satan" travelers.
Backwards speech shows up as unreadable text. If you can't understand what they're saying because the letters are reversed, don't even bother with questions.
Question-Based Imposters
These imposters look normal but fail when you interrogate them.
Name Mismatches
Ask their name and compare to the passport. If John Smith says his name is Michael Johnson, that's an imposter.
Simple check. Hard to mess up.
Job Inconsistencies
This one trips people up. The key is understanding what counts as a mismatch.
Imposter: Passport says "Engineer," they say "I'm a chef."
Not imposter: Passport says "Construction Worker," they say "I do labor work." Same job, different words.
Not imposter: Passport says "Student," they mention their part-time job. Students have jobs too.
I shot Minji Kim three times before I learned this. She's a student with a part-time job. Not an imposter. Just being specific.
Origin Questions
Imposter: Passport says "USA," they say "I'm from Japan."
Not imposter: Passport says "USA," they say "I come from a small town near there." Vague but not wrong.
The rule is simple. If they name a completely different country, imposter. If they're just being vague about the same country, human.
Duration and Reason
These are simple comparisons.
Duration: How long are they staying? Compare to passport. "I don't know" isn't suspicious, just forgetful.
Reason: Why are they traveling? Compare to passport. Business trip, vacation, visiting family. If it doesn't match, imposter.
Chapter 2 Specific Imposters
The road checkpoint in Chapter 2 adds new challenges because you're checking multiple people per car.
Driver Checks
The driver has an ID, so you can verify:
- Name
- Birthday (watch for years like 1823)
- Job
- Origin
- Photo
Birthday is a common tell in Chapter 2. If someone claims to be born 200 years ago, they're not human.
Passenger Checks
Passengers don't have IDs. Use the screen next to your window to check their last checkpoint data.
Purpose changed: If they said "business" at the last checkpoint and "vacation" now, imposter.
Duration changed: Same logic. Inconsistent answers between checkpoints = imposter.
Multi-Passenger Tips
Multiple people in one car can be imposters. Check everyone before letting the car through.
When you start shooting, everyone runs. Make sure you've identified all imposters first so you don't miss any.
Demonic voices can come from any passenger. Walk around the car with headphones to pinpoint the source.
Strange walking requires watching them exit the car. Stay outside your office to catch this.
The ??? Traveler
Sometimes you get a traveler with no passport info. Just question marks everywhere.
You cannot identify these through normal means. Save your free hint (one per shift) for ??? travelers. It's the only way to know.
Using the Scanner
The Scanner costs $85 but it's worth it.
Activate it and the traveler glows green (human) or red (imposter). Three charges per Scanner.
Best uses:
- ??? travelers when you've used your hint
- Passengers without IDs in Chapter 2
- Double-checking when you're unsure
The X-Ray Scanner (available from shift 2) shows skeletons. Any deviation from normal human skeleton means imposter. Imposters always have another tell though, so it's just for confirmation.
Common Mistakes
Shooting vague humans. "I come from a small town" is not suspicious. "I come from the void between dimensions" is.
Trusting normal-looking imposters. Some imposters look completely human until you ask questions. Always interrogate.
Missing backwards text. It's easy to skip dialogue. Read everything.
Forgetting audio tells. Play with sound on. Demonic voices are obvious if you're listening.
Not checking all passengers. One imposter in a car of four humans is still a problem.
Tips
Shoot imposters in the back. Jump out your window, shoot them from behind. The green goo lands outside, easier to clean.
Fill the goo canister. Cleaning up imposter goo fills a canister. Full canister = free shop item.
Trust your gut on visuals. If something looks wrong, it probably is. The game's art style makes imposters unsettling on purpose.
Use hints wisely. One free hint per shift. Save it for ??? travelers or genuinely confusing cases.
More Terminal 13 Content
- Terminal 13 Not Human Guide - Complete walkthrough and tips
- Terminal 13 All Monsters Guide - How to survive every monster
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- Bakso Malang All Anomalies Guide - Similar anomaly detection
- Scary Shawarma Kiosk All Anomalies - Another anomaly game
- Dandy's World All Twisteds Guide - Entity identification
