An unusual way to play FPS

Friends vs. Friends, developed by Brainwash Gang and published by Raw Fury, was released on May 30, 2023, for Microsoft Windows and Linux. 

Bringing frenetic gameplay and a very different dynamic from the mainstream, the game has only multiplayer and can be played against bots as well, being mostly PvP. The FPS has very interesting mechanics of decks and cards that, if used correctly, can dictate the outcome of the matches. 



Cards and shooting 

Friends vs. Friends brought to the market a new way to develop a first-person shooter game, using several elements present in other games, such as the freneticism of Call of Duty, the graphic style reminiscent of Borderlands, and at some moments even the classic Ace of Spades, with the addition of a customized deck of cards that serve as modifiers for the match. 

The game brings a very straightforward way to have fun: choose a character that suits you best visually and go build a deck of cards, which have several purposes, such as nullifying the opponent's next card, switching to a more deadly weapon, and even decreasing the size of your head or enlarging the enemy's. 

Despite the simple mechanics, they're a lot of fun and make the game very fast-paced. Even players who are not big fans or familiar with FPS games get hooked on Friends vs. Friends since the learning curve is so good that it makes the game very quickly understood and makes us play many, many matches in a row. 

The game doesn't have a lot of tutorials since they are not very necessary, and when I say that it is a very straightforward experience, it is not an exaggeration. Friends vs. Friends allows us to play online matches against bots in the format 1v1 or 2v2 on very diverse maps that have virtually the same size, being quite small, but ultimately, this is the real proposal of the game: fast and frenetic matches in a small space, being extremely fun, especially playing with friends. 



The mechanics of action 

When experiencing Friends vs. Friends, I felt mainly nostalgia for simple and fun games to play with friends and spend hours and hours on. As I said before, the feature of creating card decks is one of the pillars of everything the game offers. 

Thus, when talking about the mechanics in general, it is clear the entire intent of the project is to make it completely customizable and easy to access. The interface is very simple and intuitive, where we can see our decks and use the store to buy more cards. While we are not playing, we are in a sort of lobby, in the style of Battle Royales, but we are alone, only accompanied by the other playable characters offered. 

Speaking of playable characters, all are anthropomorphic forms of animals, and as we play, we release more options. To change, it is very simple. While we are in the lobby, just approach the person you would like to assume and press the action button. 

To play, you only need to select whether to play alone against another player or with a friend against two other people and be ready. Just wait for the matchmaking game to do its job and go have fun. At the very beginning of the game, we already know which cards we are going to be able to play with and start thinking about a strategy. 

As I said before, it is a simple game and consequently easy to learn; however, like any other, it has its tricks to be mastered, but in my opinion, it is unnecessary to worry about them. In my experience, the game is excellent to play in a casual and unpretentious way, just for fun, which is a feature that is incredibly well done.



Fun for sure 

Friends vs. Friends is undoubtedly an excellent game and great fun to play. Despite having a well-defined proposal, there is no sparing in details, both in characters, weapons, cards, and maps. Besides being a very colorful game, it leaves a feeling of happiness and relaxation. 

The customization is also a highlight; you can change some details of the characters and card backgrounds in the greatest style of Hearthstone, as well as key chains and ornaments for your favorite weapons, always to make friends and opponents envy you. It is important to say that as you play, you will earn coins that can be exchanged for card packs, varying in price and rarity. 

The gameplay is very good,  responsive, and sharp; the deck-building system is dynamic; and it is up to the player to mold it to his or her taste and style of play. The factor that impressed me the most was how fluid the game is. A lot of this is also due to not demanding too much from the system; besides, it is necessary that the game respond fast and doesn't crash so that all the speeds can be explored, both in gameplay and in the player's reaction time.

The game combat is a fundamental part of the design and works perfectly well, opening up opportunities for different builds and varied play styles, which is the strong point of Friends vs. Friends, in my opinion. 

The controls are completely customizable, and only the mouse and keyboard are compatible. The release of the game covered only Microsoft Windows and Linux, but it is worth remembering that other platforms may be included in the future. 

The audio game is also very good; some songs play and are very nice to hear, and the sound effects and voices are also very good and certainly of excellent quality. 

The only negative point is the balancing of the matches; occasionally, you beginners will be paired with advanced players who will probably beat you easily, but overall, the matches are well-balanced and fun in the extreme. 



An ambitious project with great features 

My experience with Friends vs. Friends was great. The game overall is extremely fun and exciting, surprising me a lot since my first game. They managed to deliver an unusual combination and a different experience from the standard of the genre, with innovative mechanics and, in my opinion, uniting simplicity with quality. 

I highly recommend this game for any audience, from FPS lovers to people new to the gaming world, because, although a really simple game, it was a pleasant surprise for its dynamism and frenetic gameplay. 



For this review, the game was played on the PC using the Steam platform. Thanks to Raw Fury for providing the access key.