Friends vs Friends is an online PvP shooter game that offers a unique blend of FPS combat and deck building gameplay. In this game, players choose a character from a selection of groups of anthropomorphic friends and customize their loadout using a card-based system. Each card represents a specific ability or weapon that players can use during battles.
The core gameplay revolves around intense FPS fights between players – in either 1v1 or 2v2 format, where they utilize their chosen character's unique skill and strategically deploy cards from their deck. As a player, you'll have to make tactical decisions on which cards to use at specific moments, considering their strengths, weaknesses, and synergies. At the end of the day though, it ultimately boils down to the FPS action as shooting them down is ultimately the most reliable way of killing them.
The FPS experience of Friends vs Friends is fluid for the most part. Gunshots have impact, movement is fluid, and you have numerical feedback on hits in an RPG fashion. Without the card power-ups and buffs, the closest experience to the gunplay I can think of is probably a source engine game like Half-Life 2 or CS:GO, although I found that the maps are too small and cramped for my tastes to cater to the frantic and chaotic gameplay this game is offering.
There are many different cards you could choose from that affect the gameplay. Slow-motion cards, powerful weapons, cards that will make your head smaller, or make the enemies’ bigger, debuff cards, disappearing cards, reversal cards, or even as straightforward as increasing speed, or replenishing HP. And you can collect more and level these cards by just playing the game.
Friends vs Friends isn’t as popular as many other multiplayer shooter games right now, so I found the matchmaking a little longer than usual. Fortunately we have an instant rematch option if every player is willing, for those looking for a quick match without re-queueing. As for the matchmaking, the game can get a bit imbalanced if you’re matched with other players who have a pretty beefed up deck of cards equipped. Player skill still triumphs in this game, but I wish there was a way to make the playing field a bit more balanced.