Friends vs Friends is a clever little competitive FPS that blends deck building mechanics with frantic action, all wrapped in a charming art style. My initial attraction to the game was because of its lovely visuals. I love its bright, saturated colors and retro chunky pixels, recontextualized in the form of an mini-arena shooter.

The shooting mechanics feel quite satisfying and responsive, with a decent selection of weapons and characters, each with their own unique bonuses. The main twist, of course, is that you are not just wielding guns; you also have a deck of cards, each with unique effects that will alter the outcome of the match. Cards can be as basic as weapons, small heals, turrets and bombs, along with more whimsical effects like making your enemies have big heads for easier headshots. Then there's the rarer, truly game-changing cards, like one that will nuke the stage to totally alter the landscape, or another that turns you into an unwieldly giant. There is a wide variety of cards, adding a really deep layer of strategy to the game. It's a blast to experiment with different combinations to craft unique builds that cater to the strengths of specific characters.

The game's primary loop revolves around playing matches to earn in-game cash that you can spend on card packs. I quite enjoyed this loop, and the progression system is simple, but functional. Unfortunately, the game is lacking in one big area: content. With only four maps and only basic 1v1/2v2 modes, there is a noticeable lack of variety from match to match once you've settled on a deck of cards that works for you.

To be fair, this is a pretty cheap game, especially with the current 50% discount on Steam. But as it stands, I felt like I had already experienced all of the game's content after only a few play sessions. I loved Friends vs Friends for what it is, but it was only good for a few hours of fun before the repetition killed my enjoyment. I'm open to revisiting it in the future if the developer decides to expand the game further.