Friday Night Funkin’ (FNF) was released in Nov. 2020 for the PC. It’s available to download or simply play in a browser tab. FNF is a single-player rhythm game, meaning a big part of it is hand-eye coordination, and of course, music. FNF’s interface uses the arrow keys on your keyboard to produce sounds: you must hit the correct arrow at the right time to up your score. If you miss an arrow, the rhythm is lost, and your score drops. And if you miss too many notes by the end of the level? Game over.

You play FNF as a 19-year-old boy named “Boyfriend” who partakes in rap battles. The levels are referred to as weeks, and each week consists of three rap battles for “Boyfriend.” In the first week, Boyfriend competes against the father of “Girlfriend,” who sits in the background atop a stereo during the battle. Week two stars “Skid” and “Pump,” two children dressed as a skeleton and pumpkin. In week three, you meet Pico, a red-head who challenges you to a rap battle in the subway. In week four, you face off against Girlfriend’s mother, then in week five you battle both of Girlfriend’s parents. Week five also contains one of my favorite songs on the soundtrack, “Cocoa.”

FNF doesn’t follow a plot like other rhythm games such as Persona 4: Dancing All Night or Ensemble Stars! Music. The only objective of FNF is to beat the level and move on. This is essentially the plot of all games, but doesn’t the game become more interesting if some sort of storyline is involved? Of course, the lack of plot and storyline in FNF has not stopped fans from theorizing, making fanart or creating their own personalized stories. From what I’ve gathered, the game isn’t finished just yet, so there’s the possibility that some sort of story will be implemented in the future, but I’m not going to keep my fingers crossed. I have seen some fans say that the game is “just so good that it doesn’t need a plot,” online. However, as someone who enjoys wasting their time thinking about video game characters and their stories, the lack of plot just makes the game less enjoyable.

Music is very important in FNF, as it’s basically the entire game. Thus, the soundtrack is fantastic. There are so many good songs to choose from, it’s hard to pick a favorite. The plot of FNF might disappoint, but the music that’s essential to the game does not.

“FNF” is fun and addictive, but it lacks the depth of a solid story. I am giving this game a 7/10. It’s a great way to pass the time for those who like a good challenge, but it’s not much more than that.