Duck Your Friends

Duck Your Friends is an online party shooter for 2 to 8 players. Shooters take a first-person position on a high deck and fire down at duckers below, who play in third person and try to reach a safe haven through a gauntlet of cover. Players switch seats every round, so shooters become runners and duckers take their turn on the deck.

Two sides of the run

As a ducker, you sprint until you run out of breath, crawl behind cover, shove players in your way and pick up teammates to carry them across the run or mess with them. As a shooter, you try to take down the duckers. Holding the trigger charges a shot that tears through walls and every runner in its line. Shooters can also jump down into the run, but must duck all the duckers within 20 seconds or become the next target.

Each of the 12 characters has one running ability and one shooting ability. These include shields that block the next shot, bolts that ricochet off walls, time warps and blinks. Every shooter also has a charged shot.

Game modes

The game has six modes, with an Infection switch available in Classic and Escape:

• Classic: Reach the haven before the shooter ducks you, or take down the duckers before they get under your sight.
• Escape: Start directly under the shooters and break through the gate at the far end, running with your back to them.
• Time Points: Respawn without limit; score 1 point for each duck and 3 for reaching the haven. The runner who reaches it takes a shooter's seat.
• Teams: Team up with a friend to take down the opposing team.
• All vs All: Compete in an arena-style free-for-all.
• Tag: Pass the bomb and stay clear.

With Infection enabled in Classic or Escape, each ducker who gets ducked joins the shooters on the deck.

Maps and match settings

There are 9 maps, as well as Workshop maps. Lobbies can set the number of rounds, shot speed (from dodgeable bolts to instant hitscan), movement speed, and whether sprint, abilities and the aim laser are enabled. Players can invite friends or use the public lobby browser.

You can carry, throw and shove teammates, use an emote wheel during matches, and receive awards at a podium ceremony after each match.