With 3.3 million followers on Instagram and 2.6 TikTok followers, the brand We’re Not Really Strangers is best known for its spread of quotes and reminders to have love for both yourself and others. The quotes are seen from on buildings in the city to the backs of moving trucks and are often texted in their texting chain that anyone is able to sign up for.

However, there is much more to this brand than posting and sending messages, which serve as promotion. With every brand there has to be a product, which in this case is a card game. It is not the traditional type of card game, where there is a player who wins, and a player who loses. Instead, the game is designed for both players to be winners at the end of the game.

The game consists of three levels of cards and is optimized for two players, although it can be played with more members. The idea of the game is to get to connect with the other player, while getting a better understanding of both yourself and them. It may sound cheesy, but the questions are entertaining, and not the sort of questions that most people would think to ask others on their own.

When I had purchased the game to play, I was pleased with the packaging. It is solid red and very aesthetic, coming with the cards, tiny pencils, and a notepad, all with the brand name on them. For such a small box, there are many cards included in the box, making the price of $24.99 much more reasonable. I played for about 45 minutes and still didn’t even get through half of the cards.

The directions were very simple, as you simply take turns asking your partner the question on the card, moving up a level each time a certain number of cards is asked. I liked that the game lets players decide how many cards to play each level. It made it more flexible, as the game could either be played for 15 minutes or two hours.

Level one is perception, with cards about first impressions and assumptions based on outside factors. Level two is connection, designed to help players understand one another. The last level is reflection, which brings the game to an end. There is one final card for each player at the conclusion of the game.

Each level also holds wildcards, which require players to do something different than only answering a question. It may ask you to draw a portrait of your partner, or to write down a secret that no one knows on the note pad. For players who may get a bit bored of continuously asking and answering questions, the wild cards add unpredicted entertainment to the game.

At the end of the game, players are asked to write and give a message to their partner, only opening them once each is alone. Although it seemed a bit cheesy at first, I ended up really liking this aspect of the game. I found myself anticipating the moment I was able to open up my letter. The message had no rules or boundaries, which I liked, because it could either be something funny or something sentimental, depending on who you are playing with and the mood of the game.

The brand also has different variants of the card game, such as a special pack for couples, a heartbreak pack, and a self-reflection pack that can be played by oneself. Each roughly has the same idea and rules but is designed with different results in mind. The self-reflection pack is meant to promote a healthy self-image, while the relationship expansion pack is meant to bring couples closer to one another.

We’re Not Really Strangers succeeds at making an appealing card game that can bring people closer together while still enjoying themselves. I enjoyed each unique card and found myself not wanting the game to end. I genuinely did find myself having a better understanding of both myself and the person I played with after the game ended. From their aesthetic packaging to their popular online presence, the game is heavily marketed towards younger generations but can definitely be enjoyed by players of all ages. Whether playing with a significant other, family member, friend, or almost a stranger, We’re Not Really Strangers will bring players closer to one another.