Free Fire Full Review: Story, Gameplay, Graphics & More
The launch of Free Fire has stayed in my memory till today. My buddy used to tell me "try it out at least for one match". Although I had little hope in the matter since I played quite a few other games from the battle royale genre, but upon landing on the map, getting my first weapon and surviving through the last stages of the game I understood why millions of people play it daily.
What caught my attention aside from the quick pace of the game was the smooth gameplay even on my budget Android mobile phone. And this single fact encouraged me to continue playing.
Having spent many hours in solo and squad battles, Clash Squad mode and seasonal events I'm ready to share my impression on the Free Fire.
What is Free Fire?
Free Fire is a free-to-play battle royale game created by Garena. Contrary to most other battle royale games that take between 25 and 40 minutes per match, Free Fire keeps everything quick and fun.
The classic game typically takes about 10 minutes with 50 players competing for being the last one alive.
This makes Free Fire ideal for those with limited spare time for playing during breaks or after work/school hours.
Free Fire Story
Different from games with a story, Free Fire does not contain one big storyline.
Garena constructs the story of its game by using various characters.
Each of them has their own background, personality and skill set.
Examples include:
Kelly, who is an incredibly fast runner.
Alok, who is based on the popular DJ and restores health points for teammates.
Hayato, who hails from a rich and powerful family and gets stronger when wounded.
Chrono, whose speciality is the usage of the protective shield.
All these backgrounds are secondary in terms of importance within the game.
Gameplay Experience
Gameplay is something that Free Fire does exceptionally well.
Each match begins with you in an airplane over the map.
You decide on the landing spot.
Just this one decision will make your game entirely different.
You will find more loot in crowded areas but the fights will be quite difficult.
Safe areas will allow you to pick up weapons without the threat of death from someone else's gunfire.
This was a very valuable lesson for me.
During my first few matches, I always jumped straight into the busiest places in order to get some instant action.
Consequence:
Most of the time, I used to last only two minutes or so in those games.
Controls
Free Fire is a game which features basic touchscreen controls.
These include:
Movement control using joystick
Shoot button
Jump button
Crouch
Lay down position
Sprinting
Backpack
Change weapon button
The controls are quite simple to understand.
Players generally adapt to the controls after only a few games.
Button size and placement can be customized according to personal preference.
Character Skills
The thing which sets Free Fire apart from other battle royale games is the presence of characters.
Each character has its own unique skill.
Some have increased speed of movement.
Some are used for healing.
Some skills help aim or defense.
Choosing the correct character depends on one’s style of gameplay.
For aggressive gameplay, characters like Skyler or Alok would be the best choice.
Weapons
Free Fire has many types of weapons to choose from.
Here are some that I have enjoyed playing with:
Assault Rifles
SCAR
M4A1
GROZA
AK47
These work well in medium range battles.
SMGs
MP40
UMP
Thompson
Good for close range battles.
The MP40 is still one of the best weapons at close range.
Sniper Rifles
AWM
Kar98K
For those who like to aim at long distances.
Shotguns
M1887
MAG-7
Good weapons for close-range.
Timing is
Maps
Free Fire has several exciting maps to choose from.
Bermuda
The most popular map.
Balance map for all types of players.
It offers numerous buildings, hills, and open spaces.
Purgatory
Larger map with many bridges and good views.
Sniper type players love to play here.
Kalahari
Desert-style battle field.
Because of the open spaces, positioning is crucial.
Alpine
Snowy map with villages and mountains.
It has a new look compared to the regular maps.
Graphics
Let's be honest.
Free Fire does not provide console level graphics.
But is it really a drawback?
Garena purposefully uses light graphics to ensure that game runs even on low-end phones.
With high graphics, the game looks colorful and smooth.
Game animations look significantly better than before.
Weapons, outfits, and effects look much nicer than before.
Even on older phone with 3GB or 4GB of RAM, the game runs stable.
This is one of the reasons why Free Fire became so popular in the world.
Sound Quality
Sound is everything.
Footsteps help players find enemies that are close.
The sound of gunshots helps identify fights taking place around the map.
Sounds of vehicles indicate when enemies are about to appear.
Using headphones is definitely an advantage.
I began to use gaming earphones after losing some games due to not being able to hear enemy footsteps properly.
The difference became clear immediately.
Game Modes
Free Fire is not limited to just battle royale.
There are many game modes available.
Battle Royale
Classic battle royale mode.
Clash Squad
4v4 fast-paced matches.
Good for sharpening shooting skills.
Lone Wolf
One-on-one battles.
Good for training.
Ranked Mode
Battle better opponents and gain higher ranks.
Winning in ranked mode feels more rewarding.
Custom Rooms
Private matches for friends.
Good for tournament matches and training.
Customizing Characters
There are infinite possibilities for character customization in Free Fire.
They include:
Costumes
Weapon skins
Emotes
Backpacks
Pets
Vehicles
Banners
Avatars
Some can be unlocked for free.
Others need to be purchased with Diamonds, which is the currency used in Free Fire.
In my opinion, I prefer getting rewarded from events rather than using money to buy items.
Patience always pays.
Gameplay Performance on Various Devices
One good thing about Free Fire is optimization.
I have played the game on different types of phones.
Low-budget phones play the game smoothly in medium graphics.
Mid-range phones play the game smoothly in high graphics.
High-end phones play the game in maximum quality with high frame rates.
Internet Performance
Playing Free Fire doesn't necessarily mean that one needs very fast internet.
Most times, playing through a stable 4G or Wi-Fi connection will work fine.
Nevertheless, ping does affect the gameplay experience.
I have had issues playing the game with an unstable mobile data connection.
As much as possible, I change to Wi-Fi before playing ranked games.
Events and Rewards
Garena is known for introducing various events.
Rewards include:
Fragments of characters
Gold
Weapons
Packs
Emotes
Pets
Seasonal events usually provide new elements to make the game exciting.
Co-op Play
Co-op play with random people may sometimes be unexpected.
On some occasions, you will find great teammates.
At other times, teammates may leave or do not pay attention to teamwork.
I like playing with my friends using voice chat.
Communication is very important.
It helps in winning many games.
Advice for Newbies
If you are a beginner, then these pieces of advice worked for me.
Be Smart with Your Location
Try not to use crowded spots every time.
Loot Before Anything Else
Move Constantly
Being stationary is your worst enemy here.
Master One Weapon First
Rather than learning all kinds of weapons, stick to your favorite one or two.
Take Cover
Trees, rocks, walls, and even buildings will help you survive.
Mind the Safe Zone
Always remember about the safe zone.
Many beginners get defeated only because they don't mind it enough.
Try to Train in Clash Squad Mode
It will help you aim better.
Common Errors Made by Players
I made a lot of errors while playing the game.
Below are some common ones.
Taking on All Fights
Not all enemies are worth taking on.
It might be better to survive sometimes.
Neglecting Grenades
They are very handy in clearing buildings.
Players tend to use grenades less often at the start.
Bad Inventory Management
Too many unused weapons make it hard to carry healing items.
Watch what you put in your inventory.
Not Reviving Covered Up
It's vital to help team members out, but it doesn't mean reviving someone in an exposed place.
This will lead to being eliminated together.
Not Using Your Characters’ Special Abilities
Most people unlock special abilities of characters but seldom use them.
Is Free Fire Pay to Win?
It's a frequently asked question.
From what I experienced, purchasing in-game currency only grants cosmetic items and faster progression of characters.
Even though you don't have to spend a dime, one can still play well.
Is Free Fire Worth Playing?
Undoubtedly, yes! I think that playing Free Fire is good since it is quite entertaining and provides an interesting battle royale experience on almost any phone available. There are numerous positive things about this game, but I am particularly fond of the fast gameplay. The duration of each game session does not exceed 10 minutes, so you do not need to spend an hour playing this game.
This is an extremely user-friendly game with convenient controls, visuals adapted for low-end devices, and constant updates by Garena, adding various events, characters, maps, and other bonuses to increase entertainment. Absolutely nothing needs to be purchased to play and compete with professional players.
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