Garena Free Fire is a survival shooter game for Android and iOS. It is developed by 111dots Studio and published by Garena International. Similar to other battle royale games, the game takes place on a remote island where it is all about survival.
Players have to drop on different locations on the map, search for weapons, kill and loot enemies, and become the last man standing, also similar to what we have seen on popular battle royale games. But Free Fire takes a different approach by limiting matches to 10 minutes and 50 players.
Because of the fast-paced nature of the game, it has gained quite a popularity among mobile gamers. If you are new to this game, it can be frustrating to get killed as soon as you land on the island. That’s why we have compiled a series of tips for beginners. So, continue reading this article on how to play Garena Free Fire.
How To Play Garena Free Fire
- Map Guide
- Weapons and Attachments
- Basic Tips for Beginners
Map Guide
Currently, there are two maps available on Free Fire: Bermuda and Purgatory. Bermuda is popular for its balanced terrain and good loot drops. Purgatory is infamous for its camping zones and sniper spots. Here’s everything you need to know about Bermuda and Purgatory:
Dropzones:
Starting with Bermuda, it’s better to stay away from Bimasakti Strip in the middle of the map, as most of the players land at the same place looking for decent loot and close-quarter fights. If you are trying to avoid fights and expecting good loot, try to land on Cape Town and Kota Tua. Rim Nam Village and Outpost also spawn decent loot, while being less crowded.
Bermuda Map in Free Fire
On Purgatory, there are three places that beginners should avoid: Central, Brasilia, and Marbleworks. If you are looking for some fight in these areas, land on Golf Course. You can expect good loot in this area. After looting, you can head over to any of those hot zones and get some kills. However, if you are trying to avoid fights, Crossroads and Forge is for you. But make sure you loot fast, the areas are at the edge of the maps and the playzone moves fast.
Purgatory Map in Free Fire
Loot Locations:
In Bermuda, if you are looking for good weapons, land to Cape Town. There are a lot of buildings, with good weapons and gears spawning in most of them. For sniper rifles, go to Mill, as it is a sniping spot. Though you should not land here at the beginning, it is hard to find assault rifles in the area. Outpost is great for light machine guns (LMG) and shotguns. For weapon attachments and armor sets, Rim Nam Village is best.
In Purgatory, Brasilia is a big town filled with lots of buildings. It’s easy to find LMGs and SMGs in this area. But as mentioned before, most of the players land in Brasilia. So you have to be quick with loot collection here. For good assault rifles, land at Mountain Villa or Lumber Mill. If you are looking for sniper rifles and scope attachments, go to Ski Lodge, the highest spot on Purgatory.
Weapons and Attachments
There are 37 different weapons in Free Fire. New players need to know which weapon to use and carry.
There are three weapon slots. The first two can be used for any type of weapon. The third slot is dedicated for pistols only. Your objective is to equip a medium-ranged weapon, another weapon for long-ranged fights and the last one for close-quarter fights. These are the weapons that you can find in a match:
Handguns & Bow
| Name | Damage | Range | Attachment | Clip Size |
| USP | 45 | 29 | 3 | 12 |
| G18 | 45 | 36 | 1 | 15 |
| Desert Eagle | 53 | 46 | 2 | 7 |
| M1873 | 94 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| M500 | 67 | 76 | 3* | 5 |
| Crossbow | 90 | 38 | 0 | 1 |
| Treatment Gun* | 56 | 33 | 0 | 25 |
*The M500 comes with a pre-attached 2x scope, making it the only long-range handgun in the game.
*The Treatment Gun deals damage against enemies but also heals teammates.
USP is a great choice for a handgun, as it has support for muzzle and silencer attachments.
Assault Rifles (AR)
| Name | Damage | Range | Attachment | Clip Size |
| AN94 | 59 | 64 | 4 | 30 |
| XM8 | 55 | 65 | 4 | 30 |
| M60 | 56 | 65 | 1 | 60 |
| Dragunov* | 89 | 60 | 5* | 10 |
| FAMAS | 53 | 70 | 5 | 30 |
| M4A1 | 53 | 77 | 5 | 30 |
| AK | 61 | 72 | 5 | 30 |
| SKS | 82 | 82 | 5* | 10 |
| Groza | 61 | 75 | 5 | 30 |
| M14 | 71 | 76 | 5 | 15 |
| SCAR | 53 | 60 | 5 | 30 |
*Dragunov only spawns in airdrops and resupply points. It comes with a pre-attached 4x scope.
*SKS comes with a pre-attached 4x scope.
M4A1, M14 is great for medium range and SKS for long-range combat. Groza is good but only spawns in airdrops.
LMG & SMG
| Name | Damage | Range | Attachment | Clip Size |
| GATLING* | 83 | 68 | 1 | 1200 |
| M249* | 57 | 71 | 0 | 100 |
| CG15 | 999* | 71 | 1 | 20 |
| P90 | 48 | 27 | 2 | 50 |
| MP40 | 48 | 22 | 1 | 20 |
| UMP | 48 | 75 | 5 | 30 |
| MP5 | 48 | 27 | 5 | 30 |
| VSS | 50 | 84 | 2* | 15 |
*GATLING users will walk slower while using it.
*M249 is only available in airdrops.
*CG15 has a damage rate of 999 according to the FREE FIRE website.
*VSS comes with a pre-attached 4x scope.
For SMGs, we recommend you to stick with P90 and UMP. For LMG, M249 is a good choice because it is lightweight and does not affect the player’s mobility.
Sniper Rifles & Launchers
| Name | Damage | Range | Attachment | Clip Size |
| KAR98K | 90 | 84 | 3* | 5 |
| AWM | 90 | 91 | 4* | 5 |
| MGL140* | 90 | 51 | 1 | 5 |
| M79* | 90 | 51 | 0 | 1 |
*KAR98K and AWM both come with a pre-attached 8x scope.
*MGL140 and M79 deals high damage in the area of effect.
Shotguns
| Name | Damage | Range | Attachment | Clip Size |
| SPAS12 | 97 | 15 | 1 | 5 |
| M1014 | 94 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
With its high damage and close range, both shotguns are meant close-quarter combats.
Melee Weapons & Throwables
| Name | Damage | Range | Accuracy | Rate of Fire |
| Katana | 66 | 5 | 10 | 32 |
| Bat | 63 | 5 | 10 | 33 |
| Grenade* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pan | 62 | 4 | 10 | 35 |
| Parang | 66 | 4 | 10 | 32 |
*Grenades are quite useful for clearing out tight spaces and luring enemies out from their camping spots.
We recommend not to use melee weapons as it is impractical to use. Though it should be mentioned that bullets can bounce off the pan, basically working like a shield.
Weapon Attachments
You will find 5 different weapon attachments in Free Fire. These are:
- Silencer: Enemies at a long distance won’t be able to see the muzzle flash or hear gunfire sounds.
- Muzzle: Increases the bullet damage over long distances.
- Foregrip: Helps to reduce bullet spread and increases accuracy.
- Magazine: Increases clip size.
- Scope: Provides aiming reticle and magnification from 2x to 8x.
Basic Tips For Beginners
Following and maintaining some basic things can actually help you win. For the beginners, here are a couple of tips:
Jumping from the Plane
When you are about to jump from the plane, make sure you keep a close distance to your preferred location. Also, don’t open the parachute manually. Doing this will slow you down and force you to land later than your enemies. You can avoid this by letting the parachute automatically deploy when you are about to hit the ground.
Looting
As soon as you land, search for weapons and gears in buildings. If you want good loot while avoiding enemy encounters, read the map guide above to land on an empty area.
From time to time, loot crates drop from the sky which is called ‘Airdrops’. Airdrops contain rare guns and high-level gear. Make sure you think twice before you go near it, as there’s a chance that other players also saw the same drop and coming for the loot. Also, it’s not a great idea to loot from the dropped crate of enemies you’ve killed in the open. It’s possible that nearby enemies have heard the gunshots and coming towards you. Avoid doing it or move left-right while you loot so other players can’t instantly kill you with a headshot.
Gear
Not only you should collect good weapons, but also search for protective gear. Even if you have the best weapon in the game, a single headshot can send you back to the lobby. So, try to find a helmet to protect your head. Also, search for vests to protect the middle hitbox of your character. Always look out for high-level protective gear. Don’t forget to pick up medical supplies that rejuvenate your health points.
Playzone
Similar to other battle royale games, the playzone in the map gradually gets smaller with a set of intervals. But every match in Free Fire lasts about 10 minutes. This is why the playzone shifts very quickly in this game. Try to keep a close distance by moving near the edge of the playzone. Otherwise, it gets difficult to reach the playzone as your health points deplete real quick. Vehicles spawn throughout the island, use them if you are far from the next playzone.
Enemy Encounters
When someone starts firing at you, you either take immediate action to defend yourself or just die. If you want to win, you have to choose the first option. First, look at the minimap and locate the position of the enemy. It is indicated by a red arrow on the minimap. After that, get to the nearest cover by moving in a zig-zag pattern combined with frequent jumps, which makes it difficult for the shooter to aim properly. If you are low on HP, immediately use some medkits to replenish your health. Now when it comes to taking up a fight with the enemy or escaping from the scene, it totally depends on you.
Using Weapons and Scopes
Learning the use of scopes during combat is necessary. Some assault and sniper rifles come with pre-attached scopes, for others, you have to find a scope attachment. If you are in a close combat situation, using scope is definitely not a good idea.
Unlike other battle royale games, there is no bullet jump mechanism in this game. The bullets travel in a straight line and hit the exact point where you aim. However, if your target is far away from you and on the run, you have to aim and shoot where the player is going, so the bullet hits the target.
For close-quarter encounters, use SMG, LMG, AR, handguns or shotguns. Use scopes on an assault rifle or submachine gun to finish off your targets in the mid-range. And finally, use sniper rifles for hitting targets over long distances.
Sounds
Being good at aiming isn’t the only thing that you should concentrate on. Wear headphones and observe the sounds around you. You will hear the footsteps and gunshots of your enemies which helps you locate their positions. If you listen carefully, you can tell where they are in a building. For the same reason, you make yourself vulnerable to enemies when you run or move fast, so crouching is your best option to move quietly.
Vehicles
Vehicles are quite useful when you are playing squad matches. One of your teammates can drive while the others and you can shoot. But if you are playing solo, do not use vehicles unless you are far away from a playzone and out of time. Vehicles make a lot of noise which can be heard by nearby enemies in an area.
Teamwork
When you play a squad match, team communication is the key to victory. Also, it is fun when you play with friends. Giving enemy callouts and sharing loot is necessary for a squad match. Just stick together, heal injured teammates, and make your way to the final playzone.
Final Moments
If you make it to the final playzone, crouch or prone to move slowly and carefully when you are exposed in the open. Try to stay inside buildings to keep yourself protected. If you see enemies, take them out if possible, but don’t leave yourself exposed to anyone else. If there are only two other players left alive, stay hidden and let them fight it out. This gives you the opportunity to encounter and finish off the remaining player and win the match.
Conclusion
If you are new to Garena Free Fire, following these tips will help you become a better player. If you are interested in other popular battle royale games such as PUBG or Fortnite, check out our guides on how to play PUBG and Fortnite.
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Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
