Garena Free City Pre-Registration Now Open in SEA, Middle East, Africa

Garena Free City, the latest addition to Garena's extensive lineup of games, is now open for pre-registration on both iOS and Android platforms across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. If you've been eagerly awaiting the next big release in a popular series, Garena Free City might just be the game to keep you entertained in the meantime.

Let's get straight to the point: Garena Free City is Garena's interpretation of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) experience, set to launch on June 30th. Whether this is a positive or negative development largely depends on your personal taste. At first glance, it may appear to be just another mobile clone of GTA, but a closer look reveals some promising features.

For starters, the game offers a comprehensive character customization system, allowing you to tweak individual features in a style reminiscent of The Sims. Unlike the realistic approach of GTA, Free City embraces a more whimsical aesthetic, featuring elements like giant robots and summonable power-ups such as deployable cover.

Bold & BrashHowever, it's clear that the game also aims to capture the essence of Grand Theft Auto Online, which somewhat dilutes its unique elements. While the quirky features are certainly eye-catching, Garena's timing might not be ideal. Another major release, Ananta, is on the horizon, promising a vast open world and zany side quests—similar to what Free City offers, but with an added twist.

Ananta differentiates itself with an anime-style aesthetic, which might not appeal to everyone. Yet, it's this willingness to embrace a unique identity that Free City seems to be missing, and it's my primary critique of the game so far.

Stay ahead of the game with the latest launches by checking out Catherine's regular feature, "Ahead of the Game," where you can find out about upcoming games available for play right now.