PUBG has arrived on mobile phones with PUBG Mobile. Dive straight into the island and compete with 99 other players

Pick up weapons and gear to survive, drive vehicles to escape the storm.

Become the last man standing and win your very own chicken dinner.

Who in the world would have thought that PUBG would arrive in mobile platforms for free after its rather lackluster Xbox One release a month ago? I sure didn’t and it is pleasantly surprising to finally get into the semi-realistic battle royale action that garnered a Game of the Year nomination on a mobile phone. And no, it’s not a buggy and poorly optimized mess like the Xbox release: it is polished, runs well, and is arguably a much better game than $29.99 glitchy mess on the Microsoft console. Thing is, is it worth your while or are you better off with other games in the genre? Let’s find out:

PUBG Mobile is nearly a perfect battle royale experience. It doesn’t have the glaring glitches and bugs the PC and Xbox version has. However, I did suffer from frequent crashes at whenever I started the game when after I first downloaded it. Downloading it multiple times is necessary to get a game that actually runs if you own a device like an iPad Air and anything older than that. Currently, it only has the original map on PC, and we can expect the desert map - and the smaller one yet to be released - in the future.

To those who don’t know what PUBG is, it’s a battle royale game/multiplayer shooter where a hundred players drop into an island to...well...survive by shooting each other and proceeding to the safe zone that is getting smaller every few minutes. Here, you’ll loot buildings and other areas to search for weapons ranging from pistols to assault rifles, along with body armor, helmets, melee weapons, and gun upgrades. It’s a simple yet satisfying and incredibly addicting gameplay loop.

Shooting games are cumbersome ordeals on mobile devices, and PUBG Mobile isn’t an exception. Aiming on a touch screen is a chore, and you can accidentally press the fire buttons with a misplaced thumb. Moving around requires you to use the virtual joystick, while aiming and moving the camera is done by swiping your thumb in various directions across the screen. It’s never easy to aim in this game, especially if your target is moving.

Managing your inventory is a daunting task, but after a few games you will start getting used to the control scheme. The developers made made it easier to perform some tasks through automation. For example, you can immediately pick up a gun, load, and equip it by walking over it.

PUBG Mobile makes progression is relatively better than the console and PC versions thanks to its login bonuses and daily missions. Here, you’ll be rewarded with in-game currency and customization items. Plus, you can seamlessly connect with your friends by linking the game with your Facebook account.

Overall, with PUBG Mobile already in the mobile gaming market, should you drop everything and start playing it? Yes: it’s free and is arguably a better experience than it’s console counterpart. Although the game starts off by matching you up with terrible bots at the start (matchmaking with other players comes later), it still provides the premiere battle royale experience and should be your go-to BR game on mobile.