
Joel Franey
Joel Franey got his Bachelors in Creative Writing and Games Design from Brunel University in 2017, before going on to do a Masters in Creative and Critical Writing from Sussex University. During this time he also worked freelance in various gaming-related roles and professions, including design, PR, reviews and features, before eventually joining the guides team at USgamer and ReedPop in 2019. Since then, he has written professionally for numerous publications, including Gfinity Esports, Eurogamer, VG247, Dicebreaker, RPS, Jelly Deals and more. These have involved, among other things, writing guides, news, features, reviews, and even working as an SEO consultant, restructuring and rewriting content for the purpose of increased online traffic. He eventually joined GamesRadar+ as a Guides Writer in 2021, with a focus on covering single player games and narrative games, though nonetheless regularly contributing to ongoing coverage of online gaming services and multiplayer properties, and has covered a variety of major AAA games in his time since then. In his spare time he is also a long-time fiction writer, having written books, screenplays and more besides in a variety of genres, and is the co-host and co-creator of the pop culture comedy podcast, "Margaret Thatcher, Templar Spy".
Latest articles by Joel Franey

Skills and the Skill system in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Oblivion Remastered skill system is based on usage and multipliers

How to cure Vampirism in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
By Joel Franey published
Guide We explain everything you need to know about Vampirism in Oblivion Remastered, including cures and powers

Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered unarmed combat and hand-to-hand changes
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Oblivion remaster has changed hand-to-hand combat so characters can no longer be knocked out

Can you dual-wield in Oblivion Remastered?
By Joel Franey published
Guide Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered doesn't let you dual-wield weapons, but you can combine spells and equipment

Best Classes in The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We've got a full list for the best classes of each type in Elder Scrolls Oblivion

Best Birthsigns in Oblivion Remastered
By Joel Franey published
Guide Birthsigns in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered grant permanent buffs or powers

How to start The Thieves Guild Questline in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
By Joel Franey published
Guide How to start The Thieves Guild Questline in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered

How to start the Dark Brotherhood Questline in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
By Joel Franey published
Guide To join the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion, you need to kill a random person, and then speak with Lucien Lachance

Is Fortnite down? And if so then how long is the Fortnite downtime?
By Iain Wilson last updated
Guide What to know if you're seeing the dreaded "Fortnite servers not responding" error

My favorite Pokemon game has been trapped on one console for 15 years, and I desperately need Nintendo to let more people play it
By Joel Franey published
Opinion Opinion | Explorers of Sky is one of the truly great Pokemon games, but it's at risk of being forgotten to history

Marvel Rivals characters and tier list for Season 2
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide We’ve examined all the Marvel Rivals characters for their place in the current Season 2 meta

Pokemon TCG Pocket events calendar (April 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Future events for Pokemon TCG Pocket are all laid out in our calendar below

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Hardcore mode details and perks
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The new KCD2 Hardcore mode brings new challenges and mandatory negative perks

How to play Baldur's Gate 3 cross-play with friends
By Joel Franey published
Guide BG3 cross-play launches with Patch 8, allowing you to play with friends on different consoles

How to use Baldur's Gate 3 photo mode
By Joel Franey published
Guide BG3 photo mode allows you to take pictures and screenshots

Best Baldur's Gate 3 classes and tier list (post Patch 8)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best BG3 classes and subclasses for 2025 are all here

How to get free Marvel Rivals Twitch Drops and rewards
By Leon Hurley last updated
Guide Get some free Twitch Drops by linking your Twitch and Marvel Rivals accounts

All Marvel Rivals upcoming characters, heroes, and villains
By Patrick Dane last updated
Guide All the leaked, new, and upcoming Marvel Rivals characters we've heard about

All Marvel Rivals Emma Frost details, abilities, skins, and tips
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Emma Frost in Marvel Rivals uses Diamond Skin and telepathic power to protect allies and hurt foes

All Marvel Rivals Season 2 Battle Pass rewards and skins
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Marvel Rivals S2 battlepass, Flower of Krakoa, has costumes for Magik, Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk and more

What to do with the Baldur's Gate 3 scuffed rock
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The scuffed rock on the beach in BG3 has treasure underneath it

What are Legendary Actions in Baldur's Gate 3?
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Legendary Actions in BG3 are special moves that certain bosses can perform - on your turn!

The Arcane Turrets in Baldur's Gate 3 explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The turrets outside the Arcane Tower in Baldur's Gate 3 are weak to radiant damage
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