
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

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Hardcore mode details and release date
By Joel Franey published
Guide The upcoming KCD2 Hardcore mode promises increased difficulty and new perks

Shinedust in Pokemon TCG Pocket and Flair explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Pokemon TCG Pocket Flair and cosmetics system explained

How to save in South of Midnight
By Joel Franey published
Guide Saving in South of Midnight is something you don't get to control

How many chapters in South of Midnight, and how long is it?
By Joel Franey last updated
News We lay out South of Midnight's length and time to beat, as well as how many chapters there are

How to get the Marvel Rivals Venom twerk emote, Symbiote Boogie
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Symbiote Boogie emote is no longer free in Marvel Rivals, but you can still get it

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

Monster Hunter Wilds Whiteflame Torrent skill explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide The MH Wilds Whiteflame Torrent is a skill tied to Zoh Shia

Monster Hunter Wilds Zoh Shia weaknesses and spawn location
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Zoh Shia is the final boss of MH Wilds, but now one you can battle again after Title Update 1

Monster Hunter Wilds Ayejack location
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Sleeping Ayejack in MH Wilds is hanging from the ceiling of the Wubwub hideout as part of The Apple of Her Eye quest

Nintendo Switch 2's kickflipping cow, 50-ft woman, and steampunk t-rex showed there's still great power in absurdity
By Joel Franey published
Opinion Opinion | Nintendo is standing firm as the last bastion of bonkers

Monster Hunter Wilds full roster and Monster list
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide This full roster list for all the monsters in MH Wilds has 30 to pick from, as well as sub-variants

All monster weaknesses in Monster Hunter Wilds
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The monsters in MH Wilds all have different vulnerabilities and weaknesses to exploit

How to beat Mizutsune in Monster Hunter Wilds
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The MH Wilds Mizutsune monster has arrived, and you can find out more about it here

8 South of Midnight tips we wish we'd known before playing
By Joel Franey published
Guide Hazel's journey through the Bayou in South of Midnight has a few tricks to weave the experience together

Pokemon TCG Pocket best decks and meta tier list (April 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best PTCGP decks are ranked for the current meta now that Shining Revelry is live

The Pokemon TCG Pocket trading system explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain trading in PTCGP, updated with the new info

All Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny cards and how to get them
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The PTCGP Shiny Pokemon are obtained through the Shining Revelry expansion

Full Pokemon TCG Pocket Promo cards list
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Pokemon Promo-A cards in PTCGP can't be drawn from random packs, they're earned through missions and events

All the most rare cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The most rare cards in Pokemon TCGP are the gold Crown Pokemon

Pokemon TCG Pocket best cards tier list (April 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best PTCGP cards that you should chase are laid out in our tier list

Ranked rewards and matches in Pokemon TCG Pocket explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The PTCGP ranked matches have rewards and a competitive ladder (and bots)

A Simpsons Hit and Run Remake will probably never happen – and I don't want it to
By Joel Franey published
Opinion Opinion | Hit and Run's as good as it's ever going to be, and updating it risks upsetting a very delicate balance

How to get Costume Coins in Marvel Rivals' Pick Up Bundle
By Joel Franey published
Guide Costume Tokens in Marvel Rivals are unlocked through challenges in the Pick Up Bundle
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