
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

How to solve the rotating water room puzzle in Doom The Dark Ages
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Kar'Thul Marshes level in Doom The Dark Ages has an optional puzzle where you spin a room with water

What is the best Weapon in Doom The Dark Ages?
By Joel Franey published
Guide The best weapon in Doom The Dark Ages is by far the Super Shotgun, for its heavy damage

Where to find all Wolf Statues in Doom The Dark Ages
By Joel Franey published
Guide Wolf Statues in The Dark Ages are found in The Siege, The Ancestral Forge, the Kar'Thul Marshes and Resurrection.

All Wraithstones in Doom The Dark Ages Spire of Nerathul
By Joel Franey published
Guide There's two hidden Wraithstone locations in Doom The Dark Ages' eldritch Spire of Nerathul

All Doom The Dark Ages weapons and how to get them
By Joel Franey published
Guide There are 23 weapons in Doom The Dark Ages, not including the weaponized dragon and stationary turrets

Doom: The Dark Ages review: "Some may appreciate the greater focus on close-quarters, but others will find themselves nostalgic for the simple joys of double jumps"
By Joel Franey published
Review

How to get the Sandbike vehicle in Dune Awakening
By Joel Franey published
Guide This one-person motorbike allows you to travel fast in Dune Awakening.

Best Dune Awakening Character Creation choices for Homeworld, Caste and Mentor
By Joel Franey published
Guide We explain which Homeworld, Caste and Mentor to pick in Dune Awakening character creation

Best Dune Awakening skills, abilities and skill trees
By Joel Franey published
Guide There for five skill trees in Dune Awakening, with three subtrees in each one

How to escape Dune Awakening Sandworms
By Joel Franey published
Guide Sandworms in Dune Awakening are drawn by vibrations

Dune Awakening Griffin's Reach Tradepost location
By Joel Franey published
Guide We explain where to find Griffin's Reach Tradepost in Dune Awakening as part of the "A Wider World" quest

10 Dune Awakening tips we wish we'd known earlier
By Joel Franey published
Guide These tips and tricks for Dune Awakening will help new players survive the harsh desert

After years of despising JRPGs, Clair Obscur has finally brought me around by ditching the standard cast of tedious teenagers
By Joel Franey published
Now Playing Now Playing | Expedition 33 brought me around to one of my least favorite genres by aging up its themes, dialogue and (thank Christ), the cast

Best Birthsign in The Elder Scrolls Oblivion 4 Remastered
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Birthsigns in Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered grant permanent buffs or powers

Best Class in The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We have all the best class options in Oblivion Remastered here

All Fortnite new weapons, vaulted and unvaulted for Galactic Battle
By Iain Wilson last updated
Guide Here are all the new Fortnite weapons for Chapter 6 Season 3 including lightsabers and lots of new blasters

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 best decks and meta tier list (May 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best PTCGP decks are ranked for the current meta in the aftermath of Celestial Guardians

All Secret Missions in Pokemon TCG Pocket
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Every secret mission in PTCGP is here, including those from Celestial Guardians

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

I'm still scratching the surface of Arrakis in Dune: Awakening, but it's already doing at least one thing better than Villeneuve's films
By Joel Franey published
Now Playing Opinion | Dune Awakening has doubled down on a major blind spot of both movies

All Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny cards and how to get them
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The PTCGP Shiny cards are obtained through booster sets like Celestial Guardians, and a few promo rewards

Full Pokemon TCG Pocket Promo card list (May 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Our list of Promo Cards for Pokemon TCGP includes those from Celestial Guardians
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