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

Battlefield 6's expanded Portal mode is so powerful that even its devs are having a blast: "Someone on the dev team actually created Pong"
By Andrew Brown published
Interview Interview | Catching up with Ripple Effect to learn more about how players will be able to make their own Battlefield

Full Silksong map and how to unlock map fragments
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Here's the entire Pharloom map from Hollow Knight Silksong, as well as how to find map pieces

Battlefield 6 isn't just inspired by Battlefield 3 and 4, its campaign was influenced by "a lot of movies" including Generation Kill and Civil War
By Catherine Lewis published
News "I have watched so many contemporary war documentaries I couldn't even begin to name them"

I got to play Battlefield 6's single player for 3 hours, and it's a clear return to the grounded shooter campaigns of the early 2010s
By Joel Franey published
Feature Big Preview | Sledgehammers, beach landings, bomber drones, and crashing cars: the Battlefield 6 story mode is "boots on the ground", and the devs really want you to know that

How to find the Watcher at the Edge in Silksong
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Watcher at the Edge in Silksong is a secret boss fight in Sands of Karak

How to unlock Act 3 in Silksong
By Joel Franey published
Guide Silksong's Act 3 is a result of fulfilling all town wishes, finding enough fleas, and completing the Silk and Soul Wish

Silksong Mist walkthrough and map
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Mist in Hollow Knight Silksong is a maze area where you're teleported between rooms

All Silksong Needle upgrades and Pale Oil locations
By Joel Franey published
Guide There are four weapon and needle upgrades in Hollow Knight Silksong, three of which require Pale Oil

Full Silksong Hunter's March walkthrough and map
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Silksong region Hunter's March is deadly with red ants, but thankfully optional

Best Silksong Shell Shard farming location
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Shell Shards in Silksong are used to replenish tools, as well as buy certain things, and complete the Bone Bottom Repairs Wish

All Marvel Rivals upcoming characters and leaks for Season 3 and beyond
By Patrick Dane last updated
Guide All the leaked, new, and upcoming Marvel Rivals characters we've heard about

Silksong Bell Beast boss fight guide
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain how to free the Bell Beast beetle in Silksong, and then how to beat it up

Silksong Bilewater map location
By Joel Franey published
Guide The map for Bilewater in Silksong is located a little way in, past the fast travel point

Silksong The Slab walkthrough and Apostate Key location
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Apostate Key, Heretic Key, and Indolent Key are all needed to escape The Slab in Silksong

All Silksong bosses we've discovered so far
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There are over 40 bosses in Silksong, and we've fought quite a few of them already

Silksong Last Judge boss guide, strategy and weaknesses
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Last Judge is a two-stage boss fight that marks the end of Silksong's Act 1

Silksong Blasted Steps walkthrough and map location
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Blasted Steps region in Silksong is a brutal platforming challenge with a major boss at the end

When is Hollow Knight Silksong out? Release date and time
By Joel Franey last updated
Silksong has now released

How to use the Portable Hellbomb in Helldivers 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Portable Hellbomb in Helldivers 2 is necessary to complete certain missions

The GATER in Helldivers 2 and Conducting Mobile Substance Extraction explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Helldivers 2 GATER is a truck used to extract the mysterious substance from various sites.

How to destroy the Hive Spore Lung in Helldivers 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Hive Lung in HD2, or Spore Lung, requires a Hellbomb to destroy it

How to kill a Helldivers 2 Dragonroach
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide The Helldivers 2 Dragonroach is a flying bile titan that you can encounter on Terminid hive worlds

How to beat Helldivers 2 Shriekers
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Shriekers are flying Terminid bugs that Helldivers 2 has swarm you from above
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