
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

Helldivers 2 weapons tier list and the best guns to use
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Our Helldivers 2 weapon tier list ranks every gun in the game, including Primary Weapons, Stratagem support weapons and those in Warbonds

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

How to kill the Helldivers 2 Chargers
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Chargers in Helldivers 2 are huge armored bugs with vulnerable backsides

Pokemon TCG Pocket best decks and meta tier list (September 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best PTCGP decks are changing in the wake of Secluded Springs

The best Helldivers 2 Warbonds to buy first
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Our Warbond tier list for Helldivers 2 will let you know the best options for what to invest in

When is Hollow Knight Silksong out? Release date and time
By Joel Franey published
Silksong releases in early September on all platforms

All Helldivers 2 Factions
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There are three HD2 factions, and no sign yet of a fourth

All Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny cards and full Shinies list
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The PTCGP Shiny cards are obtained through booster sets (and some promo cards)

All Secret Missions in Pokemon TCG Pocket (Updated for Secluded Springs)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Every secret mission in PTCGP is here, including those from the Secluded Springs expansion booster set

Everything we know about the Helldivers 2 Dragonroach
By Joel Franey published
Guide The HD2 Dragonroach is a flying bile titan for the Terminids, coming to the game soon

How to farm Medals in Helldivers 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide Medals in HD2 can be farmed from suicidal blitz missions on high difficulty

The Rogue Prince of Persia review: "I roguelike but don't roguelove this freerunner – there's just not enough to stand out"
By Joel Franey published
Review

Everything in the Helldivers 2 Freedom's Flame Warbond battle pass
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Is the Freedom's Flame Warbond in HD2 worth it? Here's what you're getting

How to level up fast in Helldivers 2 and farm XP
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide If you want to reach max level in Helldivers 2 and farm XP, you need to find bot planets

The Helldivers 2 progression system explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Progression and levelling up in Helldivers 2 is done through objective completion, not kills

All Helldivers 2 Dust Devils Warbond rewards and release date details
By Joel Franey published
Guide The HD2 Dust Devils premium Warbond has a focus on desert warfare

All the Best Boosters in Helldivers 2
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Boosters in Helldivers 2 are buffs and modifiers that provide helpful bonuses.

Everything about the Helldivers 2 Illuminate and tips for beating the Squids
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Here's what you need to know about the Illuminate in Helldivers 2, including how to fight them

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

Helldivers 2 Automaton tips, weaknesses, and the best weapons for beating them
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide The Automatons in Helldivers 2 are heavily armored, so you need the best explosive weapons available

Helldivers 2 Terminids tips, weaknesses, and the best weapons for beating them
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Automatons in Helldivers 2 are heavily armored, so you need the best explosive weapons available

The ultimate Helldivers 2 beginner's guide
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide For those starting Helldivers 2, our beginner's guide will help you figure out your role in the Galactic War
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