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 escape Fort Joy in Divinity Original Sin 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide There are multiple ways to escape Fort Joy and the Magisters on the Island of Reaper's Eye

How to get Nebora to remove your collar in Divinity Original Sin 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide Nebora in DOS2 will only get rid of your Source Collar if you're the Arena Champion, as part of the Blacksmith's Collar Removal Service

Best Divinity Original Sin 2 Red Prince build
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Red Prince in DOS2 is best suited to fiery builds, either arcane or aggressive

Persuasion in Divinity Original Sin 2 explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Dialogue in DOS2 centres around the Persuasion stat, as well as other attributes

How to respec in Divinity Original Sin 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide To respec in DOS2, you need the magic mirror on Lady Vengeance

Should you choose an Origin or Custom character in Divinity Original Sin 2?
By Joel Franey published
Guide DOS2 Origin characters are established with their own stories, while Custom characters are blank slates

The best classes in Divinity Original Sin 2
By Jason Coles last updated
Guide Explore all 14 DOS2 Classes and get more out of Larian's sprawling adventure

Helldivers 2 Stratagem tier list and the best ones to choose
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide After a hefty patch, here are the best Helldivers 2 Stratagems and support weapons

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 drove me to madness until I started to embrace its world, not fight it - learn from my mistakes
By Joel Franey published
Guide KCD2 is a brutal experience, but if you can accept a humble start, the possibilities are limitless

If you're playing Hollow Knight Silksong, here's how to be prepared for what's to come
By Joel Franey published
Guide Pharloom isn't kind to newcomers so here's help from someone who's finished the whole thing

11 Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 tips and tricks to help you serf on
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide These tips for KCD2 will catapult you out of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance

If you just got a Nintendo Switch 2, here's everything you need to set it up
By Joel Franey published
Guide Here's how get you Nintendo Switch 2 running and play it ASAP

Best Battlefield 6 Assault class loadout and guns
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best Assault loadout in BF6 is based around mid-to-close range combat and speed

Best Battlefield 6 guns and weapons
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best guns in BF6 are all laid out here

Arc Raiders and The Alters would have been my GOTY picks, until I discovered the depressing thing they have in common
By Joel Franey published
Opinion Opinion | It should've been a great year for sci-fi games, but too many of them are using the very technology that the genre's always warned us about

All Battlefield 6 maps for multiplayer
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There are currently 12 multiplayer maps in BF6 for all the various game modes

Arc Raiders Locked Gate event guide
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Locked Gate in the Blue Gate map is a map modifier event that requires Security Codes

Best Battlefield 6 Engineer class loadout and guns
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Vehicles are deadly in Battlefield 6, so use the best Engineer loadout to destroy them quickly

Best Battlefield 6 Support class loadout, guns, and medic build
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Battlefield 6's Support class is best played as a frontline medic using a carbine

All Battlefield 6 classes explained and the best ones to use
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide With BF6's class system, you get to choose between Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon

Where to find Sentinels in Arc Raiders
By Joel Franey published
Guide Sentinel Firing Cores in Arc Raiders are found on robotic snipers

How to lend Nintendo Switch 2 Virtual Game Cards
By Joel Franey published
Guide Lending game cards with the Switch 2 works via family groups

Best Battlefield Redsec weapons and meta tier list
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best guns in the Redsec meta are the Kord and M2010 ESR
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more





