
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 long is the Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Brushes with Death DLC?
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Brushes with Death DLC expansion for KCD2 will take twelve hours at most

The lore of Doom The Dark Ages explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide When is Doom The Dark Ages set? We'll explain in this spoiler-free guide to the Doom timeline

How long is Doom The Dark Ages?
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Doom The Dark Ages has a lot of levels but you can get through the whole thing in well under 20 hours

How to play Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Brushes with Death DLC
By Joel Franey published
Guide Here's the starting location and requirements for the KCD2 Brushes with Death expansion

10 Doom The Dark Ages tips and tricks to help you rip and tear
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Here are some Doom The Dark Ages tips we wish we knew before we stepped into the Doom Slayer’s boots

Lost Skies is a skyfaring indie survival game that somehow manages to have better web-slinging than most Spider-Man games
By Joel Franey published
Indie Spotlight Indie Spotlight | Lost Skies let me build airships, gunfight robots, and swing around on what might be modern gaming's greatest grappling hook

Elden Ring Golden Scarab location
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We show you where to find the Golden Scarab talisman in Elden Ring

Full Elden Ring Fia questline walkthrough for the Age of Duskborn ending
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain how to complete Deathbed Companion Fia's quest for Elden Ring's Age of Duskborn ending

The Elden Ring Fia hug blessing and debuff explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide What does Fia the Deathbed Companion's Baldachin’s Blessing, curse and debuff do?

How to beat Dragonlord Placidusax in Elden Ring
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We've got tips, weaknesses, strategies and the location for Placidusax in Elden Ring

All Elden Ring Divine Towers and how to reach the top
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We have all the Divine Tower locations in Elden Ring

All Elden Ring Deathroot locations
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain where to find every Deathroot in Elden Ring for Gurranq

How to play Elden Ring multiplayer co-op with friends
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Co-op multiplayer in Elden Ring allows players to work together to bring down bosses.

How to reach the Elden Ring Consecrated Snowfield region
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Haligtree Medallion location and Grand Lift of Rold take you to the Snowfield in Elden Ring

Best Elden Ring classes ranked
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide The best Elden Ring classes vary depending on skill, but spellcasters are powerhouses

Full Elden Ring Blaidd questline walkthrough
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain how to find Blaidd and get his armor and sword in Elden Ring

All Elden Ring Bell Bearing locations
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain where to get every Bell Bearing for farming Smithing Stones with the Twin Maiden Husk's shop in Elden Ring

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

Helldivers 2 weapon customization and attachments explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Customizing weapons in HD2 is done by levelling up your guns through use

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

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

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
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