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

Marvel Rivals characters and tier list for Season 3
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide We’ve examined all the Marvel Rivals characters for their place in the current Season 3 meta

How to play Phoenix in Marvel Rivals: Guide and abilities explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Phoenix, aka Jean Grey, is a ranged duelist creating fiery sparks in Marvel Rivals

Full Mecha Break tier list and the best Strikers ranked (July 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best Strikers in Mecha Break are ranked in our tier list below, with advice on how to play them

The factions of Mecha Break explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Mecha Break factions chosen through character creation don't actually mean anything for now

Mods in Mecha Break and how to get them explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Mods in Mecha Break are earned in Mashmak mode to alter your mech

Will Helldivers 2 be on Xbox?
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide Yes, Helldivers 2 has finally been announced for Xbox for some much-needed reinforcements

My current GOTY contender sold itself to me with an out-of-nowhere musical number, and I can't praise that choice enough
By Joel Franey published
Opinion Now Playing | It's my favorite moment of storytelling in a game so far this year, even though it should've been a tonal wreck

How to beat Mashmak mode in Mecha Break explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Mashmak in Mecha Break is a special mode where you can explore extract with new mods and items

All Baldur's Gate 3 romances and relationships
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to romance every character in BG3, including non-companion characters

All Baldur's Gate 3 companions and party members
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to get every companion and party member in BG3 and which ones you should use

I'm enjoying Death Stranding 2, but I wish Hideo Kojima would stop teasing me with cool powers I'll never have
By Joel Franey published
Opinion Now Playing | Between time-manipulation, killer guitars, pizza karate, weather control and more, I'm feeling a bit like I drew the short straw

All Mecha Break codes and how to redeem them (September 2025)
By Joel Franey published
Guide Redeeming codes in Mecha Break lets you earn in-game rewards

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

All Death Stranding 2 best unlocks and rewards
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide All the best DS2 unlocks from raising your connection level are listed here, including weapons and gear

The top Death Stranding 2 tips we wish we'd known before we hit the road
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Build connections and secure your packages with the best tips for Death Stranding 2 we learned from the wasteland

Pokemon TCG Pocket events calendar and schedule (July 2025)
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide All events in the Pokemon TCG Pocket are all laid out in our calendar below

Full Death Stranding 2 cast and cameos list
By Will Sawyer published
Guide Hideo Kojima once again flexes his contacts book with the star-studded Death Stranding 2 cast

Do you need to play Death Stranding 1 before Death Stranding 2: On the Beach?
By Joel Franey published
Guide DS2 is fairly easy to play, but not easy to understand if you haven't played Death Stranding 1

The ultimate Death Stranding 2 guide to the post-apocalypse
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Life doesn't have to be a Beach with our Death Stranding 2 guides hub

All the Pokemon TCG Pocket rarest cards
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The most rare cards in Pokemon TCGP are the gold cards, aka Crown rarity

What's the answer to the Death Stranding 2 Platypus question?
By Joel Franey published
Guide The DS2 question that Rainy and Tomorrow ask you concerns the life cycle of the duck-billed platypus

How to get to the Lone Commander in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
By Joel Franey published
Guide The DS2 Lone Commander is found in the hills above the Government's Base

How to unlock Pizza-Do Karate martial arts in Death Stranding 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide DS2: On the Beach lets you learn martial arts and acrobatic karate moves from the Pizza Chef
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more