Joe Donnelly
Joe Donnelly is a sports editor from Glasgow and former features editor at 12DOVE. A mental health advocate, Joe has written about video games and mental health for The Guardian, New Statesman, VICE, PC Gamer and many more, and believes the interactive nature of video games makes them uniquely placed to educate and inform. His book Checkpoint considers the complex intersections of video games and mental health, and was shortlisted for Scotland's National Book of the Year for non-fiction in 2021. As familiar with the streets of Los Santos as he is the west of Scotland, Joe can often be found living his best and worst lives in GTA Online and its PC role-playing scene.
Latest articles by Joe Donnelly
Doppelgangers in games are almost always horrifying – we asked an expert why
By Joe Donnelly published
Interview Interview | I asked a psychologist why doppelgangers in games are so bloody terrifying
Meet the Minecraft modder rebuilding Bloodborne block-by-block
By Joe Donnelly published
Interview Interview | Potomy and his team are crafting one of the most gorgeous crossover projects Minecraft has ever seen
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom made me feel helpless in its first few hours – and I'm still chasing that buzz
By Joe Donnelly published
Feature I'm unsuccessfully chasing the thrill of Tears of the Kingdom's first few helpless hours
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's building is a game-changer, but Nintendo might have set its bar too high
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | Ultrahand and Fuse have changed the game, but replicating them to the same standards won't be easy
Call me a masochist, but I'd love longer boss runs in the Elden Ring DLC
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | Don't hate me, but longer boss runs is among my most wanted features in Elden Ring's incoming DLC
We've hailed the AAA horror renaissance, but it owes itself to the indie horror boom
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | The indie horror scene of the past decade made a lasting impact
This breakneck FPS is Doom meets Hotline Miami after dropping acid
By Joe Donnelly published
FEATURE Indie Spotlight | First launched on PC in 2020, and now finally on PS5, Post Void is a trip worth taking
Sniper Elite 5's latest and final mission is the most fun I've ever had in the series
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | Sniper Elite 5 goes full Sniper Elite, and it's glorious
Early footage of Silent Hill creator's Slitterhead looks more like Parasite Eve 2 and I'm totally here for that
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | Between Silent Hill and Siren, Slitterhead was already well-placed - but its apparent ARPG trappings are exciting
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Elden Ring comparisons were inevitable, but monster variety is the only useful one
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | Both games have mouth-watering open worlds, but one definitely relies on familiar faces more
Playing Zelda Tears of the Kingdom with ADD: "I love it, but it's almost too densely packed with content"
By Joe Donnelly published
Feature Interview | With so much to do and see, playing Tears of the Kingdom can be tiring, rewarding and exhausting all at once
It's been three years, but The Last of Us 2's terrifying Dark Souls-like level still haunts me
By Joe Donnelly published
Feature The Last of Us 2's scariest moment wasn't the Rat King, but the Dark Souls-inspired journey getting there
GTA Online's wave of "experiential updates" have changed the game, and pave the way for GTA 6
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | The crime sim's many oft-requested quality of life improvements suggest Rockstar is listening closer than ever
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gets so much right, but Breath of Wild does one sidequest better
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | C'mon, Tears of the Kingdom, quit horsing around
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's best world-building feature is something I normally hate in video games
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | In Tears of the Kingdom, familiarity breeds content
This stunning cel-shaded ARPG fuses dungeon crawling, life simulation, and drinking lager in a ski lodge
By Joe Donnelly published
PREVIEW Preview | The gorgeous Dungeons of Hinterberg is your next most-wanted game
Final Fantasy 16 guide and everything you need to know
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Tips, tricks, weapons, monsters and secrets - we've got everything you need for FFXVI.
Nintendo just underlined the generational appeal of video games with a simple release date
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | It's busy, but we wouldn't have it any other way, right?
The dust has settled on Summer Game Fest, and all I can think about is this epic shared open-world game
By Joe Donnelly published
PREVIEW Preview | Summer Game Fest has been and gone, but I can't stop thinking about Islands of Insight
It'd be easy to compare Cocoon with its best-selling forerunners, but it's so much more than that
By Joe Donnelly published
Feature Hands-on | Built by devs whose experience straddles Limbo and Inside, Cocoon was a stand-out game at Summer Game Fest 2023
It doesn't matter who 'won' not-E3, 2024 is going to be an absolute blast for video games
By Joe Donnelly published
Opinion Opinion | With so many great games ahead, 2024 could be the best year for video games this decade
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