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, JellyDeals and Dicebreaker, in various capacities. 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 12DOVE 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 ongoing pop culture comedy podcast, "Margaret Thatcher, Templar Spy".
Latest articles by Joel Franey
![Helldivers 2 Polar Patriots](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UZAsjtSsAMQ4rAeZzsTokY-320-80.jpg)
Everything in the Polar Patriots Warbond battle pass in Helldivers 2
By Will Sawyer last updated
Guide The Polar Patriots Warbond for Helldivers 2 has unique weapons, armor sets, boosters and more
![V Rising Putrid Rat boss rat form](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZfSkXqbmcDepWRrGmuWUYY-320-80.jpg)
V Rising Putrid Rat location and how to beat it
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to find the Putrid Rat boss and unlock Rat Form in V Rising
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VhoeUBGf3mFWrjfY5rohdH-320-80.jpg)
How to get Servants in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to command Servants in V Rising with Servant Coffins
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HZoiv9M34zY2FRLzgiCwBW-320-80.jpg)
How to get Scrolls in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to find and farm Scrolls for the Study in V Rising
![V Rising armor best sets all](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fcFQfDBBGsrWYFicittReM-320-80.jpg)
How to get Merciless weapons and armor in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Merciless Nightstalker and Hollowfang armor in V Rising explained
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rnyBoUNxq464MDjdGBFP4R-320-80.jpg)
All V Rising console commands and cheat codes
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to use console commands in V Rising for cheats, items and more
![V Rising fish fishing pole](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8haRSDWKJVCJdsFnD7JfHT-320-80.jpg)
How to Catch Fish in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Finding, crafting and using the Fishing Pole in V Rising
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gqymQK6DLi5SQEaV43g48N-320-80.jpg)
V Rising Grave Dust and how to get it
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to farm V Rising's Grave Dust across Vardoran
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VhoeUBGf3mFWrjfY5rohdH-320-80.jpg)
How to play V Rising offline and without an internet connection
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to play V Rising's offline mode for solo play
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EvJfaLhfU2tFZi3wLyRsbS-320-80.jpg)
How to get Scourgestones in V Rising and make Dark Silver Ingots
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to find and craft V Rising Scourgestones for new recipes
![V Rising blood essence](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fWfsE5W25Hy37LpDr6MGFS-320-80.jpg)
Where to find Blood Essence in V Rising for the Castle Heart
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide We explain how to get Greater, Primal and normal V Rising Blood Essence
![V Rising Paper](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vtFjHoz5jcEB5Y2aZiLLuc-320-80.jpg)
Paper in V Rising and how to get it
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Paper in V Rising is used for researching recipes
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nKysxnzCB8Wo5gSDgbjJCe-320-80.jpg)
How to get Stone Bricks in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to craft and farm Stone Bricks and even Stone Dust in V Rising
![V Rising scourgestone](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dX7oMSBUEvkznLm42T8vk4-320-80.jpg)
How to get Iron in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide How to find V Rising Iron Ore and craft Iron Ingots
![V Rising scourgestone](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dfr2Y4xX2fivzFFBfVCcR4-320-80.jpg)
How to get Whetstones in V Rising
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Where to find and craft your own Whetstones in V Rising
![V Rising](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P4WZPbVqUZupeqp22D9w3o-320-80.jpg)
Will V Rising be on PS4 and PS5?
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Is V Rising coming to PlayStation - and if so, when?
![Sea of Thieves](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/b8oyyLeo6MkpTZbfTNLKKX-320-80.jpg)
Safer Seas and Private Servers in Sea of Thieves explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Sea of Thieves can be played privately in the Safer Seas option - but what's the cost?
![Children of the Sun](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jiUVM2gPVGcEEdJ9mkQphW-320-80.jpg)
Children of the Sun is a grimy puzzle shooter about a psychic sniper and one magic bullet
By Joel Franey published
Features Indie Spotlight | Devolver pairs with developer René Rother to create a head-popping revenge flick
![Sea of Thieves Ashen Lord](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Y59774Cdrr9hEV7ch4XJTJ-320-80.jpg)
How to beat an Ashen Lord in Sea of Thieves
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Sea of Thieves Ashen Lords are boss skeletons with fire powers
![Helldivers 2 chargers](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ctBPH5tui3Fts4uHpMNUZ9-320-80.jpg)
How to kill Chargers in Helldivers 2
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Killing Chargers in Helldivers 2 requires patience, speed and firepower
![Stellar Blade fishing](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MiU8SYtLTSxjpzHYVwY2SV-320-80.jpg)
Everything you need to know about fishing in Stellar Blade
By Joel Franey published
Guide Stellar Blade's fishing minigame is tied to various secondary missions
![Stellar Blade Precious Treasure](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hafJnPRB44v93oJhtLK62H-320-80.jpg)
Stellar Blade Precious Treasure mission walkthrough
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Precious Treasure side quest has a puzzle about crossing a bridge
![Helldivers 2 Flamethrower](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cz5s48zLdyzA5kCe5JWDee-320-80.jpg)
How to kill 100 enemies using the Flamethrower in Helldivers 2
By Joel Franey published
Guide The Helldivers 2 Flamethrower is one of the most powerful weapons