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 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 ongoing pop culture comedy podcast, "Margaret Thatcher, Templar Spy".
Latest articles by Joel Franey
![The First Descendant](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WS9Jd8o5LD8H4eZW5MiKRQ-320-80.jpg)
How to unlock Hard Mode in The First Descendant
By Joel Franey published
Guide Hard mode in The First Descendant is a World Difficulty unlocked through completing the campaign
![What to do first in Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Lh2FDBaFXPonQa7uQJTfR9-320-80.jpg)
What to do in Shadow of the Erdtree next: full walkthrough
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Where to go in the Elden Ring DLC, no matter where you are in the story.
![The First Descendant Caliber](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xLUMrvGURRe35Hpi88DU6B-320-80.jpg)
How to get Caliber in The First Descendant
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Caliber is a currency you can't earn for free, sadly
![Mohg, Lord of Blood stands with arms outstretched in Elden Ring](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/B6qywmhf7c9VVSz3yFLQuj-320-80.jpg)
What to do in Elden Ring before playing Shadow of the Erdtree
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There are things you should do to prepare for the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion
![The First Descendant Follow Their Traces Bunny quest](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UzKKcRq6zFRqopUriYhaWd-320-80.jpg)
How to complete Follow Their Traces in The First Descendant
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide This Bunny quest send you to find records of her parents in the Sterile Land at the South cliff
![A player finds a Scadutree Fragment in Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8zFtCyC6axbXL6rdgVvnKo-320-80.jpg)
All 50 Scadutree Fragments' locations in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
By Ford James last updated
Guide Scadutree Fragments in Elden Ring's expansion are found at crosses, minibosses and more
![The First Descendent](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7onNv42TYfZr3BPtnWTKca-320-80.jpg)
Is The First Descendant crossplay?
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Yes, The First Descendant can be played with friends cross-platform
![The Scadutree Avatar leans down over the player in Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pu85ujevRUKC9PUUHhHDQe-320-80.jpg)
How to beat the Shadow of the Erdtree Scadutree Avatar boss
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Scadutree Avatar in Elden Ring is a giant sunflower boss at North edge of the map
![The First Descendant Mastery Ranks Up](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Prhamk2BNc3vEntJUJ366Z-320-80.jpg)
How to get your Mastery rank up in The First Descendant
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide You increase Mastery rank at the Prime Hands in Albion
![Messmer the Impaler, one of the main bosses in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5TaevHNutEydc4ijJRYe8d-320-80.jpg)
All Remembrance Bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide There's 10 bosses in the Elden Ring DLC that drop Remembrances
![A knight speaks to the Hornsent, starting one of the Shadow of the Erdtree NPC questlines](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxwC9AopWvCwnL43uVycZi-320-80.jpg)
All Shadow of the Erdtree NPC questlines
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide From Ansbach to Hornsent to Thiollier, here's every NPC quest you can find in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
![A player opens an Encrypted Vault in The First Descendant in an industrial area](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JmKdJtwvqxUaySJfwn3cZn-320-80.jpg)
How to open The First Descendant Encrypted Vaults
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Vaults in The First Descendant need Code Analyzers to open them
![Commander Gaius charges at the player in Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x77reQxMXtvPp5TLfh4Ca-320-80.jpg)
How to beat the Shadow of the Erdtree Commander Gaius boss
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Commander Gaius, the wild boar rider in Elden Ring, uses gravity magic and a huge lance
![A player proudly taps the chestplate of their solitude armor in Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GtygByY2KcTub2aqGAUcTi-320-80.jpg)
All the best Shadow of the Erdtree armor sets
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The best armor in the Elden Ring expansion depends on your build
![Official artwork for Shadow of the Erdtree depicting a large-headed creature in Abyssal Woods](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4EJSNR4oy6mF4zij8aWDNh-320-80.jpg)
The Shadow of the Erdtree Abyssal Woods explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide The Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring have madness-inflicting foes weak to parrying
![A monster at night eats a player head-first in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wda6aCuzJQBF7BxkAsRvKc-320-80.jpg)
Every Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree guide you'll need
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring's first major DLC, is a huge challenge for any player
![Messmer holds up a flame in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gHWbeakn8LcgcE2g3t9dM6-320-80.jpg)
How to start the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Where the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion begins and what to do
![The First Descendant Amorphous Material](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JKxcYDZkip5hJKp8WViXHo-320-80.jpg)
How to use Amorphous Material in The First Descendant
By Joel Franey published
Guide Amorphous Material in The First Descendant is used to unlock new research, such as characters
![A booster for Kuiper Shards from The First Descendant battle pass](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eUPxfZ5sYhU8zmX9RHZfeH-320-80.jpg)
How to farm Kuiper Shards in The First Descendant
By Joel Franey published
Guide The best Kuiper Shard farming methods in The First Descendant are based on quick, easy missions
![The First Descendant Void Fragments](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y4V6L7tmVuXCCKn2S3LaAZ-320-80.jpg)
Void Fragments and Shards in The First Descendant explained
By Joel Franey published
Guide Void Fragments in the First Descendant can only be broken by certain elements
![Xbox High Packet Loss](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iiAKtDxQg74PTGwpG3RDUA-320-80.jpg)
How to solve Xbox High Packet Loss
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Getting 100 Packet Loss or similar errors on your Xbox Series X/S or One? We can help you to try and fix it
![Starfield New Game Plus](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SYuQgpuJvSgLdkizUu53KK-320-80.jpg)
Starfield New Game Plus explained
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Starfield NG+ is complicated, in both mechanics and story
![Final boss Radahn, Promised Consort in Shadow of the Erdtree](https://cdn.statically.io/img/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yRuswLJRYUgAsLK7SED9RS-320-80.jpg)
How to beat the Shadow of the Erdtree final boss Radahn
By Joel Franey last updated
Guide Promised Consort Radahn and Miquella are the last and final boss of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree