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Zara Chen
Critical Theorist & Features Writer
Zara Chen approaches games with the comparative rigour of a film critic: every mechanic has a lineage, every genre convention has a history worth interrogating. With a background in film criticism and a decade covering games for print and digital outlets, she specialises in metroidvanias, RPGs, and design-history deep-dives. Zara's writing is dense, argumentative, and structurally precise — she challenges obvious interpretations, argues both sides before picking one, and delivers single-sentence verdicts after paragraphs of careful setup.
- Background in film criticism
- 10 years games coverage
- Genre theory and design history specialist
metroidvaniarpgdesign-historygenre-theoryfeatures
68 articles by Zara Chen
Guides
DRG Rogue Core Slicer Build: 560-Damage Kill Chains
DRG Rogue Core Slicer build: how the Plasma Blade kill chain scales to 560 per swing, the enhancement priority, Boomstick synergy, and the Brawler artifact.
· 8 min read
Features
Best Indie Co-op Games Steam Summer Sale 2026: 6 Picks
Best indie co-op games Steam Summer Sale 2026: 6 picks from $7.99 to $29.99 covering survival, roguelites, and van co-op. Tested across 40+ hours each.
· 9 min read
Feature
Subnautica 2 Lore: Story, Connections and What's Next
Subnautica 2 lore: story confirmed in early access, the Ryley Robinson question, and what the Observatory cliffhanger means for the full release.
· 9 min read
Guide
Windrose Faction Reputation Guide: Level Factions Fast 2026
Windrose faction reputation guide: Old Salt Insignias (+80) are the fastest path to Level 2. Priority order, biome sources, and common mistakes to avoid.
· 8 min read
Reviews
Fatekeeper Review: First-Person RPG Worth It at $8?
Fatekeeper review of THQ Nordic's $8 first-person Action RPG. About two hours of sharp melee combat in Early Access now, with 15 hours promised.
· 10 min read
Reviews
Fatekeeper Review: Is the $7.99 Early Access Worth It?
Fatekeeper review: THQ Nordic's $7.99 first-person action RPG hit Early Access at 80% positive, but ships only about two hours of content so far.
· 8 min read
Guide
Gambonanza Tier List: All 4 Gambit Types Ranked 2026
Gambonanza tier list for gambits: Economic S-tier every run, Clone needs Stage 3 board size, Reserve-Interaction fires once or wastes. Full breakdown.
· 10 min read
Guides
Shapez 2 Shape Stacking Guide: Layers & The Stacker
Shapez 2 shape stacking explained: how the Stacker layers shapes, why left input goes on top, and how to plan four-layer deliveries backward.
· 9 min read
Guides
Black Jacket Boss Guide: Morgan, Niv, Ivel Curse Counters
Black Jacket boss guide: how to beat Morgan, Niv, and Ivel, what each boss curse punishes, and the prep that clears Journey 8-12 boss walls.
· 9 min read
Pillar
Sunderfolk Complete Guide: All 7 Classes, Co-op Tips 2026
Sunderfolk complete guide hub: all 7 classes ranked, best party compositions, co-op setup, Vanguard builds, and every guide on the site organized by topic.
· 10 min read
Guides
Subnautica 2 Beginner Guide: Systems, Survival, First Hours
Subnautica 2 beginner guide: oxygen, DNA modification, food, base timing, and the 5 mistakes new players make in the first session. Early Access 2026.
· 10 min read
News
Rune Dice Classic Mode: All 3 Locations in One Run
Rune Dice Classic Mode announced May 21 by developer Oleksii. Plays all three locations in one session. Playtest window is May 28 through June 4, 2026.
· 5 min read