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
95 articles by Zara Chen
Fatekeeper Advanced Deck Guide: Synergies and Bosses
Fatekeeper advanced deck guide: how to combine archetypes, transition build stages, and win the Minotaur boss. Covers cross-archetype chains and late game.
· 11 min read
Solarpunk Base Layout Guide: Animal Care and Zoning 2026
Solarpunk base layout guide: how animal needs, power zoning, and automation placement shape a thriving floating-island eco-home. Updated for June 2026.
· 10 min read
LegionBound Builds: Beat the Endbringer on Loop 2+
LegionBound builds for loop 2+ Endbringer: dual Warrior subchains, aura positioning, Mine building priority, and the Infinite Skill Tree unlock.
· 9 min read
Killer Bean Early Access: What the New Roguelike Gets Right
Killer Bean Early Access launched June 8, 2026 on Steam for $11.99. The coffee-bean assassin brings 4 modes, 4 biomes, no permadeath, and daily patches.
· 7 min read
Voidling Bound Monster Guide: Evolution & Tips 2026
Voidling Bound monster guide covers all 9 species, how evolution and splicing work, the Genes system, and tips for building the best Voidling roster.
· 9 min read
33 Immortals 1.0: Three Realms, Final Boss, Now on Steam
33 Immortals 1.0 exits Early Access on June 10 on Steam with all three realms and a new final boss. What Thunder Lotus added and what the Xbox delay means.
· 4 min read
Grave Seasons: A Farming Sim With a Serial Killer Twist
Grave Seasons is a narrative farming sim where a supernatural serial killer stalks your cozy town. Farm, romance, investigate. Demo at Next Fest 2026.
· 4 min read
ARC Raiders PvE: What the Rebellion Mode Beta Changes
ARC Raiders PvE is being tested through Rebellion, a China beta that floods the map with ARC threats to push co-op over PvP. Here's how it works.
· 4 min read
ARC Raiders Frozen Trail: What the October Expansion Adds
ARC Raiders Frozen Trail is the next big expansion, due October 2026. Expect the largest map yet, a rebuilt skill tree, new ARC enemies, and origin lore.
· 8 min read
Pratfall Advanced Tips: Catch, Weekly Challenge, Lava Cave
Pratfall advanced tips: catch mechanic negates fall damage, Weekly Challenge cave is fixed per week for routing, Lava Cave bomb rules, Patch 1.1.
· 8 min read
Dave the Diver In the Jungle DLC: Out June 18 With 10 Hours
Dave the Diver In the Jungle DLC launches June 18, 2026 with about 10 hours of jungle content, new critters, characters, and mini-games. What to know.
· 4 min read
Far Far West Elec Spells: All 5 & the Portal Trick
Far Far West Elec spells: all 5 from Strikes to Thunderstrike, why Portal duplicates any spell thrown through it, and the best cross-school reactions.
· 8 min read