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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
Guide
Subnautica 2 Tips: First Steps, Base Building, and Co-op
Subnautica 2 tips for your first hours of Early Access — no-map navigation, when to build your base, co-op role splits, and reading Leviathan zone signals.
· 8 min read
Feature
ARIE Moonprayer Launch 2026: Guide Spirits to the Moon
Arie Moonprayer launches May 13 on Steam: anime post-apocalyptic adventure where Moonbard Diallo guides spirits to Luna using the Diqin instrument.
· 7 min read
Review
The Last Winter Knight Review: A Gothic Ghost Story
The Last Winter Knight review: ENDYSIS's gothic visual novel where you play a ghost knight in an abandoned castle. Launches May 11. Melancholy done right.
· 8 min read
Guides
Gambonanza vs Balatro: Which Roguelike Is Worth It?
Gambonanza vs Balatro compared on mechanics, replayability, and price — chess spatial puzzles vs poker hand-building. Which wins for your playstyle in 2026.
· 10 min read
Feature
Best Early Access Games Worth Buying Right Now: May 2026
Early access games worth buying in May 2026: six picks including Windrose and Subnautica 2, with real content counts and honest risk assessments.
· 14 min read
Feature
Battlestar Galactica Scattered Hopes: Launch Analysis
Battlestar Galactica Scattered Hopes launches May 11 on PC. Alt Shift and Dotemu adapt the BSG TV license as a tactical roguelite fleet survival game.
· 8 min read
Pillar
Die in the Dungeon Guide: All Tips, Builds & Characters
Die in the Dungeon guide — characters, dice builds, relics, and all 59 achievements. The complete 2026 resource for ATICO's turn-based roguelite.
· 13 min read
Pillar
All Hail the Orb Guide: 9 Alchemy Discoveries & All Systems
All Hail the Orb guide: automation priority order, all 9 alchemy discoveries, Obelisk stage timing, hidden achievements, endings, and playtime.
· 13 min read
Feature
Besmirch Early Access: FAITH-Inspired Farming Horror
Besmirch Early Access launches May 11. FAITH-inspired farming horror where you tend crops by day and survive pixel art nightmares at night. $9.99.
· 8 min read
Feature
Farever Early Access: Shiro Games' New Co-op RPG Launches
Farever Early Access launched May 6 from the Wartales studio at $19.99. Four classes, co-op action RPG, open world Siagarta. What's in the build.
· 8 min read
Guides
Far Far West Spells Guide: Schools, Combos, and Reactions
Far far west spells guide: all 25 spells across 5 schools, unlock levels, cooldowns, and every cross-school combo that can double your damage output.
· 15 min read
News
Amberspire Launches: Dice City Builder by Bithell Games
Amberspire is out now on Steam: Lunar Division's dice city builder drops you on an alien moon to build, manage factions, and survive the ecology.
· 4 min read