RPG
The 40-hour build that broke our spreadsheet
Min-maxing a mage so hard the endgame boss surrendered.
Melbourne gaming blog · since 2016
Where the battle never logs off.
Deep RPG breakdowns, competitive strategy, indie discoveries and no-nonsense hardware reviews — written from a Fitzroy loft by players who actually finish the campaign.
Newsroom line: +61 3 9417 3452
Our story
From a share-house LAN party to a full independent games desk.
We started as five friends arguing about frame rates. A decade later we still argue — but now 90,000 readers a month read the receipts.
2016
The first post
A 4,000-word retrospective on Dark Souls written at 3am. It got 12 comments and we were hooked.
2019
Moved to Rose Street
We rented a Fitzroy loft, built a proper test bench and started reviewing hardware alongside games.
2021
Launched the podcast
Weekly episodes recorded live, breaking down patch notes and the Australian indie scene.
2024
90k readers a month
Still independent, still ad-light, still funded by readers who want reviews they can trust.
What we cover
Six beats we obsess over every week.
RPG deep-dives
Build guides, lore essays and 6,000-word retrospectives on the games that eat entire weekends.
Competitive strategy
Meta breakdowns, patch analysis and interviews with the players ranking on the Oceanic ladder.
Honest hardware reviews
Bought, not gifted. Every headset, handheld and GPU runs a two-week gauntlet on our test bench.
Indie spotlights
We hunt PAX Aus show floors so you find the next great Australian-made game before the hype hits.
Weekly podcast
45 minutes every Thursday, recorded live from Rose Street with listener questions and hot takes.
Community events
Monthly game nights and reader meetups across inner Melbourne — Fitzroy, Collingwood and Brunswick.
Latest posts
Fresh from the newsroom.
Esports
Inside the Oceanic ladder grind
Three ranked players on burnout, ping and the 4am queue.
Hardware
Six weeks with the handheld everyone's hyping
Battery, thermals and whether it survives a tram commute.
Indie
The Melbourne-made roguelike we can't stop playing
A two-person Brunswick studio just quietly nailed it.
Guide
Couch co-op picks that save friendships
Games designed so nobody rage-quits before dessert.
Podcast
Episode 214: the patch that changed everything
Live from Rose Street with three very strong opinions.
Reader love
What the community says.
The Respawn — our Friday newsletter.
One email a week: the best posts, a hidden-gem recommendation and early access to review scores. Free, no spam.
Get in touch
Pitch a story, book the podcast, or just say hi.
Got a Melbourne indie we should play, a hardware tip, or a correction? Our inbox is open and we read every message.
Newsroom line
+61 3 9417 3452
Studio
78 Rose Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Newsroom hours
Mon–Fri 10am–6pm AEST · Podcast live Thu 7pm