Deep-Dive Reviews
Full playthrough reviews — 2,500+ words, capped after we roll credits, never off a preview build. Published within 72 hours of embargo lift.
From AU$0 · Free to read
Fitzroy — Melbourne — Since 2016
ValkyrEmberWorks is an independent gaming blog run out of Gertrude Street. We publish long-form reviews, patch autopsies and indie spotlights for players who want more than a score out of ten.
New review every Thursday, 7am AEST
The numbers behind the blog
Eight years of shipping words nobody paid a publisher to soften.
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Reviews & features published
0k
Monthly readers across AU & NZ
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Indie studios spotlighted
0 yrs
On the Fitzroy beat
What We Do
Coverage, not clickbait
Every piece is written by a human who finished the game. Here is the work we actually ship each week.
Patch Autopsies
Frame-by-frame breakdowns of balance patches and live-service updates, with before/after data pulled from our own test rigs.
Weekly · FridaysIndie Spotlight
We give Melbourne and wider AU/NZ indie studios a full feature — dev interview, hands-on impressions and a wishlist link that actually works.
Pitch us anytimeThe Ember Podcast
A 45-minute weekly show recorded above the Gertrude Street office. Roundtable takes, guest devs and the odd very heated tier-list argument.
52 min · MondaysHardware Bench Tests
Controllers, handhelds and mechanical boards tested for six weeks of real use before we say a word. No unboxing fluff.
MonthlySponsorship & Media Kit
Ethical, clearly-labelled partnerships for studios and hardware brands. Full audience data and rate card sent within a business day.
From AU$650 / campaignThe Desk
The people typing the words
A small crew that argues about frame pacing so you do not have to.
Editor-in-Chief
Priya Nadeau
Founded ValkyrEmberWorks in 2016. RPG lifer, ex-QA, will die on the hill that Dragon Quest XI is a masterpiece.
Reviews Lead
Marcus Tan
Handles the big releases and the 100-hour open worlds nobody else on the team has the patience for.
Indie & Features
Wren Okafor
Tracks the AU/NZ indie scene from itch.io uploads to launch day. Runs the Ember Spotlight column.
Hardware & Video
Dani Kovač
Builds the test rigs, shoots the bench videos and refuses to review a controller until week six.
Podcast Producer
Sam Whitlock
Edits the Ember Podcast and books guests. Has strong, correct opinions about roguelike difficulty curves.
Reader Love
What the readers say
Comments and emails from the mailbag — lightly edited for length.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 review was the only one that actually mentioned the Act 3 performance dip. Bought the game on your word and you were dead right.
Jordan M.
Brunswick, VIC · March 2025
I run a tiny two-person studio and the Ember Spotlight feature tripled our wishlist adds in a week. Wren actually played the whole demo. Rare.
Aroha T.
Wellington, NZ · January 2025
Been listening to the podcast on the tram to work for two years. The tier-list episode nearly made me miss my stop at Parliament.
Deng A.
Carlton, VIC · November 2024
Their handheld bench test saved me from a $700 mistake. Six weeks of real use beats every day-one hot take out there.
Lucia R.
Adelaide, SA · February 2025
FAQ
Questions, answered
The things people email us most. If yours is not here, the desk is one message away.
Reading & Content
Yes — every review, feature and patch breakdown is free with no paywall. We keep the lights on through clearly-labelled sponsorships and a small Ko-fi membership for readers who want early access to the podcast.
A flagship review lands every Thursday at 7am AEST, patch autopsies go up Fridays, and the Ember Podcast drops Monday mornings. Indie spotlights are published as we finish them, usually two to three a month.
We stopped using number scores in 2019. Instead each review ends with a plain-language verdict, who the game is for, and who should skip it. We think that is more useful than a 7.8 with no context.
Pitches & Partnerships
Email [email protected] with a build or press key, a short description and your launch window. Wren reads every pitch and replies within a week, even if the answer is no. We prioritise AU and NZ studios but cover everything.
All paid placements are labelled as such and never influence a review verdict. We send a full media kit with audience data and a rate card within one business day of your enquiry. Campaigns start at AU$650.
Visiting & Contact
The desk is above a cafe at 73 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. We are not a walk-in shop, but we host a public reader meet-up on the last Thursday of each month from 6pm — email ahead so we can save you a seat.
The desk is staffed Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST. Emails sent over the weekend get answered first thing Monday. For time-sensitive embargo queries, phone the office directly.
Contact
Pitch a story or say hello
Got a game we should cover, a correction, or a partnership idea? Send it through and the right person will pick it up.
Reach the desk
Phone
+61 3 9417 3897Email
[email protected]Studio
73 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Hours
Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm AEST
73 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Above the cafe on Gertrude Street, Fitzroy.