We are a Cairo-based editorial team devoted to Metroidvania games — their labyrinthine worlds, punishing bosses, and the indie devs reshaping the genre.
Read Our StoryNo clickbait headlines, no affiliate loops — just genuine, deeply researched game writing.
We don't skim interconnected maps — we trace every dead-end corridor and hidden passage to understand what makes a world feel alive.
Every article is written from the perspective of a genre enthusiast, not an algorithm. No recycled press releases, no manufactured hot takes.
We cross-reference dev interviews, patch notes, and community discoveries before publishing — because the genre deserves better than surface-level takes.
Our recommendations exist because we genuinely believe in them. No sponsored placements influence which games or devs we choose to cover.
We treat our readers as fellow explorers, not an audience to monetise. Discussion, dissent, and deep dives are all welcome in our community spaces.
We actively spotlight smaller studios pushing the genre forward — because the next Hollow Knight may be quietly developing in someone's Cairo apartment right now.
Seven years of covering the genre's hidden rooms and breakout indie moments.
I found The Splendid Tinker while looking for analysis on Ender Lilies' map structure. Stayed for three hours reading about interconnected design. No other blog in Cairo — or anywhere — goes this deep into why corridors feel meaningful.
Their boss encounter breakdowns genuinely changed how I play. The piece on Dread's EMMI sequences walked through every design decision. I re-read it before finishing the game and noticed things I'd completely missed.
What I respect most is they'll cover a 50-download itch.io Metroidvania with the same care as a major release. That fairness is rare. Their indie coverage introduced me to Haiku the Robot months before anyone else talked about it.
From a half-formed idea in a Discord thread to a fully researched piece in the archive.
Ideas come from community discussions, newly released or overlooked games, and design questions worth exploring. We prioritise angles that haven't been thoroughly covered elsewhere in the genre space.
Writers spend meaningful time with the game itself — mapping areas, studying boss patterns, reading available dev commentary, interviews, and patch history before a single sentence is drafted.
Every draft is reviewed by at least one other team member for factual accuracy, clarity, and tone. We check that claims are grounded and that the enthusiast voice stays consistent throughout.
Once live, articles open into community discussion. Reader corrections and new discoveries are integrated into pieces over time — we treat the archive as a living document, not a closed file.