Sydney game blog · est. 2019
Where games grow wild in the greenhouse.
Long-form reviews, honest playtest diaries, and indie discoveries — cultivated from a tiny Darlinghurst studio and updated three mornings a week.
Our story
A slow-grown blog, one build at a time
2019 — Planted in Darlinghurst
Started as a Riley Street share-house newsletter reviewing whatever we could borrow. Twelve subscribers, mostly friends, all opinionated.
2021 — The playtest diaries
We began publishing hour-by-hour diaries of first playthroughs. Readers loved the honesty, and Aussie indie devs started sending early builds.
2023 — 40,000 readers a month
Three writers, one scoring rubric, zero sponsored scores. We cover PC, console and handheld with a soft spot for cosy and sci-fi.
Today — Still hands in the soil
New reviews Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8am AEST. Every game is finished before we score it — no exceptions.
How we review
Four steps from download to verdict
Full playthrough
We finish the main campaign — usually 15–60 hours — before a single line of the review is written.
Live diary notes
Every session gets timestamped notes on pacing, bugs and those little moments that make a game sing.
The rubric
Play feel, story, value and accessibility are scored separately, then weighted — no vibes-only numbers.
Publish & revisit
We update reviews after major patches, so a verdict from launch never quietly goes stale.
From the desk
Recent reviews & features
Reader mail
What the community says
“The playtest diary for Starbound Drift talked me out of a $90 pre-order and into waiting for the patch. First review site I actually trust.”
Marcus T. — Newtown, NSW
“I run a tiny studio in Melbourne. They gave us an honest 7/10, listed every bug, and revisited after our update. That's rare and respectful.”
Priya S. — Melbourne, VIC
“The accessibility scoring is a lifesaver. Knowing subtitle sizes and remap options before I buy means I stopped wasting money. Thank you.”
Dylan R. — Brisbane, QLD
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do you take money for reviews?
Never for scores. We accept free review copies and clearly label them, but no studio can pay to change a number or a paragraph. Sponsored features, when they exist, are marked at the top of the article.
How can I submit my indie game?
Email us a build key and a one-paragraph pitch at [email protected]. We read everything and reply within two weeks, though we can only cover a handful each month.
When do new posts go up?
Reviews land Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8am AEST. Playtest diaries update through the week as we play, so you can follow a game in near real time.
Which platforms do you cover?
PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and popular handhelds. We lean toward cosy, narrative and sci-fi games but happily wander into strategy, horror and co-op picks.
Get in touch
Pitch a game or say g'day
Tips, corrections, review copies or collabs — drop us a line. The greenhouse door is always open.
- ✆Phone+61 2 9360 4702
- ✉Email[email protected]
- ⌘Studio62 Riley Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010