Sydney gaming blog · since 2016
DUNGEON KINGDOM
We're a small Surry Hills crew writing long-form RPG deep-dives, tabletop campaign diaries, indie gem hunts and reviews you can actually trust — no hype, no sponsored scores.
Who we are
Players first, page-views last
Arcane Dungeon Kingdom started at a Surry Hills game café in 2016 when three friends got tired of scoreboard reviews that never explained why a game mattered. Today our four writers still play every title to credits before a single word is published.
Our promise
No sponsored scores, ever
We buy our own copies, disclose every review key, and never let a publisher touch a rating. If a game keeps us up until 3am — or bores us by hour two — we tell you exactly why, with timestamps, build versions and the hardware we tested on.
How we work
From first save to published verdict
Play to credits
Every game gets a full playthrough — main story plus side content — logged with real hour counts before we form an opinion.
Test the tech
We benchmark on PC, PS5 and Switch where relevant, noting frame drops, load times and accessibility options.
Draft & peer-review
A second writer replays the tricky bits and fact-checks every claim before anything reaches the editor's desk.
Publish & revisit
Reviews go live with full disclosures, then get a follow-up note after major patches so verdicts stay honest.
What we cover
Pick a beat, dive in
RPG Deep-Dives
Body
Reader mail
What the guild says
"Their 40-hour breakdown of Baldur's Gate 3 companion arcs is the only reason I finally understood Astarion's ending. Genuinely the best RPG writing in Australia."
"I run a weekly D&D table thanks to their campaign diaries. The prep templates they share saved me a full weekend of session planning."
"Bought three tiny indie games off their Gem Hunt column and every one was a keeper. No sponsored fluff — you can tell they actually played them."
Good to know
Questions from the tavern
Still curious? Send us a raven — or an email — and a real human on the Surry Hills team will reply within two business days.
Is the blog free to read?
Every review and guide is free and always will be. We fund the site through a voluntary reader membership at $6 AUD a month, which unlocks the full campaign-prep template library — but no article is ever paywalled.
Do you accept review keys from publishers?
We do, but every review states plainly whether the copy was purchased or provided. A free key never influences a score, and we decline any key that comes with review conditions attached.
Can I pitch a guest article?
Absolutely. We publish two guest pieces a month, paid at $180 AUD flat. Email a 150-word pitch through the contact form below and our editor will get back to you with slots and style notes.
Do you host events in Sydney?
Yes — we run a free monthly tabletop meetup on the last Thursday of each month near Central Station, plus occasional launch-night play sessions. Subscribe to the newsletter for dates and RSVP links.
Say hello
Join the newsletter
One email each Friday: the week's best reviews, a hand-picked indie gem, and our current tabletop campaign log. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
- ☎+61 2 9281 4376
- ✉[email protected]
- ⚲58 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
- ◷Office hours: Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm AEST