Shayna Josi-Contributor

Editorial Team

Contributor

March, 2023
BA. Film, BA English Honours
Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate 3, The Elder Scrolls
  • 370
    articles
  • 559
    Features

Page 2

About Shayna Josi

Shayna Josi is a Features Writer from South Africa. Shayna has always been passionate about stories, and has dedicated her life to learning how to tell them. Aside from writing about her favorite video games on the digital publication The Best War Games, Shayna has taught English in Japan, is a ghostwriter, copywriter, and editor in the publishing industry. Shayna enjoys traveling, and spends most of her time between South Africa, the EU, and Japan. She believes the best of people come out in the stories they tell, and with stories comes the power to connect people across any divide - be it language, geography, culture, or time. To this end, Shayna’s research at university dealt with narrative worlds within video games, and how they use their environments to tell stories. Her hope is that the incredible stories told through video games will be recognized as literary, just as much as traditional storytelling mediums. 

Industry Focus

Shayna’s industry focus is primarily on RPGs and life sims, but she does venture into cozy games if they're set to the backdrop of LotR. RPGs encompass everything from Dragon Age to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, with focus on commentary about character, storytelling, and game design. Life sims are also great vehicles for storytelling, with customizable environments allowing for imaginative sandbox gameplay. 

Favorite Games

Shayna’s favorite games are: The Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Hades, Baldur’s Gate 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition (with Trespasser), Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Journey. Hades and Hades 2 triggered a deep appreciation for the Classics, while KotOR and Oblivion formed the backdrop of her childhood.

Favorite Console

Shayna grew up playing games on her family’s desktop and fighting with her brother for her turn. Having her own PC to access whenever she wanted somewhere in her teens turned gaming from a habit into a full-blown obsession. She never got the chance to play console games and missed the Nintendo boat, but does admire it from afar and dreams of owning a Switch one day. She did once own a PlayStation 4 while living in Japan and enjoyed it immensely.

Latest

eberron-forge-of-the-artificer
DnD’s Eberron: Forge of the Artificer Will Bring a Whirlwind of Change

Eberron: Forge of the Artificer will mark the return of a popular DnD setting, and bring some major changes that set the stage for new campaigns.

cyberpunk-2077
Cyberpunk 2077's Patch 2.3 Opens Pandora's Box with Customization

Cyberpunk 2077's patch 2.3 will drop after a long delay, and one group of fans in particular will be getting the lion's share of new content.

ghost-of-yotei-star-wars-jedi-survivor-combat-stances-game-rant
Ghost of Yotei Shows Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Sequel How to Do Stances

Ghost of Yotei's new weapons give Atsu a versatility not seen in Ghost of Tsushima, and has some lessons for Star Wars: Jedi's Cal Kestis.

oblivion-remastered-count-janus-hassildor
One Oblivion Remastered Quest Can Be Players' Worst Nightmare

Oblivion Remastered's quests are linear, but one quest gives players several options and has a high chance of resulting in frustrating dead ends.

the-sims-4-gardening-rags-to-riches
The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature Has Broken What It Was Meant to Improve

The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature seems to introduce features to a popular Simmer challenge, but its execution might have ruined it permanently.

5
ghost-of-yotei-kurosawa-mode
Ghost of Yotei's Multiple Cinema Modes Explained

Ghost of Yotei is building on one of Ghost of Tsushima's most popular and unique features, honoring three of Japan's greatest filmmakers.

cyberpunk-2077-patch2.3
Cyberpunk 2077's 2.3 Update Delay May Have Been a Blessing in Disguise

Cyberpunk 2077's Patch 2.3 delay is a big disappointment, but it is an indication of good things to come for players, both veteran and new.

3
InZoi Launch Features Sims 4 Missing
Every Feature InZOI Has at Launch That The Sims 4 was Missing

InZOI has been criticized for shallow gameplay, but it's still in early access and includes features that The Sims 4 was missing at its launch.

1
the-sims-4-enchanted-by-nature
The Sims 4: Enchanted By Nature's Most Useful Feature is Hidden From Players

The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature is coming with fewer landscaping options than some expected, but one trick for The Sims builders is a quick fix.

skyrim-stealth-archer
Oblivion Remastered Has Its Own Answer to Skyrim’s ‘Stealth Archer’ Build

Every Dragonborn is shaped by Skyrim into a stealth archer, and Oblivion Remastered's Cyrodiil has its own answer with an iconic build.

5
baldurs-gate-3
Baldur's Gate 3 is a Safe Haven for One of Dungeons and Dragons 5e's Most Embattled Classes

Baldur's Gate 3 made some core changes to Dungeons and Dragons, bringing many improvements and a place for a certain class to flourish.

5
baldurs-gate-3
Baldur's Gate 3 Encourages BG4 to Be a New Beginning

Baldur's Gate 3 included world-changing events and iconic characters, but it also makes the case for Baldur's Gate 4 to get a new start.

sims-4-tales-of-the-shire-fields-of-mistria-cozy-games-july-2025
July 2025 is the Month of the Cozy Game

Cozy gamers are in for a great month as July brings a slew of new cozy game releases, sales, and some highly anticipated updates for big titles.

oblivion-remastered-followers-spider-man-meme
Oblivion Remastered's Spider-Man Meme Would Feel at Home in The Elder Scrolls 6

One funny moment in Oblivion Remastered rewards players who complete the guild questlines, but this moment has a place in The Elder Scrolls 6 as well.

the-sims-4-enchanted-by-nature-garden
The Sims 4 Needs to Address the Elephant in the Room Before Enchanted by Nature

The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature will expand several features from the base game, but a lack of fixes for one system could lead to trouble.

2
plantsim-the-sims-4-enchanted-by-nature
The Sims 4: Enchanted By Nature is About to Open a Pandora’s Box it Can’t Close

The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature may bring much-needed changes to an old occult that will be essential to keep despite a notable retcon.

6
hades-2-melinoe-erebus
Hades 2's Secret Fifth Romance May Be as Interesting As It Is Uncomfortable

Hades 2 has four romances that already can be played in early access, but Supergiant may be saving a surprise romance for its full launch.

fable-reboot
Fable Would Be Wise to 'Steal' One of Oblivion Remastered's Most Popular Features

The Fable reboot delay to 2026 gives Playground Games development time to include one of the most popular systems in Oblivion Remastered.

1
oblivion-remastered
The Elder Scrolls 6 is Likely to Miss the Same Opportunity as Oblivion Remastered, But It Really Shouldn't

Bethesda has developed a pattern over the releases of Starfield and Oblivion Remastered, but its one it needs to break in The Elder Scrolls 6.

hades-2-oath-of-the-unseen-update
Hades 2's Vow of Rivals Offers More Than Meets the Eye

The Unseen Update introduces the Oath of Rivals, which transforms Hades 2's boss fights in more fundamental ways than it first appears.