From a single Substack thread to a full editorial desk — here is how MysticQuestVanguard grew without losing its telescope-and-tea-mug soul.
2019
The first dispatch
Launched as a weekly newsletter reviewing overlooked CRPGs, written after hours from a flat off Old Street.
2021
The Hoxton desk
Moved into a shared studio on Haberdasher Street and brought on two contributing editors for indie and tabletop coverage.
2023
Lore & Longform
Introduced deep lore essays and a members' archive, passing 25,000 monthly readers across the UK and beyond.
2025
40k strong
Now a five-person team publishing four features a week, with a review scoring rubric trusted by studios and players alike.
What we publish
Columns mapped like a night sky.
The Deep Review
Our flagship 3,000-word verdicts on major RPG releases — combat, pacing, writing and value, scored on a transparent ten-point rubric. From £0, free to read.
Indie Signal
A weekly spotlight on one under-the-radar indie, with a developer Q&A and where to buy it.
Lore Almanac
Essays untangling the myth and history behind your favourite fantasy worlds.
Vanguard Members
Ad-free reading, a searchable review archive and a monthly livestream. Membership is £6/month or £60/year.
Patch Watch
Concise breakdowns of the balance patches and updates that actually change how a game plays.
The Backlog Club
A monthly reader vote on one older classic we all replay and discuss together.
Case study
A redesign, before and after.
Drag the divider to see how we rebuilt our review layout for clarity and reading speed.
Before
After
From our readers
Voices from the constellation.
HP
Harriet P.
Bristol
“Their Baldur's-style CRPG reviews are the only ones I trust. Bought two games on their word and loved both.”
JM
Jamal M.
Manchester
“Indie Signal put me onto three of my favourite games this year. The developer Q&As are a lovely touch.”
SO
Saoirse O.
Edinburgh
“The Lore Almanac reads like proper long-form journalism. I renew my membership without a second thought.”
DK
Dev K.
Leeds
“Patch Watch saves me hours. Two paragraphs and I know whether an update is worth reinstalling for.”
FN
Fatima N.
Cardiff
“The Backlog Club got me to finally finish a game from 2011. Best gaming community I've joined.”
TG
Tom G.
London
“Honest, unhurried and never chasing hype. It's the gaming writing I wish more sites still did.”
The dispatch
One email a week. No noise.
New reviews, indie picks and lore essays, delivered every Thursday. Unsubscribe any time.
✓ Thank you! You're on the list — see you Thursday.
Say hello
Pitch us, or just chat.
Reviewers, developers and readers all welcome. We reply to most messages within two working days.
Before
After