Scored the day it drops
Launch-day reviews
Embargo-day verdicts backed by a full playthrough, with a live 'state of the servers' note for anything online. New AAA reviews from A$0 — always free to read.
60 FPS
Melbourne-based gaming collective
Gaming journalism with zero filler and full frame rates
HyperValorGrid is an independent Australian gaming blog. We play every title to the credits, bench every rig, and publish reviews you can actually trust — no sponsored scores, no clickbait.
- 1,200+
- Games reviewed
- 84k
- Monthly readers
- 0
- Paid-for scores
Honest
Est. 2018 · Melbourne
Who we are
A blog run by players who never learned to put the controller down
We started HyperValorGrid in 2018 out of a share-house in Fitzroy, frustrated that big outlets rushed reviews out before finishing the tutorial. Today we're a nine-person crew working from a studio on Little Collins Street in the Melbourne CBD.
Every review is hands-on for a minimum of 20 hours. We disclose exactly how we got each copy, we never accept payment for coverage, and we archive our benchmark data so you can check our maths. If a game is broken at launch, we say so on day one.
- Independent, reader-funded — no publisher owns a single word
- Full disclosure on every review copy and hardware sample
- Open studio hours Thursdays 6–9pm for the local community
How we review
Four steps between a launch and our verdict
- 01
Full playthrough
We finish the campaign and sink 20+ hours into systems, multiplayer and endgame before a word is written. No first-impression scores dressed up as reviews.
- 02
Bench & profile
Every PC game runs across three reference rigs — entry, mid and flagship — logging 1% lows, frame-time spikes and load times so our performance notes are measured, not vibes.
- 03
Cross-check
A second writer replays contested sections and our accessibility lead audits colour-blind modes, remapping and subtitles. Disagreements get published, not buried.
- 04
Verdict & archive
We publish the score, the raw benchmark sheet and a plain-English 'buy / wait / skip' call. Patched games get re-tested and the review is dated on every update.
What we cover
Six beats we obsess over so you don't have to
Hover a card for the details
GPUs, handhelds & peripherals
Hardware deep-dives
We bench the ROG Ally, Steam Deck OLED and every new GPU tier in our Melbourne lab, publishing frame-time graphs and thermal logs alongside a real-world value verdict.
Local scenes, global stakes
Aussie esports desk
Coverage of the Melbourne Esports Open, VCT Pacific and grassroots LANs — bracket breakdowns, roster moves and interviews you won't find on the international sites.
Small studios, big swings
Indie spotlight
A weekly feature on Australian and NZ indie devs. We playtest builds early and champion the odd, brilliant games the algorithm tends to bury.
Best value, honestly
Buyer's guides
Seasonal 'best handheld under A$800', 'best budget mechanical keyboard' and Steam-sale shortlists, updated monthly with current Australian retail pricing.
Get good, together
Community guides
Boss walkthroughs, build calculators and settings-optimisation guides written with our Discord of 12,000 readers. Free, ad-light and never gated.
Reader reviews
Why 84,000 readers keep the tab open
"The only site that told me the port ran badly before I wasted A$99. Their frame-time graph matched what I saw on my own rig exactly. Bookmarked for good."
Jordan M.
Carlton, VIC · March 2025
"I run a small LAN cafe and HyperValorGrid's hardware benchmarks are the only ones I trust to plan upgrades. Genuinely independent and they show their working."
Priya S.
Brisbane, QLD · January 2025
"Their indie spotlight put me onto three games I now adore. It feels like getting recommendations from a mate who actually finishes everything."
Callum R.
Fremantle, WA · February 2025
"As a colour-blind player, the accessibility notes in every review are life-changing. No other outlet bothers to check remapping and subtitles this carefully."
Emma T.
Adelaide, SA · December 2024
"Went to a Thursday open studio night, ended up playtesting an unreleased indie build. This crew genuinely loves games and it shows in the writing."
Nguyen H.
Footscray, VIC · April 2025
"They re-tested a game I'd written off after its patch and flagged it as fixed. That follow-through is why I renewed my reader membership."
Sam D.
Hobart, TAS · February 2025
Contact
Pitch us, correct us, or just say hello
Story tips, review copies, hardware samples or a note about a mistake we made — we read everything. Expect a reply within two business days.
Phone+61 3 9663 4502Email[email protected]
Studio57 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Open studioThursdays 6:00–9:00pm AEST