Boss Codex
Frame-data breakdowns and phase-by-phase strategies for the toughest fights in soulslikes and JRPGs. New entry every Thursday, free to read.
Independent · Melbourne · Since 2019
Boss fights,
broken down.
Long-form RPG dissections, frame-perfect boss guides and honest indie reviews — printed in ink, published on the web, written by players who actually finish the game.
640+
Guides & reviews published
1,200hrs
Logged each year testing games
48K
Monthly readers worldwide
100%
Reader-funded, no publisher money
A note from the founder
We write the reviews we wish existed.
I started ScarletBattleLegends at a kitchen table in Prahran in 2019, tired of eight-out-of-ten reviews that never mentioned the third act. Everything here is played to credits before a word is written — no early-access hot takes, no scores traded for access.
Today we're a small crew of four across Melbourne and Naarm, printing a quarterly riso zine and publishing weekly online. If a boss took us forty tries, we'll tell you exactly which forty.
— Ada Nguyen, Founder & Editor
From the pressroom
Zine pages & screen grabs
What we cover
Sections you can subscribe to
Finished Reviews
Every review is played to the credits before we score it. No embargoed hot takes.
Indie Spotlight
Interviews and previews of small studios — with a soft spot for Australian and NZ makers.
The Quarterly Zine
A risograph-printed print edition mailed across Australia — 48 pages of guides, art and reader splits. Subscriptions from AUD $54/year.
Good to know
Frequently asked
How do you score reviews?+
We don't use a 1–10 number. Each review ends with a plain verdict — buy, wait, or skip — plus who the game is for. We only publish after finishing the main story, so late-game problems always make it in.
Do you take money from publishers?+
Never for coverage. The blog is funded entirely by reader subscriptions and zine sales. We accept review copies but disclose them at the top of every article, and no code is exchanged for a promised verdict.
Can I pitch a story or guide?+
Yes — freelancers are welcome. Send a two-line pitch through the contact form below with a link to past work. We pay AUD $0.35 a word on acceptance and reply to every pitch within two weeks.
How do I get the printed zine?+
Annual subscriptions start at AUD $54 and ship four riso-printed issues anywhere in Australia. You can also grab single copies at our Prahran studio on Greville Street on the first Saturday of each month, 10am–4pm.
What platforms do you cover?+
PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and handheld PCs like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally. We lean toward RPGs, soulslikes and story-driven indies, but we'll chase any game with a boss worth breaking down.
No questions match your search.
Say hello
Pitch, subscribe, or just chat
Story ideas, subscription questions, or a boss you want us to tackle — drop us a line and we'll reply within two business days.
- Phone
- +61 3 9510 3765
- [email protected]
- Studio
- 67 Greville Street, Prahran VIC 3181
- Studio hours
- Mon–Fri 10am–6pm · First Sat of the month 10am–4pm
✆
✉
⌂
◷