Who We Are

About CureLanok

Independent game journalism from the bottom of the world.

CureLanok team at work in Auckland
Our Story

Born in Auckland, Built for Gamers

CureLanok was founded in 2019 by a group of Wellington-based gaming enthusiasts who were frustrated by the lack of locally relevant game coverage. Too many international reviews ignored the realities of gaming in New Zealand — from delayed release dates to server latency issues that affect online play.

We built CureLanok to fill that gap. Today, we operate from our Auckland office at Level 12, 1 Queen Street, with a team of twelve full-time writers, editors, and video producers who are passionate about games and committed to honest, thorough coverage.

Every review on CureLanok represents a completed playthrough. We don't rush reviews to meet embargo dates — we take the time needed to give you a genuinely informed opinion.

Get In Touch
240+
Games Reviewed
12
Expert Writers
6
Years Publishing
85k+
Monthly Readers
The People Behind The Reviews

Meet Our Team

JT
James Tūhoe
Editor-in-Chief

Former games journalist with 14 years of experience. Specialises in RPGs and narrative-driven titles. Based in Auckland.

SR
Sophie Renata
Lead Reviewer

Strategy and simulation specialist. Has reviewed over 80 titles for CureLanok. Wellington native, now based in Christchurch.

MK
Marcus Kāhu
Action & Horror Critic

Dedicated to action, horror, and survival games. Known for his no-nonsense writing style and thorough difficulty analysis.

AW
Aria Whitfield
Indie & Narrative Games

Champion of indie titles and story-rich experiences. Covers everything from walking simulators to experimental art games.

How We Score

Our Review Methodology

Scoring Criteria

Each game is scored across four categories — Gameplay, Story, Visuals, and Audio — each out of 10. The overall score is a weighted average that reflects the genre's priorities.

Independence Policy

CureLanok accepts review copies from publishers but maintains full editorial independence. Publishers have no influence over scores or content. We disclose all review copy arrangements.

Completion Requirement

No review is published until the reviewer has completed the main campaign and sampled a significant portion of side content. For multiplayer titles, we require at least 20 hours of online play.

NZ Context

We note New Zealand-specific factors including server availability, local release timing, and any content differences between regional versions.