Review: Scribblenauts and the highs and lows of job-hunting in the Tech industry

Back again!

This time 'round, I'm reviewing Scribblenauts. Now, normally my friends and family know that I'm a great advocate of the game-reviewer Yahtzee from renowed web-series Zero Punctuation. I am not worthy to polish the man's sneakers when it comes to reviews. But this one time I actually thought I'd be smarter than him... after all, I love JRPGs and he generically wants to rid the world of andro-boys (you keep your mits OFF Riku, mister!).

I am sorry to say that I rue the day I turned my back on his sagely wisdom of all things gaming. Scribblenauts is nine-tenths of things I dislike about games. But let's start at the beginning, shall we?

The graphics are charming to begin with - the childish scrawling almost endearing - but they quickly grate on the nerves when nothing sits properly or works appropriately. Maxwell's smug grin says "Nyah, told you that wouldn't work". One feels the inevitable pull of wanting to smack it off his face.

The innovative game mechanic of "scribbling" on your notepad to summon various objects gets old after you've exhausted summoning Cthulu, God, the Devil, Harry Potter, various members of a game company and any other mythological creature you can think of. Except Timelords. Who doesn't put a TARDIS in a game? That's just plain wrong.

There is no story or point to the game, it is simply one pointless puzzle after another. It all seems just a general waste of time... until the game freezes and you have to start AGAIN on that puzzle.

Not my choice of the week, for certain. It made me wish I'd opted for Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility instead, or even Band Hero DS. God only knows that Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands was more entertaining than this woeful offering. Don't bother with it if you know what's good for you! Heed Yahtzee's wisdom!

Right, onto the other topic of my post. I've been job-hunting for nearly two months now, so I am happy to report that I have had an interview for the position of Technical Writer at a software company. The writing test and phone interview went alright, so I'm really hoping that they like me enough to do one or both of these two things: 1 - Give me a face-to-face interview and/or 2 - Give me a job. I'm getting desperate now.

None of the game companies have written back yet. I will have to try more and harder. I must get a job, I must!

Graduation is coming...

Quill Games - more than a dream?

Well, I've just about HAD IT with the big game companies sending me polite rejection letters or not replying at all. How on earth are you meant to get the experience if you can't get a job to get it?

So I've solved the problem. I'm going to start my own game company.

Quill Games was going to be my end-goal, but since I can't seem to get to my first blasted goal, I thought I might as well shoot for the moon. I've been hard at work on a business plan this morning, as well as working on the design document for the first Facebook game I want to release on it.

Now I just have to get more people interested in joining me.

The idea is that the studio will be completely manned by students, with games produced by the students. This way, the designers and artists get games under their belts while real companies can come in and "head-hunt" the graduates they like. Maybe I can even organise some pep talks with local indie companies!

Suddenly, it's not such a bad idea.