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Archive for June 16th, 2008

This kung fu’s got no kick

June 16th, 2008, 4:45 pm by

“Kung Fu Panda” has some decent use of the Wii-mote motion control, but that doesn’t save this buggy, unoriginal shovelware that fails to challenge even the Wii’s modest hardware specs.

Your friendly reviewerI like Jack Black as much as the next guy. Really, he’s fat and funny, and that’s pretty much all I ask for from anyone in this world. But Black’s humor sits pretty squarely in the realm of the visual – his desperate, flailing energy and his crazy faces are just as integral to his appeal as his “so-bodacious” act. Don’t believe me? Just load up “Kung Fu Panda” for the Wii and take it for a spin.

Every level opens with a lengthy (but thankfully skippable) monologue, presumably from the move. The bites sound like Black, but it’s amazing how much punch is lost when they’re set in a vacuum. Po, the titular panda the franchise is named for, is on screen alright, but he’s a tiny model that doesn’t move. Where’s the furious shaking and the silly kung fu poses?

Rather, the designers use scrolling words to set the tone for the game – and it’s pretty appropriate. “Kung Fu Panda” is boring shovelware, pure and simple. Read the rest of this entry »

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Best video game internship: Disney or Blizzard?

June 16th, 2008, 12:47 pm by

Disney Interactive Studios needs internsDisney Interactive Studios is really pushing its internship program. And really, it’s not a bad gig: full time, 6-month PAID internship. Students or recent grads get to work on actual games, said Luigi Priore, its director of creative development.

I met Priore last month while working on a story about the video-game major at a local art school. He handed me the brochure (on right) and said this is the best video game internship ever because of what the kids get to do. Disney is looking for students or recent grads with a background in art, game design, creative writing and marketing.

I’m just passing along the info. The program is through Disney’s Think Tank part of its game division. For those interested, e-mail your resume to think.tank@distudios.net.

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But later, I spoke to Lenny Grossi, who is Blizzard’s Senior Manager of Global Staffing. The creators of the massively popular World of Warcraft launched an official internship program this year.

The new Blizzard University Relations group visits college campuses scouting talent. And managing the first internship program is part of its job. Grossi didn’t know how many students applied to play work at Blizzard, but many were invited to visit the campus. Eight were chosen. They haven’t started yet, a spokesman at Blizzard told me today.

“Historically for Blizzard, there wasn’t a clearly defined university program. Over the last year, we formalized and developed it. We’re adding headcount to the group and building it out as a small staffing group,” Grossi said.

The ongoing program focuses on students in Orange County and Los Angeles. Ultimately, Blizzard hopes to use the program to find new employees. Interested students can e-mail the program at universityrelations@blizzard.com.

So, Blizzard or Disney?

For everyone else, game jobs are plentiful if you’ve got the skills. A good source for jobs, schools and other career advice related to the game industry is the Game Career Guide.

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