Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the launch party for mobile and tablet game Ruby Rei, developed by London-based team Wibbu. Since I was able to get a chance to play the game and see what it’s like to be an actual journalist, I figured I’d write a short piece about the game itself and spread awareness of it.

For those who don’t know, Wibbu specialises in creating educational videogames; you know, the kind of games that actively try to teach you something. Nowadays, when we think of “edutainment,” we think of very basic Flash games and the like; the kind that exist purely to teach and trick kids into thinking they’re having fun just because there are cute pictures of frogs involved.

I remember when I was a kid, I had some PC games to help we with my maths, literacy etc. that were dressed up in adventure stories about kids solving mysteries and exploring jungles and the like. They had plot, character and, overall, just charm to them, and they’re something I don’t think are really around anymore. Ruby Rei, however, seems like Wibbu’s attempt to bring that method of teaching back. Continue reading →