Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii/3DS)
Score By: Giuliano V, Matteo C, Gino C
Gameplay: 9, 8, 8
Giuliano: Extremely good 2D platforming, tons of unique ways to play, easy to control, a great example as to why the Donkey Kong platformers are better than the Mario ones, Rambi is fun to ride, Bosses are nothing special
Matteo: Pretty solid gameplay, very basic, unable to switch between Donkey & Diddy is a con
Gino: Plays very well with easier controls than the Wii Version
Story: 7, 7, 7
Giuliano: Basic story with a goal to justify the gameplay but lack of Kremlings and Kongs ruined the game for me
Matteo: Simple because DK gets his bananas stolen (again) but good enough for a platformer, Tikis don't live up to the Kremlings reputation
Gino: DK gets his bananas stolen (again) but good enough to get DK to go out and smash things again
Sound: 9, 9, 8
Giuliano: Nostalgic tracks with a new twist on them, proves that sometimes old is all you need
Matteo: Really liked the new Jungle Hijinx track, enjoyed added sound when enemies are killed, overall sound is on par with Mario platformers
Gino: Simple sounds make you feel like you're in the jungle
Presentation: 8.5, 8.5, 8.5
Giuliano: Level design and environments were fantastic, much better than Mario levels, biggest flaw was the lack of water levels which were a strongpoint in the previous DKC games which also lead to the lack of the best animal buddy: Enguarde, among the lack of many other animal buddies
Matteo: Graphics were a little worse than the Wii's due to the 3DS capabilites but very good nonetheless, the sunset levels were very enjoyable on the eyes
Gino: Very well executed for a 3DS games, sometimes feels a bit laggy but nothing major
Lasting Appeal: 9, 7.5, 5
Giuliano: Not a game I would replay, but on the first playthrough there is loads of stuff to do in order to get 100%, the game is also very challenging which provides for a longer experience in comparison to most platformers
Matteo: New Mode is too easy but Classic Mode is too tough which can discourage gamers
Gino: Fun game but very easy to drop and forget
Final Verdict: 8.0/10
If you don't own the Wii Version, this is the definitive version, but by no means is this a system seller. Does not live up to Rare's original DKC Trilogy but is still a great game in itself.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)
Score By: Giuliano V, Matteo C, Gino C
Gameplay: 9.5, 9.5, 8.5
Giuliano: Simple and fun. If you have played an Animal Crossing game, you will notice all the new gameplay features such as swimming, becoming Mayor and working at the Roost. If you haven't, you'll still be impressed by the simple, yet addicting gameplay.
Matteo: Simple, yet effective. For its type of game, doesn't have to have complicated gameplay, also being a Mayor is awesome
Gino: Tedious gameplay but still addictively fun
Sound: 9, 7.5, 8
Giuliano: Nice tracks don't distract from the gameplay and new K.K. Tracks are really fun to listen to
Matteo: All the new songs can't compare to the songs from previous games, the only memorable song is the title theme
Gino: Should have had mix of old and new tracks instead of all new tracks, Fun Fact: all the animals say all the letters in their sentences just extremely fast
Presentation: 9.5, 9.5, 9
Giuliano: This is the only 3DS game where 3D is not needed to make the game look its best, town layouts and the addition of Main Street are a great addition, new characters like deer and gerbils are a great addition and the Island is a perfect addition to the game
Matteo: Love the taller sprites because it adds deeper character customization, best looking Animal Crossing game yet, even better looking than the Wii installment, having a Main Street is better than having a City or the shops in the actual town
Gino: Art style one of the best on the 3DS, 3D effect good but not necessary, town can get a little crowded later in the game
Lasting Appeal: 10, 10, 10
Giuliano: This game offers infinite hours of solid and addictive gameplay, you will literally play this game for a year and never want to put it down, extremely large amounts of content and new surprises every day
Matteo: The only 3DS I have played every single day since its release with no definitive end in sight, this game will never end
Gino: Way. Too. Addicting. Very easy to just pick up and play and super addicting.
Final Verdict: 9.4/10
If you own a 3DS and you don't own this game: this is a MUST have. If you don't own a 3DS but have enjoyed the series before, this game itself is worth the purchase of a brand new 3DS. If you don't own a 3DS and you have never played an Animal Crossing game, we highly recommend you consider buying it still. Do not overlook this series because of its appearance.
The Last of Us (PS3)
Score By: Giuliano V.
Gameplay: 9
A refreshing form of gameplay that pushes the player to use guns as little as possible, due to the limited amount of supplies within the game world. Stealth is an extremely fun mechanic to play with in the game and will have players sitting on the edge of their seats as they try not to draw too much attention to themselves when trying to sneak passed a Clicker.
Story: 10
The Last of Us is not like stories in many other games. The entire story focuses on the relationships that Joel develops with the other characters in the game, and their impact on his choices and outlook on the fallen world around him. The Last of Us is truly an emotional journey from start to finish, and the relationship Joel has and develops with other characters, especially Ellie, is fortified and tested as the world around him constantly tries to stop him from surviving. Also, unlike most games, the relationship between Joel, Ellie and other companions is developed not only through cinematic cutscenes and dialogue, but through gameplay itself. Even when Joel seems to be making the wrong choices, the game perfectly puts you into his shoes, allowing you to sympathize and justify his actions, even when deep down you might believe they are not for the best. A great journey that I truly believe is one of the best-written stories of this generation.
Sound: 9.5
The soundtrack of The Last of Us is very simple, but has quite a few memorable tracks. As stated before, The Last of Us is a very emotional journey, and the soundtrack helps set the mood for those emotional scenes. There are also tracks that set the tone of defeat, or despair, as you are trying desperately to escape hunters or sneak passed Infected. But, the strong-point of the game's sound does not lie in its soundtrack, but rather, in the voice acting. Troy Baker delivers an outstanding performance as he takes on the role of Joel. Ashley Johnson, who voices Ellie, also gives an unforgettable performance as she creates a character through the use of her voice that players can easily love and want to protect.
Presentation: 10
The graphics of this game are outstanding, matching the "interactive-movie" visuals that were introduced to us by Naughty Dog in their Uncharted series. While there are not a vast amount of enemy types, one can only believe it was to add to the realism of the story, so it works well. The environments found within the game vary from dark, eerie sewers to vibrant forests of snow as the game tries to show a post-apocalyptic world where nature tries to take back the cities that the humans have been forced to abandon. The playtime of the game is roughly 13-15 hours, but trust me, it feels like much more and is definitely worth the current $60 price tag.
Lasting Appeal: 8
There is very little to do outside of the main campaign, but there is a new game plus mode and a variety of difficulties. The story of the game is well-written enough to warrant a second or third playthrough, just to discover new things about the characters and their relationships and the gameplay, while being the same throughout the entirety of the game, never seems to become tedious.
Final Verdict: 9.7/10
For any fans of Naughty Dog or the survival-horror genre, this game is a definite must. The story is so moving that there is absolutely no way you will feel robbed by playing or purchasing this game. This masterpiece can warrant the purchase of a PS3 system and is the perfect game to define and end the generation as the PS4's release approaches later this year.
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