Cally App Review
The pigtailed kid with an impressive arsenal of high-powered weapons is back in a roguelike platformer. In this sequel to the original 'Cally's Caves', you must rescue Cally's parents from the clutches of a psychopathic monster called Herbert.
It's side-on old-school platforming and shooting action of the best kind, with a graphics style that could have been lifted from an arcade console. But whereas previous entries in the series have been replete with virtual buttons that make your thumbs itch, Cally's Caves 3 is far more generous when it comes to its controls.
What's more, every weapon you acquire in the game can be levelled up as you use them. This means that as you progress, they'll get stronger and evolve into new forms.
You'll also have to pay a one-off IAP for a couple of extra game modes: New Game+, which allows you to level up your weapons further and face-off against new enemies; and Survival, which pits you against 150 waves of madness.
But if you're determined enough to make it through, the experience is rewarding. Despite the many checkpoints, you'll rarely be short of a challenge. You'll want to keep trying to beat the game and find those treasure chests, which are well-stocked with goodies if you know what to do.
You'll be cursing your own abilities a fair bit, but you'll be glad of it when Cally's Caves 3 is done. There's plenty of toughness here, with a surprisingly large number of enemies that take a surprising amount of damage and are peppered with traps that'll catch you out.