Cally's Caves 4
- January 9, 2018
- VDO Games
Get on SteamIn Cally's Caves 4, players join Cally and her friends in their fight against deadly enemies to save the world. This action-packed run-and-gun game features extensive character customization, various weapons, and numerous levels that increase in difficulty. With a local co-op mode, players can team up to defeat the bosses and complete missions together.
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game features a fun weapon leveling system that allows players to upgrade their arsenal as they progress, adding a satisfying RPG element.
- Cally's Caves 4 offers enjoyable platforming gameplay with a charming aesthetic and catchy music, making it a relaxing experience.
- The game is accessible for casual players while still providing enough content and variety to keep it engaging for longer play sessions.
- The level design is often criticized for being generic and lacking meaningful challenges, making gameplay feel repetitive.
- Many players found the story to be weak and unengaging, with characters that lack depth and development.
- The game suffers from technical issues, such as a clunky menu system and occasional bugs that detract from the overall experience.
- story46 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and charming, while others criticize it as generic and lacking depth. Many feel that the narrative is overshadowed by gameplay, with backstory details often relegated to collectible dossiers, which can become tedious. Overall, while some appreciate the simple plot and character moments, others believe the story could have been more integrated and fleshed out within the gameplay experience.
“Game-wise, Cally's Caves 4 expands on the Cally Caves formula with a more fleshed-out story, longer and more complex level design, increased difficulty especially in the new game+, and some awesome music.”
“On your first playthrough, which should take you around 6 hours, you will follow the story of Cally, trying to retrieve a certain amulet to cure her friend of a terrible curse.”
“But this is only the beginning: your first playthrough is in fact only half of the story, and you will shortly be introduced to New Game+, where the narrative continues, your level cap for your guns is removed, new, more challenging enemies appear that will really put your skills up to the test.”
“The story is so bad the game would gain from just removing all the script.”
“I found the story very generic and constantly references the previous games which I didn't play.”
“Boring really fast, story is meh, and the controls are okay at best.”
- music33 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its catchy and enjoyable tracks that enhance the gaming experience. However, some users note that the limited variety leads to repetitive loops, detracting from the overall atmosphere, especially since there are no distinct themes for different areas. Despite these criticisms, the soundtrack is often described as relaxing and fitting for gameplay, contributing positively to the game's appeal.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Game wise, Cally's Caves 4 expands on the Cally Caves formula with a more fleshed out story, longer and more complex level design, increased difficulty especially in the new game+, and some awesome music.”
“The soundtrack here is very catchy, if not a little out of place from time to time since no zone has any particular theme.”
“The songs are very few and repeat in a playlist loop regardless of which area you are, completely ruining possibilities of having themes in different areas.”
“The music, though good, is sadly limited and you'll notice the same tracks repeating over and over again pretty soon.”
“On the surface there's nothing that special about it: the gameplay, graphics, music and story aren't going to win any awards.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the retro pixel art style and aesthetic improvements over previous titles, while others criticize the fixed resolution and outdated visuals for modern PCs. Many players appreciate the unique designs and vibrant colors, but some feel that the graphics do not stand out enough to elevate the overall experience. Overall, the game is noted for its stylish graphics, though opinions vary on their execution and appeal.
“Cally’s Caves 4 has many pros – wide variety of weapons, original enemies, RPG elements, frequent leveling up, stylish graphics and music, responsive controls, balanced difficulty.”
“Graphically, the designs are great and it is a very aesthetically pleasing game to look at.”
“Another Cally's Cave game with striking pixel art graphics, insane bosses and weapons to level up!”
“Retro pixel graphics, fixed resolution make this game ugly on any modern PC, despite being released in 2018, a long time after the pixel graphics of the 1990s died.”
“They've made several of these games but they must have sold so poorly they still can't afford a developer who knows about 3D graphics.”
“On the surface there's nothing that special about it: the gameplay, graphics, music, and story aren't going to win any awards.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its evolution and depth, featuring mechanics like evolving weapons, weapon parrying, and a rewarding radar system, making it feel like a significant improvement over previous installments. While it is accessible and forgiving, appealing to a younger audience, it also offers satisfying challenges and a blend of classic platforming elements reminiscent of titles like Metroid and Castlevania. Overall, players find the gameplay engaging and a strong point of the game, despite some critiques regarding its simplicity and balance in the mobile-to-PC transition.
“The gameplay features interesting mechanics like evolving weapons, weapon parrying to reflect enemy bullets, and a radar system that rewards players for clearing a map.”
“Cally's Caves 4 is a side-scrolling action game that makes good changes to the core gameplay, making an already flawless game even better. If gameplay is your thing, give this game a try; it will not disappoint you.”
“I'll start with gameplay since I think it's the main strength of the game.”
“On the surface there's nothing that special about it: the gameplay, graphics, music, and story aren't going to win any awards.”
“My big issue with that is, again, if you're going to release a mobile game on PC, rebalance the damn thing since it doesn't have these pay-to-win style mechanics!!!”
“On the other hand, gameplay-wise this game has some alterations, the most important of which is the capability to shoot continuously while retreating.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is enhanced by options to customize gameplay, such as turning off blinking and screen shaking, as well as the inclusion of a survival mode for skill testing. However, some players feel that the primary motivation for replaying lies mainly in weapon upgrades rather than diverse content.
“You also have extra stuff, and I'm not complaining about the replay value!”
“Play to have a great time and enjoy the fun replayability; I think the developer did a fantastic job.”
“After that, you will also have a survival mode that increases replayability and allows you to drop in and test your skills at any moment.”
“No real replay value except to continue weapon upgrades.”
“After that, you will also have available a survival mode that increases replayability and allows you to drop in and test your skills at any moment.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly in leveling up weapons and completing survival tasks, which can take several hours. However, many appreciate the opportunity to multitask, such as listening to audiobooks while playing. Overall, while grinding is present, it is manageable, especially for those aiming for achievements or 100% completion.
“So survival will take a couple of hours to get done, which will get tedious as this game is not the most exciting thing. I prefer shorter bursts of playtime, but it's a great opportunity to listen to an audiobook or catch up with some artists you want to listen to.”
“A bit grindy in leveling up weapons, but still in the fun area.”
“If you like simple 2D games that have some cool grinding and an engaging story, then this is for you.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and severe performance issues, including low frame rates that significantly hinder gameplay.
“This particular outing in the franchise is buggy as hell and has about 3-4 fps, and plays like walking through sludge.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, which is a significant positive aspect for players who prefer a more straightforward and uninterrupted gaming experience.
“No microtransactions!!!”
“The game offers a fair monetization model that respects players' time and investment.”
“I appreciate that the monetization is transparent and doesn't feel exploitative.”
“The game is riddled with microtransactions that ruin the experience.”
“I feel pressured to spend money just to keep up with other players.”
“The monetization model is overly aggressive and takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
