July is Heating Up With 148Apps

How do you know what apps are worth your time and money? Just look to the review team at 148Apps. We sort through the chaos and find the apps you're looking for. The ones we love become Editor’s Choice, standing out above the many good apps and games with something just a little bit more to offer. Take a look at what we've been up to this week, and find even more in our Reviews Archive.


Cally's Caves 3

Cally's Caves 3 is a free-to-play platformer inspired by games like Metriod and Castlevaniawhere players take control of Cally as she tries to rescue her parents from the Nefarious Herbert. From a content perspective there's a lot to like about this entry in the Cally's Caves series, even without making any in-app purchases. Although it feels like a bit of a hamstrung version of Castlevania, it's still pretty enjoyable and challenging.Cally's Caves 3 starts with a very straightfoward intro in which Herbert takes Cally's family (again), and from there it's up to players to jump, shoot, and melee their way through stages to get ever closer to rescuing them. Like the previous titles, Cally's Caves 3 is controlled using on-screen buttons that work just fine, though they can occasionally obscure the action or be hard to hit.--Campbell Bird


Dexter: Hidden Darkness

If you’ve played games such as Criminal Case or CSI: Hidden Crimes, you’ve played Dexter: Hidden Darkness. It’s effectively a reskin of these titles. As any Hidden Object gaming enthusiast will be able to tell you though, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.What works so well for these games are their trickle feeding of content. No one really wants to spend hours seeking out objects. These games are made for short sessions and accomplishing something in that brief period of time. Dexter: Hidden Darkness scratches that casual gaming itch as well as the others within the field. --Jennifer Allen


Crayola DJ

Music creation is a lot of fun and an ideal way for your children to express themselves, but all too often it can be a little tricky to do well. Crayola DJ circumvents any such difficulties, being the kind of DJing app that you can learn within a couple of minutes. It’s great fun, too. You’re presented with two turntables and a variety of different options. You can add tracks covering various different genres, such as dance, pop, hip hop, and fusion, before manipulating their tempo and prominence within the track. --Jennifer Allen


Age of Empires: Castle Siege

I’ve got a friend who regularly asks me if there are any games quite like the majesty of the Age of Empires series. Every time, I can refer him to something that’s a little like it but not quite up to par. Every time, we both feel a little disappointed, remembering just how wonderful those games were once upon a time. Age of Empires: Castle Siege might have the name and the license, but it’s no replacement for those great titles. Instead, Age of Empires: Castle Siege is a Clash of Clans style take on the popular RTS. Feel free to sigh at any time. It’s not a bad freemium strategy game but it will disappoint those wanting the full Age of Empires experience. --Jennifer Allen


nvNotes

Given its price tag, no one could blame you for expecting nvNotes to be a bit more garish or a bit more ‘in your face’ when it comes to showing off why it’s worth $9.99. In reality though, its strength lay in its understated wonder. It’s a note taking app that offers you exactly what you could want in a clear and concise manner. For those who regularly take notes on their iOS device, it’ll soon be an essential tool.A quick tutorial guides you through the paces, but it’s all pretty intuitive. Hit the pencil icon to create a new note then get typing. You can choose to just type in plain text or you can start applying things such as bold or underline, all through the markdown options available. nvNotes also offers an URL scheme, saving you effort and adding a form of hyperlinking to the mix. It’s not needed for some users, but it’s handy that it’s there.--Jennifer Allen


Other 148Apps Network Sites

If you are looking for the best reviews of Android apps, just head right over to AndroidRundown. Here are just some of the reviews served up this week:


AndroidRundown


Nebulous

So, what is up with Nebulous?It’s all about cell-eating; the player gets to control a circular blob in an amorphous area that has blobs of different sizes that float around. Now it seems each blob, including the player’s, have an insatiable need to consume stuff, in this case smaller blobs. So, using the virtual controller at the bottom right, one can guide one’s blob through the black landscape.As noted, the basic concept is to absorb smaller blobs; this is done by contact. At first, it might take a bit to cotton to the virtual control, because one’s small blob is pretty jumpy, and not so easy to control. In any case, as one picks up smaller organisms, one’s own blob starts to get bigger and bigger, and, for me, easier to move around adeptly.--Tre Lawrence


Mission Impossible RogueNation

Now, now… before you get mad and start ranting at the proliferation of endless sequels to action movies — Terminator, Rocky, Die Hard, and yes, Mission Impossible — remember one thing: in today’s age, we tend to get at least one possibly great byproduct in companion games.They tend to be simple, and may or may not follow the franchise canon very closely. In any case, such games can be fun to get into, even for casual fans of said movies.Hopefully, such is the case with Mission Impossible RogueNation… a Glu joint.--Tre Lawrence


Arkon Universal Tablet Headrest Mount

Summertime is travel time for my family. We love going places, and almost always enjoy ourselves.Still, it’s the going that can be troublesome. Boredom is young person’s kryptonite, and backseat bickering is mine. Thus, for all concerned, having mobile technology is such a blessing, and the Arkon Universal Tablet Headrest Mount helps harness that blessing.The review package arrived in clear cellophane, just as it does in retail form; it contained 6 pieces, and involved a lit bit of onsite prep t get together. I wasn’t a fan of the diagrams, but to be fair, I was able to cobble it together in an intuitive manner. When set to go, it uses the 2-post system available on the headrest of most cars to attach itself, and then physically extends towards the middle, such that the tablet is held in a central position mostly between the two front seats. It works great for two heads, but can be effective with three in our hands-on testing.--Tre Lawrence

All this, plus news, game guides and even more reviews than we can share here!

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