Level 24 review - A puzzler that doesn't quite strike the right chords

Level 24 is a strange one. It mixes together ideas from a variety of puzzle games, then doesn't quite manage to adequately explain to you what you're supposed to be doing.

There's matching, there's tile shuffling, there are cavemen. There are bombs and other power-ups, and while there's a pretty long tutorial, when you're booted out of it you're not that much wiser as to the hows and whys of the game.

Stick with it though, and figure out your aims, and you'll find a pretty interesting experience. It's just a shame it takes to much work to get there.

The game sees you connecting groups of tiles. There are buildings on these tiles, but it's the colour of the background that lets you make the matches.

When you match tiles you're left with a single tile of the same hue, with a higher level building on it. Your aim is to get a tile up to level 24. Which is easier said than done.

Once a tile has gone above level ten, you can't match it anymore. You'll need fifteen level ten tiles to make a level 24 tile. And that's easier said than done.

There are shades of Threes here, as well as your usual match-stuff puzzlers. As your buildings level up they become more modern, and there's a charm to everything going on here that will probably put a smile on your face.

But there isn't quite the compulsion loop of the best games. In part because there's a chance you'll spend a good chunk of the game not quite sure what you're supposed to be doing.

When you figure things out, the game does get a little bit shinier, but it's probably too little too late. Those first stumbling confusions will have taken their toll.

With a better tutorial and a clearer set of goals, Level 24 could have been an excellent addition to the puzzling library on the App Store.

As it stands it falls just short of being worthy of a whole-hearted recommendation. By all means give it a go, but just know you're going to be pretty confused for a while before everything clicks into place.