Waking up, looking at your clock, and seeing that you’re late for work or class is one of the worst feelings in the world. In that heart-stopping instant, you feel your control over your life drop into your stomach, and all you can think about is how annoyed or mad or disappointed the people waiting on you are going to be. It’s an adrenaline-drenched nightmare of a moment in which you realize just how quickly you can put your pants on and brush your teeth, and as you bolt out the door to face your fate, you wonder why you can’t always get ready that quickly.
Category: iOS Games
Works With: iPhone, iPad
Price: $3.99
Gary, the hero of developer Noego’s Level 22, is caught in that situation, and the really bad news is that he’s been late to work so many times that if anyone sees him this morning, he will lose his job. So on top of the already stressful situation of being late, he has to sneak his way up to the 22nd floor without anyone seeing him.
That’s right: This is a stealth game about going to work. And it’s every bit as silly and fun as that sounds.
I’m not sure why everyone’s in on Gary being on Final Notice, but if even a single desk jockey or security guard sees him, the game is immediately over. Maybe he’s just the least-popular guy in the company, and everyone wants to see him fail. Whatever the reason, Level 22 is an amusing and tense experience in which Gary must study his coworkers’ movements, hide in closets or behind newspapers, and distract guards with donuts in order to work his way upstairs to his desk. Every room presents a new challenge, and making it to the next area is endlessly satisfying.
This is a stealth game about going to work. And it’s every bit as silly and fun as that sounds.
You move Gary around by tapping where you want him to go. You can also drag the screen to get a view of the entire area so you can study people’s movements and plan your route. The tapping is a little imprecise and hit-or-miss, especially since Gary take the shortest path to where you send him.
One time, I distracted a guard with a donut and tapped near the exit, and Gary decided to walk out directly where the guard was looking. And that kind of defeated the purpose of the donut. Luckily, the checkpoints are merciful and keep you from having to constantly replay the parts of levels that you can do.
Level 22 is a clever take on the stealth genre, and its retro graphics and music lend it plenty of style and personality. If you don’t mind a little trial and error, it’s one to try.

 Game Name: Level 22The Good: Cool, retro-style graphics, plenty of variety, and a lot of charm. The Bad: Finicky controls. The Verdict: If you can overcome the slightly imprecise movement, it has a lot to like. Buy from: App Store |
