When it comes to games that want me to mix things together in order to create new things that can then be mixed together to create even more things, I tend to look the other way. Those mechanics just don’t interest me because the lack of true gameplay mechanics. But Doodle Mafia for Android is a game that actually builds a bit of context around your doing, making the game just a bit more intriguing than its predecessors.

So the developers consider this a puzzle game, but I’m not quite sure I agree. If anything, it’s more of a matching game because you’re literally just matching different things together. You really don’t have anything to base your guesses on. I tend to just go down the list. If I have one clue, like a lead pipe, then I’ll match it with every single other clue until I get something new that matches. I’ll then rinse and repeat.

In this game, you can play as a cop or a gangster. Depending on what path you take, your story will change. If you’re a gangster, you’ll have to avoid police and battle other gangs to become the biggest gangster around. You’ll also watch the city come to life before your eyes as you discover more clues and items.

Unfortunately, Doodle Mafia still doesn’t sell me on this kind of game. The idea that I’ll spend so much time just mindlessly matching things together isn’t enticing to me. I do commend the developers for throwing over 500 puzzles into the game and building up some good context around the topic.