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Deactivators puts you in a rather responsible position - the head of security at the local high-tech office block. The job, up until now, has been a rather cushy number requiring you to just sit there throwing occasional glances at your bank of video screens. Up until now...

Suddenly, the alarm system goes completely haywire, throwing you into a state of panic. Within a few moments you've punched up the relevant rooms on your monitors and located the problem. Whilst in your catatonic state you failed to notice a group of terrorists slip into the complex and plant a load of bombs. On further investigation you also discover that someone has got axe-happy with the central computer, smashing up many of its PCBs, effectively restricting your control over monitors and remote control doors. Oh well, it sounds like a job for The Deactivators, a specialist team of robots put directly under your control.

It is your task to repair the computer and dispose of the bombs (sadly, there is no way of defusing them). Although the Deactivators are a team, you can only control one robot at a time. Choosing which droid you wish to control is done by using an icon system.

Once you have selected the desired droid, you can move it anywhere you like, within the limitations of the screen. Other actions, such as picking up pieces of circuitry or bombs, throwing, or changing droids, can be performed by using other icons.

Your first task is to collect the pieces of circuit board and put them back into the computer. Each time you do this, new sections of the buildings open up, allowing you to reach the bombs and thus complete your bomb disposal task. Each bomb is set to go off after a certain amount of time, and that time becomes significantly diminished as a bomb is lobbed about the place.

Many rooms don't have doorways between them, so the only way a bomb can be passed on to another droid is through one of the many windows throughout the building. Just in case you think this sounds easy, there are even more problems. When the axeman reprogrammed the computer, he destroyed a robot recognition circuit, making many of the regular security droids renegade. Consequently, you will always find one chasing a member of the Deactivator team. When a Deactivator is deactivated, the security droid won't chase, but as soon as it starts moving again the chase continues. If it catches up with your Deactivator it will destroy it, so care must be taken to ensure that this doesn't happen.

On later levels strange things happen to the building. The gravity in certain rooms changes in strength, and other rooms turn on their side, or even upside-down!

This is a very original puzzle game which is both challenging and fun to play. Controlling what goes on is done with a very good icon system, and using them you can whizz your droids around and lob the bombs with ease. The graphics are quite unusual and portray the action nicely, although the sound is a bit iffy.

If you're after a decent frenetic puzzle game, then take a look at this, it's good.

This is a game that grows on you slowly. The initial levels introduce you to the basic ideas, and the higher levels are very difficult and require a lot of perseverance. The sound effects and music are good, and some of the graphics effects are very clever. It's not a game that will appeal to everyone, but if you're prepared to take time out to do a bit of mapping before you sharpen your reflexes, then this game could be for you.

As arcade puzzles go, this is a competent one. It's very original and highly playable, although it does prove frustrating at times - especially on later levels. The graphics are quite simple, but very crisp and effective. The spot FX are also very good, but the music is repetitive and highly irritating. Fortunately, it can be turned off.

Deactivators has plenty to offer and I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who likes this type of game.

Presentation 89%
Plenty of useful options and an easy-to-use icon system.

Graphics 79%
Unusual but effective monochromatic graphics.

Sound 70%
Good spot FX and a simple tune which can prove irritating.

Hookability 79%
Clear game objective and easy to use icon system makes playing a breeze.

Lastability 80%
Five levels of frenetic deactivating.

Value For Money 79%
Plenty of frustrating nights on offer for a tenner.

Overall 82%
A very good and highly original puzzle game for people who like to use their brains as well as their joysticks.