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Well, it looks like Hewson has done it again. Got a number one on their hands, that is! After Uridium comes Quazatron from Steve Turner, the Dragontorc man. Quazatron is quite a departure from Steve's previous games - it's more arcade oriented than his earlier offerings for a start and it's guaranteed free of wizards!

If you've played Paradroid on the C64 by Steve's mate Andrew Braybrook, you'll recognise the basic idea of the game. In fact Steve set out to recreate Paradroid on the Spectrum. But don't think this is just a copy - far from it. Quazatron features some neat 3D Marble Madness/Gyroscore style pyramids for a start. But let's take a look at the scenario...

Youo find yourself in the subterranean city of Quazatron on the planet Quartech, home of the Daglath, a droid culture dedicated to the domination and elimination of us humans. The smooth-running of the city is in the mechanised hands of a number of battalions of Battle Droids, Service, Robots and Repair Mobiles who trundle around the ramps and pyramids of the many levels of the city in execution of their mysterious duties.

Unknown to the Logic Robots who control Quazatron, the city has been targeted for subversive attack by a human-controlled Meknotech droid.

You control KLP-2 (Klepto) the wayward Meknotech droid assigned to deactivate hostile alien droids which inhabit the underground city of Quazatron.

KLP-2 has a prototype grapple device enabling the alien robots to be stopped and dismantled. Kepto can add the parts recovered from the aliens himself - his facilities and endurance.

Each alien Droid has a range of equipment at its disposal - lasers, disruptors, shields and ram thrusters.

Klepto must destroy these Droids in a laser battle or by dismantling his opponent piece by piece. Anti-tamper and other security devices make grappling at close quarters a difficult procedure. But the reward for success if the pick of the hardware remvoed from the vanquished Droid.

Intelligence reports on the strength and disposition of the enemy can be obtained from control consoles of the Logic Robots also dotted around the complex.

Travel around the city is by means of elevated ramps with lifts to link the various levels.

Both of these units can be activated using the fire button.

Many different weapons can be taken from enemy droids and the data library contains hints on which weapons are most useful. Weapons can only be used while KLP-2 is moving.

To successfully grapple with a droid you must engage its security circuit. This is the sub-game first seen in Paradroid.

To change levels within the city complex you must find a lift square. Press your fire button and a side view of the city is displayed. Move up/down to the required level and left to right to exit the lift.

Enemy logic robot control consoles are useful tools. They are easy to locate as they look just like blank TV screens dotted around the map.

Your energy is shown by the rotation of the head of the KLP-2. His expression changes from happy to upset as he runs out of energy.

Quazatron is one of those games you start playing at lunchtime and still be at it at midnight! Addictive isn't the word. The combination of strategy and arcade action will have you hooked instantly.