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Every now and then, a game appears which contains familiar elements and, on paper, sounds less than startling, but once you start of play, it exerts a mystifying hold which is difficult to explain. Tujad is just such a game.

The gameplay has a touch of deja vu about it. You control a Gen 19 combat droid who must repair the computer system, Tujad, by collecting 50 pieces of circuit board strewn through over 100 rooms. The computer however treats your droid as an intruder and despite your good intentions wil try to vapourise your mechanical samaritan.

Along with the circuit board segments, three types of weapon, extra lives and extra energy can be picked up as you negotiate the maze. At the beginning of each game, all these items are resituated making a definite route difficult to plot. As your convincingly animated robot walks and hovers around he is beset by small flying nasties who sap its energy, and at the gates of some rooms are aliens who destroy you on contact. These can be neutralised by selecting the correct weapon from your stored armoury of collected weapons. Pick the wrong weapon and you'll waste valuable ammunition and be unable to gain access to other parts of the complex. As all your weaponry is fired from the same button, be sure to reselect each time you need to fire because you need all the available firepower to get close to finishing the mission.

At various points there are transporters which will materialise you elsewhere within the system and these, unlike the collectable elements, are in the same positions each new game.

The graphics are bright and well detailed and the droid itself is enjoyable to steer. The strategy element is just enough to raise it above the norm. All this doesn't really explain why Tujad is immensely compulsive to play. The answer may be in its simplicity. After just a couple of hours, I'd managed to complete over 50 per cent of the game. That might put off those who judge value for money in relation to the wasted hours they spend before they get anywhere, but should encourage those who don't enjoy frustration to try it.

I would thoroughly recommend Tujad for anyone who wants a satisfying and simply enjoyable game.