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A series of eight underground cities has been discovered on a small deserted planet. Unfortunately, when the inhabitants left, they neglected to turn the electricity off, and consequently the cities' defence mechanisms are switched on and fully operational. It has been decided, therefore, that instead of sending in poor humans to get shot, electrified, blown up or crushed, droids will be sent instead. So, from the safety of the control centre, you must guide a droid through the eight cities to secure the technological secrets of this long dead race (which presumably doesn't include an electricity cut-out device).

Each of the eight cities is built on two levels, interconnected by lifts, and reaching the exit of any city will involve moving between the two levels to progress. The cities are, of course, bristling with defence mechanisms, which emerge from the various traps you will inevitably encounter as you move. Firstly there are guns, which can fire in four directions, either diagonally, or vertically and horizontally, or in all eight directions on later levels. Droids will also be encountered, which just get in the way at first, but fire at you or ram into you during the later stages of the game.

Fortunately, your droid hasn't beeen sent into the bunfight completely without armaments, and whilst not exactly overburdened with weaponry on the early stages, you are adequately equipped. You can also tool up as you progress, which is done by accessing the various service hatches you encounter. Some will provide better weaponry, whilst others will refuel the droid or open up passageways, for example. You can also capture and control an enemy droid, which will then sit in a square adjacent to the one your droid occupies. You control the movement of the captured droid, and can use it in various ways - for cover whilst firing from behind it, as a plug to block a trap and stop enemy droids emerging, or as a battering ram to destroy droids or gun installations.

The gameplay of Citadel is difficult to describe. It combines elements of Paradroid, Archon and many other games in a thoroughly entertaining way. It is, perhaps, one of the very few games to successfully combine chunks of strategy and brainless slaughter in equal amounts, without diluting the appeal of either. When your droid is stationary, for example, the defence droids and guns cannot detect your location, which gives you ample time to work out your next move. If your droid is moving, however, all manner of mayhem is let loose, with guns firing and droids chasing you.

The city layouts aren't exactly straightforward either, having a maze-like design which is going to require mapping if you are to get anywhere. Fortunately, mapping is aided by the chequered floor design, which also allows you to judge when you are about to come within range of an enemy gun installation. For these reasons I found myself advancing slowly, picking off guns and droids where possible, rather than charging around firing mindlessly.

Gameplay aside, the graphics and sound on Citadel are excellent. Each of the cities has its own particular look, each presented in colourful and detailed graphics, with impeccable scrolling. The metallic tune and sound effects complement and enhance the look of the game, and it is quite obvious that the author, Martin Walker, has spent a lot of time in getting the graphics and sonics just right. This all makes for a tremendously addictive game, which should have wide appeal amongst gamesters, and which proves that when it comes to brilliant gameplay, the C64 can hold its own against the 16-bits.