Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Citadel throws you into a tense first-person shoot ’em up where your primary mission is to infiltrate a remote prison island and neutralize a full-blown revolt. Your immediate objective—reaching the central control room—sounds straightforward, but the designers have layered in optional objectives that will test your mettle. Hunt down all six bomb fragments to disarm an explosive threat hidden within the complex, and you’ll unlock a deeper strategic challenge beyond simply surviving.

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One of Citadel’s most striking gameplay features is its scarcity of resources. You begin unarmed, forcing you to improvise until you scavenge your first weapon. Even once you’re stocked up, ammunition remains limited, encouraging players to conserve every shot. Random spray-and-pray tactics quickly become a recipe for running dry, so you’ll need to aim carefully, set traps with environmental hazards, and sometimes resort to more creative kills—such as setting foes ablaze with incendiary devices.

The prison island itself is a sprawling labyrinth of interconnected levels. Teleportation pads whisk you between sectors, and multiple routes crisscross the facility. Whether you choose to blaze a direct path to the control room or explore hidden alcoves in search of bomb parts, the freedom of choice keeps tensions high and exploration rewarding. Secret passages, locked doors, and keycard hunts add a Metroidvania-like twist, making every corner of Citadel feel ripe for discovery.

Difficulty ramps up organically as you progress. Early encounters introduce basic guards, but later areas teem with heavily armed sentries and tougher minibosses. The combination of limited health pickups, sparse ammo, and unpredictable enemy placements means you’ll learn to plan your route and pick engagements carefully. For players who relish methodical tension and tight resource management, Citadel’s gameplay strikes an engaging balance between brute force and stealthy guile.

Graphics

Citadel’s visual presentation employs texture-mapped environments that were cutting-edge for its day on the Amiga platform. Corridors and cells bristle with angular detail, and enemy sprites boast surprisingly fluid animation frames. The texturing lends a gritty, industrial feel to the prison complex, immersing you in an atmosphere of cold metal and flickering lights.

One of Citadel’s strengths is its variable screen size, allowing it to scale from a stock A500 machine to a beefier, accelerator-enhanced setup. On an unmodified A500, you still get a smooth, playable experience, albeit with slightly smaller viewports. Gamers lucky enough to own an A1200 or add-ons will enjoy a wider field of view and crisper textures, showcasing the game’s art assets in all their pixelated glory.

Lighting and color choices play a key role in building suspense. Dimly lit corridors and harsh spotlights create stark contrasts that can both reveal and conceal enemy positions. Blood spatters and scorch marks linger on walls, emphasizing the violent struggle that unfolded before your arrival. While there are no dynamic shadows or volumetric effects, clever use of palette swaps and simple fades gives each sector a distinct mood.

Despite hardware limitations, Citadel manages to sustain a consistent frame rate, even in the most chaotic firefights. The enemy count never bogs down performance, and the teleporter transitions remain seamless. For retro enthusiasts craving a polished, visually coherent shooter on the Amiga, Citadel delivers an impressive package that pushes the machine to its limits without sacrificing playability.

Story

At its core, Citadel presents a straightforward but effective narrative: a remote prison island has erupted into rebellion, and you’ve been dispatched to regain control. The premise may not break new ground, but it sets the stage for a tense, high-stakes infiltration where lives—and potentially the fate of the island—hang in the balance.

The storytelling unfolds mainly through environmental clues rather than lengthy cutscenes. Scrawled messages on cell walls, malfunctioning security terminals, and the occasional guard radio chatter offer glimpses into what went wrong. This minimalist approach fits the fast-paced action and keeps you focused on the task at hand, yet it still conveys enough context to make the mission feel urgent.

The optional bomb-piece hunt deepens the narrative stakes. As you uncover fragments, audio logs reveal the mastermind’s plot to blow the facility sky-high. Each recovered piece drives home the consequences of failure, adding an extra layer of tension to the main objective. By the time you’ve gathered all six parts, you’re fully invested in stopping the threat—and the brief storytelling snippets you find along the way feel earned.

While Citadel doesn’t offer a sprawling epic or branching dialogue trees, it excels at emergent storytelling. The interplay between scarce resources, hostile patrols, and hidden pathways creates memorable scenarios—whether it’s a last-second ammo grab behind enemy lines or a clever detour through maintenance shafts. These encounters form the backbone of Citadel’s narrative appeal, making every expedition into its depths feel both personal and consequential.

Overall Experience

Citadel stands out as a compelling Amiga-era shooter that balances resource management, exploration, and action. The thrill of creeping through shadowy corridors with only a handful of bullets is matched by the exhilaration of hot firefights in cramped junctions. Optional objectives and multiple routes keep replay value high, as you’ll want to return to uncover every secret or tackle challenges in new ways.

The game’s technical prowess on a variety of Amiga hardware is equally impressive. Whether you’re playing on a stock A500 or a turbocharged workstation, Citadel adjusts gracefully, offering a consistent and enjoyable experience. Fans of retro graphics and old-school sound design will appreciate the clean, texture-mapped visuals and moody sound effects that underscore every gunshot and explosion.

Some modern players might find the lack of hand-holding or tutorials initially daunting, and the ammo scarcity can feel punishing at times. However, for those who appreciate methodical progression and strategic planning, these aspects become key pillars of the game’s identity. Citadel rewards patience and careful observation, ensuring that victories—no matter how small—feel truly earned.

In sum, Citadel is a must-play for anyone seeking a rich, atmospheric first-person shooter on classic hardware. Its blend of tight level design, resource tension, and optional objectives creates an experience that remains engaging decades after its release. Whether you’re a retro gaming veteran or simply curious about early FPS titles, Citadel delivers a challenging, immersive adventure you won’t soon forget.

Retro Replay Score

7.5/10