The Citadel

About

The Citadel is a single player casual shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by doekuramori and was released on August 5, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

The Citadel is a brutal first person shooter, and a love letter to classic games such as Marathon, Doom and Wolfenstein 3D. Descend into the depths of a dark citadel, and fight through 6 Episodes and 30 levels of action packed with 6 challenging bosses. Go forth, Martyr.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,860 reviews

gameplay204 positive mentions

optimization25 negative mentions

The Citadel features solid and satisfying gunplay with a large arsenal, including unique reload mechanics and alternate firing modes, enhancing tactical and run-and-gun playstyles.
The game's art style is a distinctive blend of anime and biomechanical horror, creating an eerie and immersive atmosphere complemented by an effective soundtrack.
Level design effectively mixes maze-like indoor areas with open verticality and occasional mech-piloting sections, promoting exploration and varied combat experiences.

The game suffers from frequent crashes and performance issues, especially during level transitions and crowded scenes with many enemies and effects.
Level textures and visual variety are limited and repetitive, which may cause some players to find the environments monotonous over time.
Platforming mechanics, notably ledge grabbing, can be inconsistent and frustrating, and the lack of mid-level checkpoints leads to repeated restarts on deaths.

gameplay
539 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The gameplay of The Citadel combines classic boomer shooter elements with modern, tactical mechanics such as manual reloads, bullet drop physics, leaning, and survival systems, creating a deep and satisfying combat experience. It features fast-paced yet methodical gunplay with a vast arsenal and versatile mechanics, balancing run-and-gun action with strategic resource management, though some aspects like platforming and enemy AI can feel rough or repetitive. Despite occasional technical issues and some obtuse mechanics, the core gameplay is widely praised for its uniqueness, depth, and engaging, immersive feel.
- “Old school FPS / boomer shooter but with modern mechanics like recoil and bullet drop.”
- “The weapons all feel fun, enemies are mostly engaging, the gunplay mechanics feel really cool, with things like manual reloads, mag dropping, and a durability system that actually doesn't feel awful (wow).”
- “The citadel blends typical boomer shooter gameplay with more modern FPS/milsim touches like slides, leaning, ballistic physics on all projectiles (including bullet drop), manual ammo management features and light survival/RPG touches such as hunger, a merchant and weapon upgrades to purchase.”
- “The default menus don't work, there's no door animations, no crouch tweening, it's impossible to tell if you're even hitting enemies or they're hitting you, the strafe movement is just added on top of forward movement, the player physics feel awful, the default controls are bizarre, the level geometry looks like placeholders, level design feels randomly generated, bullets fall after like 5 meters, there's no coherent gameplay design, the controller support randomly breaks, the menus are an ugly nightmare, the pistol ads graphic is pure black and has a nauseating zoom effect, and even the title screen just screams "unfinished game."”
- “Having to spam the 'r' key to load individual shotgun shells breaks the flow of combat, the leaning and aim-down-sights mechanics add nothing of value to the gameplay, and why the hell do I need a compass?”
- “However, the manual ledge grabbing mechanic simply doesn't work sometimes, which resulted in a few deaths that felt unfair and frustrating (this frustration was amplified by the limited lives system this game uses - if you die too many times in one chapter, you get punished by having to start it from scratch).”
graphics
406 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
66%
3%
The game's graphics feature a distinctive blend of retro 90s-style FPS visuals and a unique anime-inspired, biomechanical, and gory art style, evoking a dark, dystopian atmosphere. While character and enemy sprites are praised for their detailed, hand-drawn quality, environmental visuals are often seen as repetitive and simplistic, with some users noting performance and optimization issues. Overall, the aesthetic is polarizing but well-executed, offering a rare and memorable visual experience that complements its brutal and tactical gameplay.
- “The artwork is quite stunning, from the minutia of viscera to the beautiful mechs and machinery.”
- “It combines Giger's biomechanical horror with a ghost in the shell aesthetic to create a distinct soul you just don't see in mainstream shooters.”
- “The citadel combines fluid, projectile-based combat with old school level design, an awesome 80s cyberpunk anime inspired artstyle, and a beautiful soundtrack into one, deliciously gory package.”
- “The default menus don't work, there's no door animations, no crouch tweening, it's impossible to tell if you're even hitting enemies or they're hitting you, the strafe movement is just added on top of forward movement, the player physics feel awful, the default controls are bizarre, the level geometry looks like placeholders, level design feels randomly generated, bullets fall after like 5 meters, there's no coherent gameplay design, the controller support randomly breaks, the menus are an ugly nightmare, the pistol ads graphic is pure black and has a nauseating zoom effect, and even the title screen just screams "unfinished game."”
- “At first I didn't have any issues as the game doesn't have intense graphics, but levels that have a ton of enemies cause the game to stutter really badly.”
- “It has loading times that can't be justified when running from an SSD, and even less seeing the graphics it sports.”
story
295 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The story in The Citadel is minimalistic, vague, and often cryptic, serving more as atmospheric flavor than a detailed narrative. While it hints at intriguing dark sci-fi and religious themes, poor translation and sparse exposition leave much to player interpretation, with much of the lore better explored in its sequel. Ultimately, the game’s appeal lies in its gameplay and atmosphere rather than its underdeveloped plot.
- “The story and lore are incredibly rich for the fact that just enough is explained to frame the world while leaving enough to the imagination to allow the mind to run wild, providing more for players than just anime girls with guns.”
- “Players assume control over the veritable (and very cold) femme fatale, martyr, (or the martyr) on a quest to take down the enigmatic sleeping god, which is driving much of her church, as well as the angels connected to it, into deep and irreversible madness as a result of its dreaming, before it has a chance to awaken and potentially cause even more chaos and destruction in a world already on the brink of collapse.”
- “The citadel is a fantastic ultraviolent, gory FPS that takes the best parts of many classic FPSes and marries them to a dark sci-fi story with an anime aesthetic.”
- “The story is almost non-existent and very bare bones, mostly revealed only after boss fights, leaving much to be desired in terms of world building and narrative depth.”
- “The plot is scarce and poorly translated, making it difficult to understand and leaving most of the interesting lore outside the game, resulting in an incoherent and abrupt story experience.”
- “There's almost no story within the game, and it ends very abruptly, with minimal NPC interaction and sparse details that require players to piece together narrative elements on their own.”
music
159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The music in this game is widely praised for its atmospheric, eerie, and varied soundtrack that effectively complements the dark, oppressive, and intense tone of the gameplay. While some find it energetic and fitting for high-paced combat, others note occasional tonal inconsistencies and repetitive or minimalist tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is regarded as a strong element that enhances immersion and mood, though a few reviewers wished for more memorable or diverse compositions.
- “The soundtrack is at times raw and visceral and other times melodic and hazy, making a perfect accompaniment to the journey this game sends you on. A few songs in particular I will absolutely be jamming out to while doing schoolwork.”
- “The story is pretty understated and mostly told through details in the world and audio design. The music rapidly deteriorates from solemn, depressing sounds to downright evil tones, conveying everything you need to know about your character and the state of the world.”
- “The citadel combines fluid, projectile-based combat with old school level design, an awesome 80s cyberpunk anime-inspired art style, and a beautiful soundtrack into one deliciously gory package.”
- “Another thing: the music and sound design is just boring, adding absolutely no energy to the encounters.”
- “Janky menus, unintuitive health/stamina system, unnecessarily clunky reload mechanics, frustrating lack of a save/checkpoint system, boring and droning soundtrack that really just ends up being annoying instead of mood setting, and what feels like a profound misunderstanding of what makes a boomer shooter.”
- “The music is taken from a free music website and doesn't loop properly.”
atmosphere
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
Reviews consistently praise the game’s atmosphere as dark, oppressive, and uniquely visceral, blending cyberpunk and biomechanical horror influences with eerie soundtracks to create a bleak, dystopian world. The unsettling art style, intense violence, and cryptic storytelling enhance immersion, making the atmosphere a standout feature despite some technical issues and a minimal narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is widely regarded as a key strength that deeply enriches the gameplay experience.
- “Instead of cinematic set pieces or guided storytelling, it emphasizes raw mechanics, player skill, and oppressive atmosphere, creating a world that feels hostile, mysterious, and relentlessly demanding.”
- “Between the game's haunting atmosphere, brutal combat, great music, and frankly gorgeous presentation, The Citadel is a game that caught me completely off-guard and which I continue to recommend to people even to this day.”
- “The artstyle and atmosphere are this game's biggest strengths, evoking a brutal, biomechanical, post-apocalyptic image.”
- “The soundtrack of The Citadel is mostly cold and eerie, though the game occasionally ruins that atmosphere with some catchy symphonic music or overly sentimental piano pieces.”
- “The atmosphere is a bit bland and sterile, which I think is the intent with the story that is trying to be conveyed.”
- “Almost like a tactical take on Doom-likes, but this strange anime aesthetic clashes so hard with the grimy atmosphere.”
optimization
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
69%
22%
The game suffers from notably poor optimization, with frequent and significant frame rate drops, especially in levels with many enemies, debris, or particle effects, leading to a frustrating experience even on high-end PCs. Crashes and stuttering are common, though recent patches have improved stability and performance somewhat. Players are advised to reduce debris rendering time to mitigate lag, but overall, optimization remains a major issue affecting enjoyment.
- “I avoided crashes by playing in windowed mode, but act 6 performance is pretty rough with all the glass debris.”
- “So my laptop is nothing super fancy: I have an i7 Intel Core processor and Intel Iris Xe graphics, and I can play Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero with no problems or performance issues. On top of that, I can run Blender (3D modeling software) with no issues.”
- “The dev themself says the main impact to performance is how long you allow the 'debris' to stay rendered, so if you're having performance issues, the main fix is to lower that timer.”
- “But its optimization is beyond atrocious, and the bugs just make things needlessly more tedious.”
- “The game seems to be very badly optimized and, a game as heavy as borderlands 2 runs way smoother than the citadel.”
- “Some levels are really poorly optimized, dipping into the twenties and thirties, and random crashes are relatively common.”
stability
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game is widely regarded as buggy and unstable, with frequent crashes, glitches, and performance issues such as frame drops and screen tearing, which can disrupt gameplay and progression. Despite these technical shortcomings, many players find the underlying experience enjoyable and unique, though the bugs and instability remain significant drawbacks that occasionally hinder playability.
- “The game crashes frequently from just about anything (if you want an example killing any enemy via environmental death causes a crash. This makes the kick upgrade horrific after you acquire it, making kicking a liability) and there's a lot of sloppy things like text errors and spelling mistakes on top of glitches and a lack of balanced choices in firearms, some being completely worthless.”
- “Mechanics are very buggy and the game crashes quite frequently (more than 20 times in playthrough), clearly didn't go through enough play testing.”
- “Sometimes I'll be right in the middle of a boss fight when the game freezes up and crashes, making me have to restart the whole level.”
character development
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
34%
14%
Character development in the game is primarily reflected through striking and highly stylized character designs that many find visually impressive, daring, and reminiscent of cyberpunk anime themes. However, while the designs receive consistent praise for creativity and thematic fit, the narrative and deeper character arcs appear shallow, with the story lacking substantial depth beyond surface-level intrigue. Overall, character development is more notable for aesthetic impact than for meaningful story-driven growth.
- “The character design is amazing, and the gibs are extremely well done.”
- “Honestly bought this game on sight because of some of the character designs, but had a lot of fun the whole way through.”
- “But first I want to say is, I love every single level design, enemy design, character designs, guns and especially the protagonist design.”
- “The character design is certainly a choice; I am anime tolerant but was instantly turned off by every portion of visible character design.”
- “Probably the most questionable character design in the entire game, and that means something.”
- “While I don’t think the anime theme completely suits the game, I actually really like the lore, which is greatly benefited by the colour scheme, overall character design, and OST.”
monetization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Monetization appears to be poorly executed, with persistent bugs such as black or missing ADS sprites, frequent crashes, and unaddressed glitches since release. Despite the presence of tactical mechanics like ADS and leaning, these features often feel unfinished or meaningless, leading many players to recommend using workarounds or avoiding the game unless on sale. Overall, the game's monetization and related content suffer from a lack of polish and ongoing technical issues.
- “Ads bug that has been around since the game's release hasn't been fixed.”
- “That's before mentioning glitches that have plagued the game since release in 2020 that still aren't fixed (looking at you ads black texture bug).”
- “The textures have this strange habit of warping at obtuse angles or when on the move, and the ads sprites for some of the guns seemed to bug out and go all-black for me.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
Replayability in this game is generally considered decent to good, bolstered by features like adjustable difficulty settings, new game plus, weapon upgrades, secret levels, and varied level design. While some find the playthrough short and replay value limited, others appreciate the challenge runs, mastery potential, and freedom to customize gameplay, making it engaging for multiple playthroughs. Overall, replay value may depend on personal preference, but the customizable options and incentives encourage replayability beyond a typical indie title.
- “Sounds short but with a new game plus and other difficulty options to toggle (like gun jams and durability), there is replayability here that has me doing a challenge run.”
- “Decent replay value; I played through 3 times just to get all of the weapons, and the game was enjoyable every time.”
- “As for replayability, currently there is just new game+ along with the incentive to hunt for the secret levels if you didn't find them the first pass through, or just trying to clear the levels as quickly as possible in classic Doom speedrunning fashion.”
- “Replayability is kinda low.”
- “I got my $15 worth out of it but others might find it way too short and not much replay value.”
- “Lastly, I think the price is okay at $15, but it's a bit steep for about 3.5 hours with little replayability in terms of achievements or whatnot.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely unintentional and derived from inconsistent mechanics, exaggerated sound effects like enemy death screams, and over-the-top visuals. Players often find themselves laughing at odd glitches, quirky character designs, and powerful weapons that lead to humorous enemy knock-offs. However, attempts at cultural or stylistic humor feel misplaced and may not be enjoyable for everyone.
- “Also, you're able to gain height mid-air by spam crouching (you are lifted half your height in the air when you crouch, but are never dropped half your height uncrouching), which I found funny.”
- “The stock sound effects that are used as enemy death screams are hilarious though.”
- “You start playing the game, chuckling to yourself as you quickly mow down enemies.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and frustrating due to frequent bugs, poor optimization, limited save points, and repetitive environments. While some find moments of engaging combat, many players are hindered by crashes and difficulty spikes that disrupt progression and make grinding feel more like a chore than an enjoyable challenge.
- “The game is pretty buggy, with janky movement, being very hard (dying in 2 bursts at full health), and annoying repetitive sounds, resulting in a tedious experience at best.”
- “The optimization is beyond atrocious, and the bugs make the grinding needlessly more tedious.”
- “Limited save system forces you to grind.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a complex mix of emotions, blending a seemingly incongruous combination of apocalyptic themes, intense gameplay, and anime-style characters to create a surprisingly emotional and sometimes unsettling experience. Players describe feelings ranging from sadness and confusion to wholesomeness, appreciating its unique emotional impact despite some discomfort.
- “The deliberate dissonance between the story and the gameplay full of gibbed anime girls works brilliantly — I certainly didn't expect it to make me so emotional at the end.”
- “It mixes together an apocalyptic world setting, the emotional tone of Neon Genesis Evangelion, the general gameplay feel of Doom, enemy designs reminiscent of the Marathon series, environmental aesthetics inspired by Relics, bullet-hell shooting mechanics straight out of the Touhou series, tactical shooter-style weapon animations, and — seemingly at odds with all of the above — a cast of anime-style magical girls.”
- “Tldr; I liked this game a lot... but I also hate it and it made me feel sad.”