When bored ex-Vietnam war hero Bret Conrad inherits an ancient map revealing the location of priceless Aztec gold, his curiosity gets the better of him and he decides to see whether he can actually find the horde.

The five-level arcade adventure starts deep in the heart of the South American jungle and Bret instantly runs into trouble in the form of spear-throwing, arrow-shooting Pygmies. Fortunately firearms technology is on his side and he can dispatch the baddies with his Browning Hi-Power pistol. A few screens further on things start getting even more dangerous, with carnivorous plants, collapsing bridges and a very nasty panther to avoid.

The object on level one is to reach the entrance to the underground labyrinth, where the following four levels are set. There, even more danger lurks in the form of giant demons, killer bats, huge crocodiles and all manner of fiendish traps. But at the end there lies untold riches which could all be Bret's - as long as he plays his cards right!

From the very beginning this is a hard game, and there are certain situations that seem almost impossible to get out of. However, each screen is almost like a puzzle, and you've got to work out when to jump, roll, grab the ropes, shoot or whatever.

The gameplay is nicely balanced, so that you seem to get a couple of screens further with every game, and as a consequence you keep on coming back for more just to see what lies around the next corner.

The graphics are truly outstanding - Bret is brilliant in the way he strides manfully along, and some of the creatures are superb, particularly the panther, the huge elephant (what's that doing in South America? Escaped from a zoo I suppose) and the incredible giant stone demon on level four, which is a real stunner (and pretty nasty, too - just watch what it does to the sacrificial victim!).

Gold Of The Aztecs is a demanding game which'll have you tearing your hair out in frustration, but it's addictive and rewarding enough to keep you coming back for more. Give it a go if you're after a challenge.