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A man's head appears in the sights of a gun. A shot is fired. A crimson bullethole appears in his forehead and he slumps to the floor. Sirens begin to wail.

The scene switches. The man lies dead on the pavement, his briefcase by his side.

As a Detective Sergeant in the Crime Squad in the St. Etienne (Loire) police, you must track down the killer. Yes, this is another murder hunt from the mind of former French policeman Gilles Blancon. It's similar to his previous game, Vera Cruz, but this is a touch more sophisticated.

There are two scenes of crime to investigate - the scene around the body of the victim, Mr. Sidney, and the room where the shot was fired.

You control a magnifying glass to zoom in on the clues. In the man's wallet you'll find what can best be described as a compromising photograph. Could this be a reason for the killing?

In the room, there are more clues to be had - a fingerprint and bullet cartridge, for instance.

Once you have discovered all of the clues you move on to the second part of the game where you can interview witnesses and suspects and use the police Diamond Network Computer.

This enables you to communicate with other police services, justice departments, prison administrations and the National Police.

Unlike Vera Cruz, in the Sidney Affair, you can interview people, providing you can find them, more than once. For instance, Witness A will tell you something. But it is only when Witness B provides you with information that you can use this to get more out of Witness A.

You can compare an alibi or other evidence of one person with certain facts collected during the investigation. But this comparison can only be carried out on the basis of a statement. You can also carry out different examinations for example a ballistic or autopsy.

Once you are certain of someone's guilt, it only remains for you to make an arrest.

The only thing I don't like about The Sidney Affair is the title. It sounds like an Australian love-match. Apart from that, it's a highly entertaining game.

Right. In the grand tradition of the whodunnit I will reveal the murderer right at the end of this review. Oh no! Don't say I'm going to run out of space! The murderer was...