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It arrived in one of the most ridiculous packages I've ever seen, looking something like a squashed hand-grenade! Would I find explosive action inside? Read on...

You play the role of a journalist working on the Clarion newspaper. Your editor tells you: "A friend of yours was investigating a drugs racket in Colombia. We've just heard he's been kidnapped by the drugs baron. I want you to go down there, get him out and get me a scoop story."

The game is set within the drug ring's Colombian HQ, a massive complex of rooms, lifts and passages. N.E.X.U.S. is an undercover group trying to break the drugs ring from the inside, and will supply you with vital skills, weapons and information. The top fifth of your screen shows the section of corridor or room you are currently in, and all the action takes place here. Beneath is a plethora of message panels, direction indicators, pictures and maps.

The game strategy is a classic 'search and solve' type, with a bit of kung-fu style fighting. The 'search' part is very reminiscent of Impossible Mission turn to face a fitting or a piece of furniture and you search it for clues. The briefing manual contains 32 questions, the answers to which are split into four parts and scattered about the building. When you have collected some information, you will need to find an editing terminal to read the answers, and a transmitting terminal to send the answers back to your editor.

Once you have found a camera, you can also photograph rooms and people andtransmit these back for extra points. The personnel terminals can be used to examine the files on any of the Nexus agents, and you can match their photo to their particular skills such as forgery or armaments.

While in a corridor, you will meet up with guards who will try to stop you, unless you have a valid pass. Nexus agents are recognisable by their pictures which appear on the screen while the character is in sight.

All your movements are controlled by the joystick, and the control system is rather complicated. You can walk, run, do forward and backward rools, flying kicks and punches. Weapons (when you've found them) include stun guns and stun grenades and can be brought to bear with the fire button while standing still.

To help you, a large part of the screen is used to display icons showing your current actions. A side elevation of the whole building can be called up at any time and a flashing spot indicates your position. Getting around is still a problem though, certain lifts only go to certain floors and you might well be attacked whilst waiting for one.

The game concludes when you have freed your friend and escaped via the subterranean river by which you first entered the building, and your score depends on how many answers and photographs you get.

At first, I was impressed with the game and, as a technical achievement, I still am. Having said that, the actual gameplay is pathetically repetitive. Most of the corridors look the same and the rooms are all similar. The main tasks of searching quickly became a bit of a drag, as did the guard's relentless attempts to beat you unconscious and imprison you! Some of the messages that appear on the screen are so small that they're almost impossible to read on a TV set, and although the other characters can talk to you, your total vocabulary consists of "Get lost!" This is supposed to be a greeting! No wonder the guards don't seem to like you...