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It's the near future and Los Angeles has a problem. A series of bizarre drug overdoses has hit the city - once dead, the victim's skin turns scaly and the whole body takes on a more lizard-like appearance. Unknown to the public, there is an ancient prophecy to be fulfilled. An ancient beast, known as The Dragon, is set to rise and take power over the city, with the aid of a religious cult and its drug-dealing activities.

To gain enough strength, The Dragon needs to feed on the souls of the victims, the latest of which was the mayor's daughter. Enter William 'Blade' Hunter, private eye, hired to investigate the murder.

Welcome to the future. There's a new kind of drug in town. Easy to take, it's merely a matter of attaching a small white packet to the base of your neck... Unfortunately, it has a rather nasty side effect. After death, the victim's body takes on the appearance of a lizard. All of this is no problem for Deng Hwang, criminal mastermind and leader of a religious cult, bent on the resurrection of an ancient beast to rule the world.

In true Raymond Chandler fashion, the PI's home is a miserable affair. Dirty, cramped and stuffy, the only signs of luxury are the vid-phone in the corner and the gun under the pillow.

Your case starts in earnest when you listen to the mayor's message on your vid-phone. His daughter was just the latest in a long line of OD victims and he wants something done about it. Your investigations take you all over the city, making the Em-Way the most preferred choice of travel. The map shows all the current locations that are relevant to the story, with more being added as you find them.

Karyn is not a happy lady. After missing your romantic rendezvous last night, you'll be lucky if she'll ever help you again. Unfortunate really, because she works in the Bureau of Records and can access all sorts of information.

Where do all the good informants hang out? Down at the local Pleasure Dome of course. There are all manner of colourful characters at the bar, not all of which are as they first appear.

Your belongings are safest when carried about your person. To use a particular item just drag it from the main screen or the inventory, situated to the right of the picture.

The inhabitants of Los Angeles are a mixed bunch, the most bizarre of which is an ancient Oriental gentleman who seems to know more about you and your case than you do. To keep the story flowing, you occasionally have to sit back and watch a 'Meanwhile...' scene. This shows relevant action from elsewhere, such as the bad guys discussing their plans.

Not surprisingly, it's the graphics that first grab you. Rise Of The Dragon has probably some of the most detailed artwork yet seen in an adventure (better even than King's Quest V).

The Blade Runner influence is evident throughout (apart, even, from the main character's name), with dark and moody streets and neon-lit signs everywhere - and it makes for a very believable setting. The story is pretty standard 'save the world' stuff, but even here there are some nice twists and turns, especially with the multiple endings - do you save the city or your girlfriend? The new system works fairly well, although it can be a little limiting at times. Once you've mastered the right and left mouse button differences, at no time do you find yourself struggling to work out which command does what, as the brain-taxing has been left for the plot. There are a couple of slightly awkward moments, handing your gun over to the check-in girl at the nightclub for instance - and retrieving it afterwards is somewhat confusing.

But for the most part it's the puzzles that keep you guessing: put a lot of thought into what you're doing (and be prepared to apply some lateral 'American' thinking) and you'll get a lot in return. You'll also find yourself whizzing through it, which puts a question mark over the price - there's a lot in Rise Of The Dragon, but thirty-five quid's worth? I'd say yes, mainly because it offers a kind of quality that's missing from most home-grown products.

It's not quite as big as The Secret Of Monkey Island, but then neither is it as easy - which makes rather a nice balance really.