So dark, the con of man
The game is billed as an action adventure game, but really, the action nature is very much mellowed down. The combat, in particular, just isn't very well done. Instead of allowing the player to freely attack an opponent, the game opts for a Struggle System that requires the player to press a series of buttons shown on the screen to perform an attack or defend sequence. This is an idea borrowed from the great adventure game Indigo Prophecy, but somehow, it just doesn't work as well here. Moreover, given the preconceptions that both the lead characters, Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, aren't exactly martial arts expert, seeing them perform karate chops on opponents just doesn't feel right.
The adventure feature of the game, however, is pretty well done. Considering that The Da Vinci Code is about solving a murder case, and the uncovering of a great conspiracy of a grand scale, it's only right that the puzzles in this game offers the right amount of challenges. Cryptograms, puzzles and riddles are just some of the things that are thrown at your path liberally. And boy, some of these are truly tough. I like games that provide a good mind challenge, so it's not surprising that I find the puzzle elements in this game highly enjoyable. At times, the puzzles feel too pretentious, almost to the point of giving the player a puzzle for the sake of having a puzzle. Why would someone hide a key to a mansion in a shed that nobody can get access to apart from climbing in from the window? Nevertheless, many adventure games are guilty of that, so it isn't exactly a big issue for me as well.
Graphically, the game looks really dated. The character models are badly designed, and it's really sad that, with this being a movie tie-in, the developer couldn't at least try to get the licenses to include the actual models and voice-overs for Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen and (perhaps) Jean Reno. At least this would provide some novelty value. Instead, what we've here are just very boring looking characters that look, well, dead. The music and sound effects are also flat. The voice-overs sound tired and disinterested, and the music has the tendency to be overly loud in one situation, and totally incomprehensible in another. I've lost count of the number of times I had to adjust the volume on my TV set just to get the right sound level.
Adding to the frustration are glitches that make the playing experience a little worse. At times, the camera angle can go all haywire, causing the player not to be able to see what's happening around you. This works badly if you're in the midst of combat. Some times, when you load a game, your character will automatically walk around even without you touching the left analog stick. All these are little bugs that won't stop you from completing the game, but they're nonetheless irritating when you experience them.
On the whole, The Da Vinci Code feels like an unfinished game, probably rushed out just in time to accompany the movie's release date. Fans of the adventure genre may still find it intriguing due to the clever puzzles that are littered throughout the game. If you ignore the rather bland action sequences and poor presentations, The Da Vinci Code presents a good adventure story that complements the book and the movie adequately. And for this, it's still a recommendable game despite its flaws.