The Da Vinci Code (video game)

Infobox VG
title = The Da Vinci Code


developer = The Collective, Inc.
publisher = 2K Games
designer = David Fried
Jeremy Lee(Producer)
composer = Winifred Phillips
engine =
released = vgrelease|EU=May 16 2007 [ [http://uk.playstation.com/games-media/games/detail/item36832/The-Da-Vinci-Code/ PlayStation Games & Media - The Da Vinci Code ] ] |NA=May 19, 2006
genre = Action, Adventure
modes = Single player
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=T|PEGI=16+
platforms = PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows, Mobile phone
media = CD, DVD

"The Da Vinci Code" is a video game for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows based on the novel by Dan Brown. It is not associated with the film, and as such the characters have no resemblance to their movie counterparts.

Overview

"The Da Vinci Code" game is a third-person action and adventure game. Its story is based upon that of the book, rather than the film, and has several gameplay elements that appear in neither. The computer game version of the book was released on May 19, 2006, developed by The Collective and published by 2K Games, playable on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A preview of the game was also presented at the E3 tradeshow in Los Angeles on May 10, 2006. [cite web| url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/701/701890p1.html| title=The Da Vinci Code Preview| first=Douglass C.| last=Perry| date=April 14, 2006| accessdate=2006-05-19]

The aim of the game, as with both book and film, is to locate the Holy Grail. To achieve this goal, the player must gather clues, solve puzzles, and successfully evade or defeat enemies.

Development

According to lead artist David Robert Donatucci, development began in early 2005, and was released in May 2006.

The original music for The Da Vinci Code video game was written by Winifred Phillips, and produced by Winnie Waldron.

Characters

*;Robert Langdon: A professor at Harvard University, Robert Langdon teaches Symbology. When brought to Jacques Sauniere's dead body by the police, however, his job is put aside as he is thrown into a world of mystery and danger. It is usually from his point of view that the player goes through the game.
*;Sophie Neveu: Sophie Neveu works for the French police in the cryptography department. Supposedly the granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere (although this is later proved to be untrue), she rushes to aid Robert Langdon in the quest to uncover the reason behind his brutal murder. She helps throughout the game by providing useful hints, and some sections of the game are played through her point of view.
*;Silas: A murderer from a very young age, Silas was eventually caught by police and sent to prison. Once free, he was taken in by a priest of Opus Dei, Manuel Aringarosa. From here, he got his purpose in life and sets out to destroy the secret that the Priory have worked so hard to protect. He is one of the key enemies that the player must try to escape.
*;Bezu Fache: Bezu Fache is a french police officer that happened to find Jaques Sauniere's body in the grand art gallery, Louvre. He suspects that Robert Langdon is guilty for Jaques Sauinieres murder.He travels from France to London, trying to find Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu.
*;Jacques Saunière: Jaques Sauniere was a seventy-three year old man who was a member of the Priory of Sion. He was murdered by Silas in the Grand Art Gallery, Louvre. His job was to protect Sophie Neveu as she was the end of Jesus's bloodline. In his last dying moments he started a long journey for Sophie Neveu and Robert Langdon to solve the DaVinci Code

Trivia

* Instead of "Opus Dei", the name of the sect is "Manus Dei" (hand of God).
* Sophie is indicated to be a descendant of both the Sinclair and "Plantard" noble lineages, in a reference to Pierre Plantard, the originator of the Priory of Sion

Critical reception

The game was generally rather poorly received, criticized for poor implementation and buggy game play, with BBC News referring to it as a "frustrating movie tie-in, with endless cut scenes and patchy gameplay . . . The vast majority of play involves aimlessly wandering around churches, art galleries and stately homes hoping to stumble across an object of interest." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5007998.stm] GameSpy called it a "bland and uninspiring attempt to cash in on a successful franchise", with poor presentation and a frustrating combat system. [http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/the-da-vinci-code/710344p2.html] However, critics did commend the games intuitive puzzles and strong storyline. The game's music was commended by Jeff Hall of the music review site "ScreenSounds" as "a fine piece of contemporary action scoring" [ [http://screensounds.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html "ScreenSounds: June 2006"] Screensounds.blogspot.com. Accessed March 21, 2008.] , while Jonathan Fildes of BBC News wrote, "The accompanying music lends a suitably ethereal atmosphere to proceedings." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5007998.stm "BBC NEWS"] News.bbc.co.uk. Accessed March 21, 2008.] and Juan Castro of IGN described the music as "moody, atmospheric and decidedly creepy. It's the right kind of music for slow-paced puzzle solving." [ [http://xbox.ign.com/articles/709/709818p2.html "IGN: The Da Vinci Code Review"] Xbox.ign.com. Accessed March 21, 2008.]

Other game ports

A port of the game was also made for mobile phones.

See also

*The Da Vinci Code
*The Da Vinci Code (film)
*The Da Vinci Code WebQuests
*The Da Vinci Game

References

* [http://www.2kgames.com/davincicode/unlockthecode.html Official Website]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5007998.stm Da Vinci Code game disappoints] , May 23, 2006, BBC
* 'Cracking the Code', May 2006, "PlayStation Extreme" magazine

External links

* [http://www.sonypictures.com/mobile/davinci_quest.html Da Vinci Code mobile phone game]
* [http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/data/932401.html The Da Vinci Code] on GameFAQs
* [http://videogames.yahoo.com/predownload?eid=455576 The official Davinci Code (video game) trailer] on Yahoo! Movies
* [http://faqs.ign.com/articles/709/709741p1.html Game walkthrough at ign.com]
*moby game|id=/da-vinci-code |name= "The Da Vinci Code"