The Da Vinci Code

 PC
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 24
  3. Negative: 8 out of 24
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  1. PC Gamer
    45
    You know you've got problems when the feature meant to enlighten a game makes it more tedious. [Sep 2006, p.94]
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  2. IGN
    45
    It doesn't offer enough puzzle variety for serious adventure fans, and the combat will irritate or bore most action aficionados.
  3. The A.V. Club
    42
    The combat mechanism is an abomination. Every time you get in a fight, you have to match a pattern of buttons to throw a good punch or block an attack. Presumably, this was meant to help non-action-gamers get through combat, but even your grandmother would rather mash buttons than deal with this painful interface.
  5. Gaming Age
    42
    But the other aspects – animation, dialogue, acting, environments, and fighting – are too poorly produced and out of place to ignore.
  6. GamesRadar+
    40
    The actors (not from the film cast) sound utterly bored throughout their lengthy speeches; the only thing that trumps the highly questionable French accents is a guy who actually says "woof woof" on behalf of a virtual dog.
  7. Edge Magazine
    40
    The overall impression is of a game that’s both bravely and badly designed, and weighted towards the latter. [July 2006, p.84]
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  8. Computer Games Magazine
    40
    But in the end, it doesn't serve gamers, not even the extremely forgiving cadre of adventure game fans. [Sept. 2006, p.63]
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  9. PC Gamer UK
    23
    The worst way to experience this story. [July 2006, p.86]
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User Reviews

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User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 12
  3. Negative: 3 out of 12
  1. runner
    Mar 7, 2023
    5
    So, a little disclaimer here: I really loved the original book series by Dan Brown including The Da Vinci Code. I also really liked theSo, a little disclaimer here: I really loved the original book series by Dan Brown including The Da Vinci Code. I also really liked the various movie adaptations even though they didn't get the most positive reception. As for this game, I remembered starting playing it when I was way younger and being really hooked by the first level. For some reason my computer back then simply didn't get past a certain part at the very beginning of the 2nd level. But I've always wanted to put some time and go back to this game. Took me some time! But I did.

    And here's the review:
    Unfortunately, this game is not good. I bet they really tried. It doesn't feel like a lazy attempt, but the result is just not fun and also barely playable nowadays.
    First of all, the graphics aren't that good, even for a 2006 game - some earlier games have looked better than this. This still applies after begging the game to run on high resolution and widescreen (which is not supported natively).
    The game is relatively story-driven, but the writing is just completely out of place, with the characters saying things you wouldn't believe human beings actually say in a conversation. The worst of it is heard on the weird remarks they say while in combat.
    And the combat, oh the combat! It's absolutely disastrous. Based mostly on quick time events, but they still tried to add some meat to it. Can't really explain, but the result is not good. Also, I guess since the game got old it also won't properly recognise some of your actions in time, which makes the combat even more of a nightmare, even on the easiest difficulty. I've applied some god mode cheats to get around the combat and still beat the game..
    The save checkpoints are not so generous as well, and the game somehow stricts you to a certain checkpoints but it won't actually save for you - so that you have to save manually, but you can never really be sure what's going to be saved.

    Now for the stuff which actually make the game partially decent -
    The soundtrack is actually a nice attempt, although at many times it doesn't go well when it scrambles with other tracks, other sfx, or just the characters talking, in a highly non-elegant way.
    The MAIN storyline is nice, I mean the parts which are actually based on the original book. As I said earlier this is also not a complete win since you really have to see through the writing.

    And, probably the best feature in the game - the puzzles. The game tries to be a mix of action-adventure, with addition of puzzles to the "Action". Puzzles are either inventory based like old times, or stuff like "mini-games" and code deciphering stuff. For some of the puzzles you have to do some reading and find clues in poems and tales.
    The main idea is good and some of the puzzles are actually pretty neat. This is definitely the strongest feature of the game and the reason I came back to it in the first place, and the reason I kept push through to the end.
    Unfortunately this is also not without its flaws, as the puzzles quality ranges between really good to really... uhm, not good. Some of the puzzles are either a non-brainer or just too obscure. Luckily, I felt the really bad ones come in the middle of the game, most of the 1st and 3rd thirds of the game actually consist of fun puzzles.
    You may need to have a walkthrough, though. If you even try to play, that is.    … Full Review »
  2. martingale
    May 23, 2014
    2
    This game has a ridiculous save game system, which was so frustrating I had to give up playing. The fighting scenes require considerableThis game has a ridiculous save game system, which was so frustrating I had to give up playing. The fighting scenes require considerable skills with the mouse, and if you're knocked out (which is very often the case), your punishment is to start over a long, long, looooong sequence of game history again. And then again, and again. And there's no way you can control this.

    The game could be rather good, otherwise, but the half-baked check point system makes it all doomed. My personal advice is, don't bother to buy this game if you don't have some masochistic inclination toward re-living the past over and over again.    … Full Review »
  3. KrestenS.
    Jul 20, 2006
    3
    The puzzles are chalinging, the story average, the combat element is awfull and allmost impossibel to manage and do not suit this kind af The puzzles are chalinging, the story average, the combat element is awfull and allmost impossibel to manage and do not suit this kind af game anaway. The lack of an in game map force you to a lot of running up and down. Grafic and animations is not impressing and the AI af the police og Opus Dei foes is nearly absent. A pitifull and quickly forgotte piece af merchandising.… Full Review »
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