It’s difficult to avoid the worldwide sensation that is Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” - a novel that sparked a number of “code breaking” books that seem to fill shelves at book stores as well as fuel a lawsuit and now a blockbuster motion picture starring Tom Hanks. It didn’t take long for a game that coincides with the recent summer box office hit to be released and while most games based on a movie are rushed productions that aren’t that good, The Da Vinci Code for the PS2 has enough goodies to make the inner cryptologist in us want to break this code. 

This version of The Da Vinci Code is more based on the novel rather than the movie, a fact that is apparent the minute the main protagonist, Robert Langdon, appears on the screen. He’s no Tom Hanks but rather a cardboard cutout of the character Dan Brown described in the book. While devoid of any human emotion, though, Langdon talks just the way we expect him to talk. You see, Langdon, a professor of Symbology on a lecture tour in Paris, is pulled away to the Louvre by the local authorities to help investigate the murder of its curator. It is there that Langdon becomes a part of a religious conspiracy that links ancient societies like the Priory of Scion to a secret that factions within the church will murder to keep hidden from the world. Pairing up with Agent Sophie Neveu, who works the cryptography department, they set off to uncover this mystery and prove Langdon’s innocence of the murder of the Louvre’s curator.

Oh, and there’s more … much more. You see, uncovering this secret isn’t going to be easy since not only are the French authorities after them but so are deranged monks sent by their order to stop Neveu and Langdon from discovering this secret that involves works of art (specifically those from Leonardo Da Vinci) that reveal hidden meanings as well as the Holy Grail lore. On top of that, the clues to the mystery are broken up in codes only the “faithful and the worthy” could decipher. Like a true adventure game, the clues are everywhere so it’s up to gamers to examine their surroundings and this is where the game really shines … in its ability to set up clues and solutions reasonably.

You’ll find that many of the books familiar puzzles are present in the book and most of the simple ones have you mixing items together. Whether it’s matching the symbol on a ring to a lock with a similar symbol or placing a GPS tracking device into a bar of soap and tossing out a window to elude the police these puzzles are really no-brainers. It isn’t until you start deciphering symbols or breaking up sentences that make no sense at all until they form a more coherent phrase that you will be putting your thinking cap on. If you like anagrams, oh boy, does this game have a wonderfully challenging number of them. The puzzles are challenging without being overly difficult and the game does provide a number of hints stored in your inventory as well as input from your partner.

The game loyally takes you through many of the areas and situations from the book so you will be exploring the beautiful Saint Sulpice as well as meeting up with Holy Grail scholar Sir Leigh Teabing in his Château. Yet unlike the book or even the Ron Howard movie, you will also be fist-fighting … a lot. Fighting in the game was meant to break up the exploration and puzzle solving but it was handled poorly enough that fighting mad monks, museum security as well as the police becomes more a hindrance than a nice distraction. The fighting mechanics have Langdon or Neveu pressing a button for Attack or Push or Defend and this is when the game has you pressing a series of buttons before the time runs out. If you incorrectly press the wrong button the fight will results in your opponent turning the tables on you and getting the upper hand. Worse yet, you’ll often be up against more than just one opponent and it is here where the targeting system becomes confused to the point that you will stop hitting one character to target the second opponent. It’s not fun at all and certainly not in character with Langdon or Neveu. Sophie slamming two monks to the ground like a female wrestler? What’s next, Sir Leigh Teabing performing a clothes line?

The Da Vinci Code is also a lengthy affair with plenty of collectibles that allow you to check out concept art as well as bonus missions and extra puzzles you can solve apart from the main story mode. Yet after having solved all the puzzles and reached the game’s most fascinating ending, there’s not much here to compel gamers to play again. If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, though, the story alone is gripping enough to give you a lot to digest.

On the graphics front, there are moments in the game where The Da Vinci Code looks pretty good but then there are moments when the washed out textures and poorly designed character models make this quite an eyesore. Forget the fact that Langdon doesn’t look like Hanks, the characters don’t move realistically and there’s some clipping during cutscenes. At least the locales are done right and there are neat little effects that stand out like when you discover symbols on objects using a UV light. Other than that this is not the prettiest PS2 game around.

At least the sound is handled well and the voice acting is decent enough to make the good dialogue and narrative flow smoothly. The game’s score is wonderfully appropriate to the theme and feel of the book and movie and it’s wonderfully cinematic at all the right moments. The voice actors for all the major players do a good job as well. The problem, though, is that thanks to poor sound editing, some sound effects are recycled. Oftentimes the music will loop and you’ll know it when the music suddenly stops for a beat and then starts anew.  

In the end, The Da Vinci Code for the PS2 brings to life all the themes, great plot twists and clever puzzles of the novel and film well enough but sadly the game has its share of major faults. If you love solving a variety of interesting puzzles while playing out scenes from the book and film, fans will not be disappointed. However, if you’re bothered by the number of glitches that include poorly designed combat and not-so-pretty visuals then you might just want to skip a purchase and rent this one instead.

Gameplay: 6.0
The game is a nod to the adventure game of yesteryear and it’s not bad at all. The puzzles and riddles are the main highlight of the game and the book’s many interesting twists and theories are present and accounted for here. What doesn’t work is the fighting mechanics that make each encounter a nuisance rather than a pleasant break from all the puzzle-solving.

Graphics: 5.5
The visuals are quite an eyesore in certain spots and decent in other aspects. If you’re expecting the main characters to look like Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno and Ian McKellen you will be very disappointed. Add plenty of bad clipping problems and stiff character movements and you have a PS2 game that looks awful.

Sound: 7.5
The music is wonderfully cinematic and sets the mood perfectly in a story filled with religious tones. While the film’s actors do voice their characters, the voice acting is not bad at all. Still, there are some audio problems that repeat sound effects and music clips.

Difficulty: Medium
If you’re a fan of anagrams, obscure riddles and decent puzzles faithful to the point-and-click adventure game genre then there are enough here to give your brain a workout. While there are some difficult puzzles in this game, you won’t find many puzzles that will really stump you.

Concept: 6.5
It’s based on a little book you might have heard about and, of course, the summer blockbuster everyone is talking about. The puzzles practically leapt off the pages of the book and film nicely and while you won’t be controlling a virtual Tom Hanks, the characters, dialogue and themes are faithful to Dan Brown’s vision. The extras are nice but there’s very little here that will have you coming back for more after you’re finished.

Overall: 6.3
If unraveling a complex mystery filled with wonderfully intricate puzzles is right up your alley then The Da Vinci Code for the PS2 is a game you’ll really want to play. While far from perfect, this game perfectly captures the mood and delivers a great adaptation of Dan Brown’s bestseller novel.