The Collective Unlocks
The Da Vinci Code on Xbox
At A Glance
- Unlock the secrets with help from the game's producer.
Dan Brown's best-selling book is now not only a hugely successful feature film from Sony Pictures, but also a videogame from 2K Games and developer The Collective. Cordy Rierson, producer of games at The Collective, said his team worked closely with film director Ron Howard and production company Imagine Entertainment on bringing the world of The Da Vinci Code™ to life. Rierson said they provided insightful background and creative input on the direction of the game along with Sony Pictures, which enabled the developer to stay in sync with the film and the world it created.
Explore an elaborate world of puzzles.
"The Da Vinci Code works as a dynamic game property because it has so many attributes that can be played out in the form of exploration, gorgeous environments, intellectual challenges like puzzles, and stealth game play," said Rierson. "It also works for action oriented players who enjoy head to head combat."
" The Da Vinci Code is truly a unique gaming experience.
Because of the layers and diverse types of gameplay
offered in this single title, it should appeal to
gamers and non-gamers alike."
Players will control both Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu at different points throughout the game.Rierson said the characters are strongly tied together in the story and the team did not want to lose that, so it was important to give the player a sense of working with a partner through the missions.Both Langdon and Neveu have different specialties in symbols and cryptology that will be required to solve all of the game's puzzles.
Robert Langdon will have to be quick on his feet.
Decipher the Clues
"Bringing the characters and environments to life was relatively straightforward because we had a great story to draw from," said Rierson."The difficult part for this game was creating new and challenging puzzles that would be familiar to fans of the book, but weren't too easy."
Rierson said the game takes locations and actions touched on in the film and book, and develops them further. Places like Sauniere's Mansion and the Biggin Airfield are in the game. Players must search Sauniere's Mansion for clues to help solve the murder of Sophie's grandfather. At Biggin Airfield, Langdon and Neveu must elude the police.
"Beyond a great game experience, players will learn about art, literature, architecture, and science. We have a visual database that is accessible at any point during game play that functions like your brain. As you play along, all things observed, read, and completed will go into this database, which provides a handy reference for the game's more challenging objectives."
Follow the Symbols
Rierson believes the game will appeal to a full range of gamers. He said fans of role-playing games and puzzle games will find plenty of adventure and riddles to solve, while first-person action fans will like the investigative challenges in the game.
"The Da Vinci Code is truly a unique gaming experience. Because of the layers and diverse types of gameplay offered in this single title, it should appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike," said Rierson. "I am personally very proud of the combat we created for the game. There are no superpowered heroes or weapons-oriented heroes, so the combat is true grit. Our designers created a struggle combat mode that feels real."
The game's combat incorporates fighting mechanics like punches and kicks and then switches to a rhythm-based game that requires the player to press specific buttons in a row. The game's combat is just part of the action, as players will also need to decipher codes, solve anagrams and perform tasks to uncover symbols that lead to the Holy Grail. The game, which has three levels of difficulty, provides 12 hours of interactive entertainment.
"We have a tutorial mode that will take the player through the steps of investigation, combat, and interacting with the world," said Rierson. "We also have a good save checkpoint system so even if the player fails a mission they will not have to start the mission again. It will simple restart from the last check point they reached."
The game blends elements of the film and the book together.
Discover the Truth
The Collective has a history of translating Hollywood movies and TV shows into videogames, including the upcoming Xbox 360™ Dirty Harry game. Their previous work includes Buffy the Vampire Slayer for Vivendi Universal Games and both Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith for LucasArts. Rierson said that every game has its unique challenges and The Da Vinci Code was no different.
"Studios need to be careful with the licenses they pick up, evaluating them from a game perspective alongside the value the license brings by itself," said Rierson. "Movies are passive and games are interactive, so the two do not always meet on creative direction. The two industries are getting better at working together, but we still have a ways to go."
Rierson said that sharing information and understanding the differences between the two mediums are important steps on the path to successfully merging both the linear and interactive entertainment worlds. He believes that everything surrounding a license, be it game or movie, should be given the opportunity to be the best it can be without any constraints.
Article by John Gaudiosi
