[wilco]

Haven't seen a thread about it and I'm interested because it's from Kheops.

Anyway, the first review i've seen is from Eurogamer:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=65115

I'ts slightly positive, but doesn't really explain much about the game.

Anyone played it already? Thoughts?
What is the morality system that they talk about in the review?

[fov]

Err... why is the opening paragraph all about Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code when this game has nothing to do with them?

We will have our E3 preview of Secrets of Da Vinci up in the next couple days.

[Dale Baldwin]

Originally Posted by fov

Err... why is the opening paragraph all about Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code when this game has nothing to do with them?

To say just that, I guess, though it could have been done much more succintly.

[wilco]

Originally Posted by fov

Err... why is the opening paragraph all about Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code when this game has nothing to do with them?

Agreed. It just looks like a way of squeezing the fact that he doesn't like Dan Brown into the review.
Instead, he should have focused in the game...

[insane_cobra]

Maybe because it tries to ride on the wave of Da Vinci Code's popularity? Don't say it ain't so.

And, of course, to say it's not based on Da Vinci Code, in case some people are wondering.

[Kolzig]

So, I've seen this game on the shelves here in England. Is it any good?

[fov]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

Don't say it ain't so.

It ain't so.

At least, having met personally with the developer to see this game twice now, that's not the impression I got.

[insane_cobra]

So them coming up with a game involving Da Vinci's secrets after Da Vinci Code became a huge bestseller is a pure coincidence? Could be...

[Jackal]

I can see where the popularity of the book may have inspired it, but not in a rip-off sort of way. More of a "never mind the pop culture stuff, the real Leonardo is so much more interesting" kinda deal. But it's not like they just threw the game together in a couple months to ride the coattails of the movie. The fact that there are two Da Vinci games out may actually hurt this one, as lots of people are already confused or think it's somehow the same game.

That opening paragraph of the review is terribly misleading. Many people don't read, they skim. As soon as they realize the paragraph is all about DVC, they may skip past the rest and completely miss the line saying everything they just read is irrelevant.

[AFGNCAAP]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

So them coming up with a game involving Da Vinci's secrets after Da Vinci Code became a huge bestseller is a pure coincidence? Could be...

Um... Brown's book doesn't even deal that much with Da Vinci, despite its title. I'd understand criticising Broken Sword 4 or Belief and Betrayal ("...investigation into the murder of his uncle sets him on the dangerous trail of a church conspiracy that leads back to the day Judas received a reward for his betrayal of Jesus." ) for jumping the bandwagon here, not this.

And I don't know about you, but I found the personality of Leonardo pretty fascinating long before Da Vinci Code was published. It's terribly unfair to accuse a game that is inspired by his actual work of ripping off a piece of pop-corn literature. How long should have Kheops waited with releasing it to not make it look like they are "riding on the wave" to you?

More on topic, I'm hoping to have the game on Monday.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Jackal

That opening paragraph of the review is terribly misleading. Many people don't read, they skim. As soon as they realize the paragraph is all about DVC, they may skip past the rest and completely miss the line saying everything they just read is irrelevant.

Not more misleading than the game title itself.

[Kurufinwe]

Originally Posted by Jackal

The fact that there are two Da Vinci games out may actually hurt this one, as lots of people are already confused or think it's somehow the same game.

I don't know who came up with the title, but that was an awful decision. It confuses people, and indeed gives the impression that the game is just a cheap attempt at riding on the book/movie's popularity. And referring to Leonardo as 'Da Vinci' (something which is not done within the game) gives the impression they don't know what they're talking about, which kind of defeats the purpose of trying to tell people that they partnered with the Leonardo museum, etc. It's a very good game, which has nothing to do with Dan Brown's conspiracy theories, and this ridiculous title is really doing it a disservice.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

Um... Brown's book doesn't even deal that much with Da Vinci, despite its title. I'd understand criticising Broken Sword 4 or Belief and Betrayal ("...investigation into the murder of his uncle sets him on the dangerous trail of a church conspiracy that leads back to the day Judas received a reward for his betrayal of Jesus." ) for jumping the bandwagon here, not this.

And I don't know about you, but I found the personality of Leonardo pretty fascinating long before Da Vinci Code was published. It's terribly unfair to accuse a game that is inspired by his actual work is of ripping off a piece of pop-corn literature. How long should have Kheops waited with releasing it to not make it look like they are "riding on the wave" to you?

Hey, I don't know, I'm just telling you what I read on Adventure Gamers.

Originally Posted by Adventure Gamers

No doubt inspired by Dan Brown's popular novel, The DaVinci Code, five companies, namely Nobilis, Elektrogames, Totem Studio, Kheops Studio and Mzone Studio, have announced their partnership in making DaVinci Experience. Nobilis holds the worldwide publishing rights for the game.

Originally Posted by Adventure Gamers

Although not an adaptation of Dan Brown's bestselling The Da Vinci Code, the game will deal with similar subject matter as the player puzzles through enigmas hidden in Leonardo Da Vinci's work.

[Panthera]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

Um... Brown's book doesn't even deal that much with Da Vinci, despite its title. I'd understand criticising Broken Sword 4 or Belief and Betrayal ("...investigation into the murder of his uncle sets him on the dangerous trail of a church conspiracy that leads back to the day Judas received a reward for his betrayal of Jesus." ) for jumping the bandwagon here, not this.

And I don't know about you, but I found the personality of Leonardo pretty fascinating long before Da Vinci Code was published. It's terribly unfair to accuse a game that is inspired by his actual work of ripping off a piece of pop-corn literature. How long should have Kheops waited with releasing it to not make it look like they are "riding on the wave" to you?

More on topic, I'm hoping to have the game on Monday.

Thank you.. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that thinks that book is really overrated.. Especially now that we know where the story originated from..
I've always found Da vinci facinating, and I think he's a wonderful artist and inventor..
I'm just afraid that he'll be know to newer generations not for what he's done, but for this conspiracy theeory..

[Jackal]

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

Not more misleading than the game title itself.

All the more reason not to compound the problem so blatantly.

Originally Posted by Panthera

Thank you.. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that thinks that book is really overrated..

Heh. Funny, I'm finding it harder and harder to find anyone who will admit to liking it anymore.

[SoccerDude28]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

It's terribly unfair to accuse a game that is inspired by his actual work of ripping off a piece of pop-corn literature. How long should have Kheops waited with releasing it to not make it look like they are "riding on the wave" to you?

It's great that the game won't be a total rip-off of the book, so we can at least play a different GAME and not just go through another form of entertainment that simply regurgitates the contents of the book. It's just that the timing of this game does seem to suggest that it is banking on the popularity of the book for marketting. Nothing wrong with that though.

[AFGNCAAP]

Originally Posted by Panthera

It's nice to know I'm not the only one that thinks that book is really overrated.

I have nothing against the book itself, if only because I haven't actually read it yet. But I do find it unfortunate that the book (or even its title) monopolised Leonardo as far as public consciousness is concerned, as you said. For example:

Originally Posted by insane_cobra

Not more misleading than the game title itself.

Yeah, because the game about Leonardo Da Vinci shouldn't mislead us by having "Da Vinci" in the title. I am sorry, but I'd expect an averagely educated person to associate "Da Vinci" with a certain Italian* from the Renaissance era first, and with a recent pulp bestseller second, if at all.

* Disclaimer for Kurufinwe: regardless of the fact that he in fact should be referred to by his given name.

[Kurufinwe]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

Yeah, because the game about Leonardo Da Vinci shouldn't mislead us by having "Da Vinci" in the title. I am sorry, but I'd expect an averagely educated person to associate "Da Vinci" with a certain Italian* from the Renaissance era first, and with a recent pulp bestseller second, if at all.

Indeed, but they really were deliberately trying to echo the book's title. The Da Vinci code is, for some reason, one of the only books whose title was left in English when it got translated into French. And, guess what? The Secrets of Da Vinci is Kheops's only game to have an English title for its French version (or rather, half-English, since they actually came up The Secrets of Da Vinci - Le manuscrit interdit). So while the game has nothing to do whatsoever with Dan Brown's story, the similar title is definitely not a coincidence. Nor is the fact that they hint at dark, forbidden secrets ("the forbidden manuscript"), when there's actually nothing of that in the game (and I still can't see how the titular manuscript might be called 'forbidden', even after completing the game three times). So there definitely are some cheap (and, I believe, actually counter-productive) marketing tactics involved around the game's title (and release date as well, probably).

[fov]

Originally Posted by Kurufinwe

Indeed, but they really were deliberately trying to echo the book's title. The Da Vinci code is, for some reason, one of the only books whose title was left in English when it got translated into French. And, guess what? The Secrets of Da Vinci is Kheops's only game to have an English title for its French version (or rather, half-English, since they actually came up The Secrets of Da Vinci - Le manuscrit interdit). So while the game has nothing to do whatsoever with Dan Brown's story, the similar title is definitely not a coincidence. Nor is the fact that they hint at dark, forbidden secrets ("the forbidden manuscript"), when there's actually nothing of that in the game (and I still can't see how the titular manuscript might be called 'forbidden', even after completing the game three times). So there definitely are some cheap (and, I believe, actually counter-productive) marketing tactics involved around the game's title (and release date as well, probably).

Hmm. Interesting.

This is also the first of Kheops' games to be published by Nobillis. That could have something to do with why its title was handled differently than their other games' titles have been.

[insane_cobra]

C'mon people, drop the protectionism already, the game was obviously inspired by Da Vinci Code's success, just as it's obvious Sony nabbed the controller idea from Nintendo. Just admit it. Or better yet, leave it alone. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I don't think it's a bad thing. Its a smart business move and it doesn't make the game any less worthy. All I've been saying is that there's nothing wrong with the first paragraph of Eurogamer's review, Christ.