"The House of Da Vinci" stands out for how expressive its visuals are. The 3D scenes truly bring the historical feel and culture of the Middle Ages to life. In first-person view, moving trees and sparkling flames make the scenes look even more realistic.
The producers cleverly use intermittent music to highlight the tension in each scene. Various background sounds, such as opening doors, turning objects, and occasional gusts of wind, are used appropriately. Although this is not a horror game, the sound effects can still startle players.
The story’s background is not clearly defined. In the game, players take on the role of Leonardo da Vinci’s most promising apprentice and start by visiting his home to search for clues about his disappearance. Players must solve puzzles and explore Leonardo’s home, encountering many of his ingenious creations. The challenges in the game are significant, reflecting Leonardo’s legendary inventiveness.
Some clues are cleverly hidden and require the portable endoscope for in-depth analysis. Using the mirror to connect the correct shapes also solves certain puzzles, usually divided into text passwords or abstract graphics combinations. Players need to stretch the scene with the endoscope to activate clues, though this process can feel a bit cumbersome.
In most cases, players turn various mechanical gears to open cabinets or hidden compartments. While the overall design is not complicated, repeatedly performing similar operations can become tedious. For example, in the Duobao Court, repeatedly moving nearly identical pieces is required to progress in the game.
The following scenes tend to be gloomier, making the device’s brightness adjustment helpful. Despite the manageable difficulty, the telescopic scene angles might be disorienting. If you are prone to 3D motion sickness, try not to rotate the screen too much.
At the start of the game, players are drawn in by the game’s exquisite graphics. Both the buildings and clothing reflect Renaissance characteristics, and the light and shadows are realistic without appearing distorted. The environmental rendering is also effective, with both sound and visuals suggesting there is something dangerous or mysterious hidden in the darkness, encouraging players to explore.
The game’s controls are relatively simple, relying mainly on clicking and swiping. Double-clicking a place or item causes the character to move toward it, and operating mechanisms also uses double-clicks. After interacting with items, dragging two fingers toward the center exits the item, and in the regular view, dragging moves the camera to observe the surroundings.
Overall, the game has high production quality. On mobile platforms, its closest counterpart is the "The Room" series. However, this game stands out for its unique style and its stronger narrative.