Unlocking More Renaissance Riddles
After witnessing the vast amount of intriguing conundrums in the original The House of Da Vinci, one might think developers Blue Brain Games would struggle to conjure up another varied collection of handcrafted puzzles.
Nevertheless, they’ve brought us a sequel in the form of The House of Da Vinci 2, but will it be another fascinating puzzling experience, and can it improve upon the first game?
Prequel Paradox
The House of Da Vinci 2 follows Giacomo, a fellow locked up in a prison for some unknown reason. That is until a man with great power and influence, the Duke Cesare Borgia, arranges his escape. Giacomo is an intelligent man, which is why the Duke wishes to send him to serve as an apprentice under Leonardo da Vinci and become a spy of sorts. Taking on the apprentice role is easier said than done, as you must prove your capabilities to Master da Vinci.
While The House of Da Vinci 2 is a sequel, it’s also technically a prequel. That’s because it begins before the events of the original, before catching up to and surpassing it on the narrative timeline. It’s much better storytelling and explains everything more coherently than in the previous outing. I think the inclusion of voice acting in cutscenes is one reason for this, but also any written pieces of lore are easier to read and so it comes together nicely. Without spoiling anything, the latter stages get a tad boring with a scene that goes off on a tangent, however the rest is decent.
Renaissance Rooms: Exploring New Locations
There are six chapters in total and these take place across different parts of Italy at different stages of Giacomo’s apprenticeship. The general gameplay stays consistent with what’s seen before, in that you’ll venture through a series of areas by solving multiple puzzles that prevent you from progressing. Expect to roam secret passageways, take a crucial test from within a labyrinth, hang out in Leonardo da Vinci’s secret workshop, and visit a monastery, to name a few of the well-designed Renaissance era locations.
First and foremost, the puzzling feels fresh throughout, despite familiar ideas and mechanical concepts. The inventory-based activities are more streamlined in the way that items are often ready for use somewhere immediately, without the need for any manipulation. Those items that do require some messing with are actually quite clever though; for example, occasionally you must manoeuvre parts of a key in your inventory to match the shape of certain keyholes.
Of course, there are a raft of architecturally brilliant puzzles as well, where pulling levers, shifting latches, and flicking switches, can lead to encountering complex situations. The third chapter is the pinnacle of this, with a large box being the sole focus as you attempt to unlock it and unearth puzzle after puzzle whilst trying to open it up further – it’s like the Inception of the puzzling world.
Logic and Observation
As for the puzzle concepts, and well, there’s a real mix of ideas that will test your logic, ensure you’re paying attention to the surroundings, and even times where a bit of trial and error is necessary. A handful of highlights include a maze layout changing through moving items around in a room, plotting a path for a statue to interact with nodes, and a version of the classic shell game. Heck, it also incorporates a mathematical sequence where you have to figure out the pattern to work out a missing number.
For the most part, the puzzles are engaging and satisfying to overcome, but there are a few that spoil it a little. That’s because they are vague in what to do and how to achieve the end-goal. These usually rely on trial and error too, with a whole lot of error and plenty of frustration to boot. Not even the in-game hint system can save you here. Unless you’re willing to go searching the internet for step-by-step help, it might be curtains for the experience.
Back to the positives though, that awful Oculi Tempus from the original game is gone and in its place is the far more advanced Oculus Perpetua. This Oculus Perpetua transports you through time, where you are then able to alter things before returning to the present moment to witness the effects. It’s a fun gadget to have, plus you still possess the ability to see the inner-workings of devices to aid in solving problems.
A Worthy Sequel with Tricky Trials
Even though The House of Da Vinci 2 has fewer chapters than its predecessor, it feels bigger and there are even more creative puzzle ideas to push your mind to its limits. The storytelling is praiseworthy thanks to the plot being explained better and the inclusion of voice-acting. That said, it goes off the rails in the latter stages of the narrative, which is also where the most frustrating puzzles are found.
There’s no doubt The House of Da Vinci 2 is good at what it does, but beware the difficulty increase and prepare for some stressful moments.
Your Links
Return for more puzzles in The House of Da Vinci 2 on Xbox and PlayStation – https://www.thexboxhub.com/return-for-more-puzzles-in-the-house-of-da-vinci-2-on-xbox-and-playstation/
Buy The House of Da Vinci 2 on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-house-of-da-vinci-2/9nx9bf00d76v
