The House of Da Vinci VR, a puzzle adventure based on the inventor's real-life contraptions, arrives next month on Quest and Steam.
Previously announced in May, Blue Brain Games is adapting its 2017 flatscreen game with The House of Da Vinci VR. You play as Leonardo da Vinci's apprentice during 16th-century Renaissance Italy, tasked with solving riddles and navigating escape rooms to locate the missing inventor. While puzzles take direct inspiration from Da Vinci's real-life inventions, the environments were crafted "based on his original artworks and the historical city of Florence."
The House of Da Vinci VR - Armory gameplay clip
Finding Da Vinci involves using an "extraordinary device" that reveals events from the past to retrace his steps, promising to test your wits via "war machines, complex lockboxes, and immersive escape rooms." The studio states the puzzle mechanics have been "built from the ground up for VR," which you can see in action above.
We enjoyed The House of Da Vinci during our Gamescom 2024 preview, praising the atmospheric design and puzzles.
The carefully designed and beautifully lit 16th-century set pieces stood out the most during my time with The House of Da Vinci VR. Warm rooms filled with candlelight plays against the mystical blue of the moon, creating a soft ambience that's constantly caught between comforting and tense. This blend is amplified by the ASMR-esque soundscape, including creaky gates and brain-tickling clicks that unnerved me throughout.
The House of Da Vinci VR arrives on December 4 on the Meta Quest platform and Steam.
Sarah Thwaites
