The Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript is an adventure game which takes place in Italy in 1522, 3 years after Leonardo Da Vinci's death. It is not the same as the action/adventure game titled after the movie, The Da Vinci Code, but an entirely different game.

The artist and inventor Da Vinci bequeathed all of his technical notes to his student and scholarly companion, Francesco Melzi. You play the role of Melzi's apprentice, Valdo, who is sent to Da Vinci's home to find his secret notebook. Once gaining entrance to Da Vinci's residence, there are many obstacles in his way including the artist's own inventions and the puzzles that go along with them.

Using a point-and-click interface, explore the estate of Leonardo Da Vinci which is replicated on-screen in 3D. Meet and converse with the current resident of the manor and the grounds keeper. Consultations and historical documents from the Chateau du Clos Lucé (formerly the Manoir du Cloux) assisted the developers in depicting the estate and grounds with historical accuracy.

Puzzles are based on the actual works of DaVinci and are a mixed variety of mechanical, scientific and alchemic. Most require simple logic and deduction but some are triggered by discovering the correct clue. Solving puzzles inside Valdo's interactive journal is necessary as well.

The game is divided into 4 Chapters (days). There are several different endings possible depending upon decisions you make during the last portions of the game.