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Loved It!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: December 30, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I thoroughly enjoyed the game. If you just wander through the house, nothing is going to happen. Look at everything! The only problem I had, was a little lag when going through doors. I even got a little spooked. Fortunately, I don't have a basement. The Last Visit was too short, but pretty cool as well.

I Wanted to Like this Game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 11, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I really wanted to like this game, but I eventually found the problems I had with it over-rode any enjoyment I was getting.

The setting was gorgeous, the storyline spooky, and the music (something that will often bother me) was completely appropriate.

However, the controls were wonky and the panning (even on the highest setting) was unforgivably slow. I am a hard-core adventure game fan, but this tried my patience to the point that I gave up on the game, something I have never done. It was getting to the point that I could get up and make myself a sandwich before the game panned to where I needed it to be to get to another room. The game offers a feature to correct for this - which I tried - but I couldn't use it, as it rendered the game virtually unnavigable.

It really is a shame. If the game had been set up like Darkfall (it reminded me a great deal of both Darkfalls) as far as navigation is concerned, I could easily see it being one of the best adventure games I had played in a while. But, unfortunately, I cannot handle feeling out of control of my game, and this was the case here. I would stop my mouse at the place I needed the pointer to stop, and the pointer would swing wildly past that point. Opening doors (once I made it to them) became a massive chore.

I sadly cannot recommend this game for anyone with my level of patience or lower. And I really feel bad about that.

Creepy, dark, and flakey...not in a good way...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Know that I love to watch people play point and clicks because I love the graphics and like the feel of the game being like a movie. I buy point and clicks so that both my wife and I can enjoy them. We also like a game that has a good mystery and a jump factor like any good thriller should. In scratches we were very pleased with the graphics, music, & overall mood of the game. There are two major drawbacks though. The first was that even though we had a screaming PC to run the game on, we still had several crashes that taught the meaning of Save-Try-n-Die. The second problem was the clues and content that would allow the game to move forward. Had we not found a walkthrough to assist with the overwhelming puzzles & clues, this game would've been a complete bust. On the positive side of things, we loved the dark content and turned off the lights for this game. A storm was brewing outside one night and we found ourselves jumping with several scenes - great creep out factor and a wonderful scare factor. Horror enthusiasts - need not apply; this game is for sure dark, but not a game that will make you jump. Just turn up your speakers and get ready for the creepy audio. A nice feature that was also displayed was the ability to mandate whether the player wishes to use the director's cut version or the standard version - very nice and thank you to whoever setup the game in such a way!

Here's how I conducted my start rating:
1) Scripting & dialog was mediocre; however the ambient & background sound track is excellent
2) Graphics performed well; see next item though
3) Overall performance was less than good; several crashes. Be sure to keep saving after each accomplishment, this was a topic that lost a star for my review
4) Storyline was good and will keep you guessing.
5) Clues, hints, and adaptability basically will require a walkthrough this aspect also lost a star in my review

Know that this game is way worth the $20 and the game play options listed in the beginning are heaven sent; did I happen to mention how cool that option is and that other game companies should model after that?...anyway...good creepy game, the crew just needs to work on stability and playability.

Highly dissapointing

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 01, 2008
Author: Amazon User

When I bought Scratches, I had very high hopes of it, for I enjoy adventure games. It was highly recommended due to my love for the Nancy Drew PC games, and with a very similar game engine and gameplay, I was very excited over playing it.

However, unlike the NancyDrew games, Scratches became a major dissapointment.

In Scratches, you play as a horror writer living in an abandoned Victorian House your real-estate agent got through not-so-legal means to find your next inspiration. When you hear scratches at night, instead of being sane a high-tailing it out of there like a normal human being, you decide to stay to uncover the mansion's secret.

(SPOILERS)
However, the simplicity of the story line is thrown away once a cursed African mask comes in, throwing the game onto its back when you hear voices, see figures, and eventually come face to face with the cause of the scratching sounds - an ungodly, cannabalisitc humanoid creature whose place seems more fitting in an H.P. Lovecraft story.
(End SPOILERS)

While the plot is so farfetched it's unbeleiveable, the engine also failed to deliver; half of the objects in the game you cannot touch or read; you can open draws and not take or use anything inside them; you cannot advance in the game unless you do EVERY SINGLE THING you have to do for that 'Day', which makes the game frustrating, and without any hint system, can become quite difficult to enjoy.

Another complaint is that some things you have to do are almost impossible to discover, such as crawling through a human-sized furnance to uncover a shadow in order to advance to the last Day in the game. It is hard to understand how one could figure that out, and why one would want to do it.

The story's timeline of events is jumbled, leaving more questions than answers at the end of the game that not even it's sequel within the Director's Cut can answer. The movement is not fluid, at all (I find that the game is SLOWER when exploring the exterior of the house and much faster inside it), and some puzzles are just too vague, which makes the need for a walkthrough almost mandatory.

Possibly the only advantage to Scratches is that the music by Cellar of Rats is chilling, but even that can't make a horrible game good.

In short, you can do much better than Scratches. If you want a fun game with a simple engine and some added chills, pick up Nancy Drew and the Curse of Blackmoor Manor or Legend of the Crystal Skull and just avoid this game; it's really not worth the time and effort to play.

It's probably just the rats...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 21, 2008
Author: Amazon User

"Scratches" is my first horror game and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I like it. I hoped I would, but hoping doesn't make things happen. "Scratches" takes place in England during three strange days inside an old house. You take on the role of a writer who becomes intrigued with the strange stories surrounding the place.
When I first started playing, I was disappointed. I didn't think the game was scary. You were exploring an old house where you found dark accounts in some diaries. I didn't think it was much of a horror game. But now...
The house has a strange atmosphere. Spooky...maybe...but that's not all. Whatever it is, it can be uncomfortable. There are some strange...and downright evil...pictures on the walls (and some more in an old room.)
The first day is a bad start, because nothing really happens and it doesn't give a good first impression of the game; especially if you're looking for something scary. The first night is when you first hear scratching. However, the scratching wasn't emphasized enough in the game. [WARNING! Spoilers ahead!] Inside, the game focuses on an evil mask. A word of warning; near the end of the game, you must make an amulet out of some ingredients found around the manor. I had a problem with this since it seemed sort of like performing witchcraft; so if that's going to bother you, don't buy the game. To finish it, you must make the amulet.
The "scare factor" depends on what kind of atmosphere you play in. If you're playing in a room with other people during the daytime, the game will have a different effect on you then if you play it alone in a dark house at night. There are a couple surprises in the game that make you jump, and sometimes you're afraid of what might be coming next. It isn't a gross-fest, it's more physiological. If they had added things like doors mysteriously slamming and getting locked in rooms at just the right moments, that might have made the game scarier.
By the way, if you're going to buy "Scratches" you might want to get the director's cut version. There is a bonus "short" called "The Last Visit" which explains more of went on in Blackwood Manor. If I hadn't seen "The Last Visit" the ending would have been very confusing. And even then, there are unanswered questions.
One thing I don't like about most adventure games is trying to find objects to advance. This can be frustrating, and I'll generally go just to a hint site and find the answer. I like more obvious "puzzles" like the one in the greenhouse where you have to wash something out of a grate. In this game you didn't have to look for many objects but you had to complete "puzzles" that could be a pain, such as trying to figure out how to let down a rope so you could get through a window. I like how the creators of Titanic - Adventure Out of Timedid their game. Yes, there are some things in it that are unobvious, but it's a very unique kind of adventure game.
I didn't find this game terrifying, but it deserves to be classified as a horror game. But if you want to be scared, turn off the light and play alone in the dark.

Scratches: Directors Cut comes with a virus as a bonus

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 31, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Well, I wish I could provide a review but both copies I have received had a virus. The first copy I sent back for an exchange. Same thing with the new copy, a virus. They also promised that this one would work. It's not even worth my time to send it back again. In the trash it goes.

I loved the adrenaline rush

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 02, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This was a great game though if you're not big on being scared then this probubly isn't the game for you. Another thing about it is the ending is a little confusing and you don't completly understand what happened. You also don't get an answer like you do to murder mysteries (there's always a killer), but here there's no resolve, but maybe you disagree. I loved the game and you should find out your self weather or not you like it. Me, I loved the adrenaline rush.

Be Aware of the Game Requirements

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: March 04, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Be aware of the technical requirements for Scratches Director's Cut. The game requires a graphics card that supports Open GL. Not all graphics cards do. In fact, I know of very few that do. Without an appropriate video card, the game is virtually unplayable. I did not find the tech specs here on Amazon, so I only saw them once the box arrived. Nucleosys has posted several workarounds on their site. They may word for you, they didn't for me.

The Open GL requirement only exists, as far as I know, for the Director's Cut version of the game. The original should play well on almost any card. But you won't get the bonus material.

You'll die of boredom, not of fright

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 5 / 16
Date: July 19, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have enjoyed playing adventure games, like those by Dreamcather. But the mystery in this game is when does something happen? I wandered the house for over an HOUR and nothing happened!

My first clue should have been that it took an incredibly long time to install (it's a single CD). It sat there and (loaded into memory?) for several minutes that I thought it had hung up--there was no progress bar or indication that it was doing something prior to installing. And if they were re-vamping the game to give it an alternate ending, why didn't they fix such an obvious error as having the 'hotspot' for the doorknob on the wrong side of the front door!? They also talk about updated music, but it's not like it plays, except sporadically, so it's not setting any sort of mood. There was very little voice acting except at the beginning and during a phone call.

I realize this is a point-and-click adventure, not an FPS, but I expected something at least mildly interesting or spooky to happen. Something to forward the story--a clue--anything! But it was a lot of clicking to wander the place, open drawers, examine contents. I think I found one item to collect and another one (a lantern) I couldn't use because I hadn't found any oil.

When you're playing an adventure, all you have is the plot to keep you engaged. This game apparently has none and I don't see myself going back to waste more time on this. What's really scary is that they've actually added additional content--who wants more bad content?

This game is so boring.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: January 30, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have to agree with the reviewer Mystery Maven. I have played many adventure games and Scratches has to be one of the most boring ever. The first day of this game is painfully boring. It's like torture with nothing happening. It's just searching through rooms in a dull house, examining everything again and again, opening every drawer in the house, placing a few phone calls, mailing a letter...etc. I had to force myself to stay interested and keep going. It's hard to stay awake playing this game. Yes, it picks up a little on the second day but the first day is so excruciatingly dull that by the time the second day finally rolled around I was not into it anymore. The first day is really that bad. It ruins the game for me.

You also have to do certain things to trigger the game so you can continue.. like searching every inch of the house looking for candles before you are allowed to make a phone call to progress. Also, each of the many doors that you open has a cutscene and sometimes these cutscenes will get stuck. I had the game freeze up during some of these and I had to control alt delete and restart the game. You will also be opening the same doors over and over and over again. This gets old after a while.

I just got through playing one of the best adventure games ever, "Darkness Within, In Pursuit of Loath Nolder". Scratches seriously pales in comparison.

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