Scratches - Director's Cut

Scratches - Director’s Cut is a point and click horror game developed by Nucleosys, an Argentinian developer that was formed by Agustin Cortes as well as a man named Alejandro Graziani. I don’t really know much about the development of this game, but I know where I originally heard about this game per say: popular youtubist Grimbeard. I had been following him for a long time and had happened to come across his video on Scratches - The Director’s Cut along with a lot of other games I had either seen before or hadn’t seen before at all. However, getting access to the game isn’t simple in the slightest, mainly due to the fact that there was a falling out between Agustin Cortes and his former business partner and as such can only give out codes for the game instead. I ended up joining Agustin’s new company’s (named Senscape) discord server and had dwelled in there for a bit, grabbing a code for me as well as another friend whose birthday had been coming up soon which Agustin was nice enough to help me with. As for how I began to play Scratches, one of the friends who I stream games for on Saturday had chosen this game to be in the list of titles to play and as such, we gave this a spin over the course of two Saturdays (or one and a quarter of a Saturday) and then finished it, and this review is what came out of it. For Plot/Voice Acting and rest of the review: https://www.backloggd.com/u/gamemast15r/review/1947856/ The gameplay of Scratches is fundamentally easy to describe: from the first person point of view, you click around your general vicinity and click around in order to move around the environment. You solve puzzles by collecting objects, combining objects together, reading notes around Blackwood Manor and rummaging through people's things while narrating whatever comes off out of the narrator’s head. The one thing I’ll start with on this end is that on the first day, I got stuck without having the ability to move towards the next day due to the fact that the game wouldn’t let me move forward until I had opened ONE cabinet that I forgot to open. Essentially in order to fix this, I had to backtrack several times and open up one of the kitchen cabinets before Michael essentially gave up on trying to find those damn candles. Keep in mind that you’ll be double checking sometimes and triple checking if you’re not exactly sure where you’re going and as such, I ended up (like any game where I had to use puzzles) using a Steam guide to go through my steps, after which I had to jump back and forth between that and another written one (on Game Boomers) due to the sheer fact that the first guide got some of the ordering mixed up (like when letters are supposed to arrive in the mail). The puzzle stuff is cool as hell when you figure it out, and there were some times where I realized that I could do it on my own (which I did some alternate ending steps by accident) but you’ll be doing a lot of backtracking for puzzles that can be vague and confusing to follow sometimes. One puzzle that felt kind of egregious to me is the fact that certain letter blocks spell out ROBIN in the sealed off bedroom, which you’re supposed to translate to a number code to open a box in the study, and another one was trying to get a shiny object in the greenhouse flooded out which required me to fiddle with a nozzle a lot. Also keep in mind that sometimes in order to use an item if it doesn’t work, double click on the item in the environment (not the inventory) in case it’s zoomed in all the way. Otherwise, the game plays like any other adventure game and when Michael comes up with certain theories and ideas for traversal, it’s entertaining to watch him gather a rope and climb from the top of the house into the sealed off nursery room. Scratches as a point and click adventure game was a fascinating one filled with a lot of brooding tension that I had enjoyed my time with for the most part. The game has a lot of positives for me that resonated from the sounds of creaky floors and footsteps, the ominous score, the charming but amateur voice acting, the old styled graphical fidelity with an environment that looks old but beautiful to me at the same time. The plot also has a lot of buildup that goes well and background lore that feels interesting but at the same time, I feel like there were a lot of plot holes and gameplay segments where I feel like you would either need to be an expert or super thorough with everything you do. Regardless of some of its frustrating moments, I had really enjoyed my time with Scratches and as such would definitely recommend that people who are interested in adventure games to definitely give this game a shot or at least watch a playthrough if you can’t get access to it. The problem is exactly that however: not being able to get access to it. In order to do that, again you have to go to the Senscape Discord Server and kind of dwell around in order to gain access to it due to rights issues and the likes which is a damn shame. There are other options of course, like going to Abandonware.com but I’m not exactly sure how that would go about, but if you’re not worried about playing the game on Steam then that might be one of the better options. Soon after the release of Scratches and its Director’s Cut a year later, Nucleosys would develop one game named Risk Profile: Federal Cases and would be in the middle of developing another project before shutting down and parting ways. Forming Senscape, Agustin would go on to start up the development of another full length adventure game named ASYLUM which has been in the works since 2010 and is apparently just in the Beta Stage of playtesting as of today. Another project that they worked on is the free to play Serena that was a part of a collaboration with several other developers before being released. Regardless, I’m looking forward to eventually playing ASYLUM and perhaps giving Serena a shot having seen a friend of mine play it a couple of years ago! As for Scratches itself, I find it sad that the game is in a state of limbo fight between two developers as it deserves a full fledged release for everyone to try. Links: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=175656923 https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2633765538 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-pz8WLNydw (alternate ending) http://www.gameboomers.com/wtcheats/pcSs/scratches.htm https://worthplaying.com/article/2009/7/27/news/63755-nucleosys-shutting-down/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkugHUWVOvc (Grimbeard Review) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratches_(video_game) https://www.gamesindustry.biz/scratches-original-soundtrack-now-available https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Trivia/Scratches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDHg4TghbVM (Scratches Soundtrack) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0954349/ https://www.discogs.com/artist/667035-Cellar-Of-Rats#:~:text=Also%20created%20music%20for%20the,(2005)%20by%20Realms%20Entertainment.&text=Also%20produced%20and%20published%20the,.%2C%20sound%20designer%20and%20composer https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGame/Scratches https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scratches_(video_game)

Gotta tell Jerry about this game, it is awesome...

Underrated game. Music is good. The creepy atmosphere is good. One of my favourites. Recommend it if you like and enjoy point & click games like I do. 7/10

Ох, как бы мне хотелось, чтобы игра вновь ожила. Вернуться бы в ту самую атмосферу.

WHYD YOU SENT ME TO A DOUBLE RITUALISTIC AFRICAN MURDERHOUSE JERRY!?

Thank you for the copy! ahhh 😭💜 This was the first horror PC game I ever played and is such a cult classic. The atmosphere of the game is perfect with the soundtrack really bringing the suspense. The horror in this game is less jump scares and more about eerie vibes while exploring. I strongly recommend it if you are more into horror stories vs the typical jump scare horror games. Ty again to the Devs for the copy and so excited for their next game "Asylum" 💜

uhh came here to buy the game. realized i already own the game. am now going to play the game. maybe i have too many game.

One of the best horror point and click games I have ever played. It's now a custom of me to play it every Halloween. If you're into horror games, Dracula series and that sort of stuff I could not recommend this enough. Play this game asap and support the developer by buying their next game, ASYLUM.

"Scratches" is a point-and-click horror adventure game that truly excels in crafting a chilling and immersive atmosphere. Developed by Nucleosys, the game thrusts players into the eerie world of Blackwood Manor, an abandoned mansion teeming with secrets and supernatural lore. **Atmosphere and Storytelling:** The standout feature of "Scratches" is its meticulously crafted atmosphere. The game uses sound, music, and visuals to create a pervasive sense of dread. From the creaking floorboards to the howling wind, every audio detail contributes to the unsettling ambiance. The storyline is rich with mystery, slowly unfolding through journal entries, letters, and cryptic clues scattered throughout the mansion. The narrative keeps players engaged, as each discovery leads to more questions, deepening the intrigue. **Gameplay and Puzzles:** "Scratches" employs classic point-and-click mechanics, which might feel nostalgic for fans of the genre. The puzzles range from straightforward to moderately challenging, requiring a keen eye and logical thinking. While some puzzles might feel a bit obtuse, they are generally well-integrated into the story, enhancing the sense of exploration and discovery. **Graphics and Design:** The game's visual design, though somewhat dated by modern standards, still holds up due to its artistic direction. The detailed environments and the oppressive architecture of Blackwood Manor are rendered with a grim, realistic style that adds to the game's ominous tone. The static backgrounds and limited character animations might seem old-fashioned, but they contribute to the game's haunting charm. **Conclusion:** "Scratches" is not a game for those seeking fast-paced action or jump scares. Instead, it offers a slow-burning, atmospheric experience that rewards patience and attention to detail. Its ability to create and sustain a creepy, unsettling mood makes it a memorable entry in the horror adventure genre. For those who appreciate a well-told story wrapped in layers of mystery and a thick fog of dread, "Scratches" is a journey worth undertaking.