Scratches

"Definitely not the greatest survival horror game, but worth a try..."

Plot:

You're Michael Arthate, author of one book, Vanishing Town, and currently working on yet another. You acquired a huge, Victiorian style mansion from your good friend, Jerry Carter. But when you get inside, you get a strange sense of foreboding and soon uncover a horrific past.

Graphics: 9

For a PC game, the graphics are very detailed and minute. You're able to tell what everything is suppose to be and nothing looks clumpy or distorted. The game has a grainy look to it, but that's just part of it.

Controls: 7

If you have a weak stomach, or are very light headed, then this game probably isn't for you. There's a lot of spinning around in full, 360 degrees. But you can do it fast or slow, depends on you and your settings. It's your average point and click horror/adventure game. I'm more into the text based games myself, but I digress. The hand is your guide and it'll open if you can pick something up or perform a certain action on a certain item. Otherwise, it'll remain closed with the forefinger pointing. You just basically point to wherever you wish to go and a small watch will appear if you can go through a door or up and down stairs. A magnifying glass will appear if you can look closer at an item. Most of the time, there's a purpose for examining certain items more closely.

Music: 10

The one thing I loved about this game is how the music fits every situation. It's sad, creepy, and I found it just absolutely haunting. The sound effects aren't just some cheap noises, either. They sound REAL, not just piddly clanks and knocks. When you pick up the phone, it'll sound like you're really picking it up.

Gameplay: 9

Once the game's completed, that's it. You can't go back like some games and try different solutions to different puzzles. There's no action sequences except the end so there's no way you can die. There are several save slots but you don't need to save all that much.

Unlike most games that tell you EXACTLY what to look for and WHERE, this game is about as vague as you can get. Basically, you're thrown into it assuming you know what to do right off the bat. Some things are obvious, others are not. Most of the puzzles are just having to think back and putting two and two together. Some objects in your inventory can be combined and of course, can be used on other items in the game itself.

You may find the ending totally confusing, like I did, even after you've read all the diaries and newspapers and phoned every person possible. It definitely made me jump out of my seat.

Overall: 9

I recommend downloading this, otherwise, buy it from the store. If you're a big horror/adventure fan, then you'll definitely want to try this game out!

Happy playing!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/25/06