Scratches (video game)

Wealthy construction engineer James T. Blackwood and his wife Catherine reside in Blackwood Manor on the outskirts of Rothbury, England. James is accused of murdering Catherine in 1963, after which the manor becomes owned by the couple's friend and long-time doctor Christopher Milton. James suddenly dies from a heart attack a few days later, though some in Rothbury believe he killed himself. The police close the case due to a lack of evidence. In 1970, Christopher inexplicably disappears without a trace.

In 1976, American author Michael Arthate becomes the manor's newest owner. Seeking seclusion to work on his next book, he instead becomes more interested in researching the house's history when he finds that the house echoes its horrific past, which manifests as a scratching sound that is particularly loud in the basement and near fireplaces.

In the end, Michael discovers that the scratching noises are caused by James and Catherine's severely deformed son Robin, who had been locked in the basement the whole time. Michael flees the house, later finishing his novel and becoming a prolific writer as a result of his experience.

An early version of the game's ending saw Michael using a magic amulet to kill Robin and revive him as a fully functional human. The amulet would come with a puzzle, with Michael dying if the player could not solve the puzzle. Lead developer Agustin Cordes said the ending was "completely unfair in terms of design" and it was abandoned.{{cite web|url=http://videogamepotpourri.blogspot.com/2012/12/interview-with-agustin-cordes-lead.html |title=Videogame Potpourri: Interview with Agustin Cordes (lead developer of Scratches) |publisher=Videogamepotpourri.blogspot.com |date=13 December 2012 |accessdate=4 May 2014}}

In the Director's Cut edition of the game, a side quest called "The Last Visit" continues the story of the house after Michael flees. An unnamed reporter is sent to uncover the mysteries of Blackwood Manor before its scheduled demolition. The place has become a scene of ruin, full of looting, graffiti, and vandalism. The reporter ultimately discovers Robin, who chases him until Milton appears back at the manor to speak with Robin. As the reporter escapes, Robin leaps onto Milton and presumably kills him. Blackwood Manor is later demolished and the reporter notes that the mystery of a mask found inside the home remains unsolved.

• Michael Arthate: An American author whose successful debut novel Vanishing Town (a reference to Dark Fall) left him with enough wealth to purchase Blackwood Manor, achieving his longtime dream of owning a Victorian estate.

• James Thomas Blackwood: An eccentric gentleman who had always been a prominent figure in his native Rothbury, being one of the most successful construction engineers in the region.

• Catherine Lydia Blackwood: James' enigmatic wife who teaches English at a local school.

• Christopher Edward Milton: A close friend and long-time doctor of the Blackwood family.

• Eva Mariani: An Italian immigrant and aspiring photographer who was the Blackwood family's maid.

• William Bailey: A retired police chief who was in charge of the investigation into Catherine's death in the early 1960s. He was convinced of James' guilt but was never able to convict him.

• Jerry P. Carter: Michael's old friend and a successful real estate agent.

• Barbara Stiles: Michael's assistant who aids him with fan mail and contacts magazines around the world to offer them his short stories.

• Robin Blackwood: The son of James and Catherine Blackwood who was kept hidden from the public due to his deformities.

Scratches uses a first-person perspective to navigate around the house. Using only a mouse, the player can access various rooms and other places in order to solve the mystery of both Blackwood and Milton's disappearances. It features music and sound effects by composer Cellar of Rats.{{Cite web|title=Four Fat Chicks -- Scratches Review|url=http://tap-repeatedly.com/Reviews/Scratches/Scratches.shtml|access-date=2021-04-12|website=tap-repeatedly.com}}{{Cite web|date=2005-03-05|title=Untitled Document|url=https://gameplaymonthly.com/interviews/scratches.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305075533/https://gameplaymonthly.com/interviews/scratches.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-03-05|access-date=2021-04-12}}{{Cite web|last=s.r.o|first=Sector|title=Scratches steny presiaknuté hororom|url=https://www.sector.sk/novinka/22675/scratches-steny-presiaknute-hororom.htm|access-date=2021-04-12|website=Sector.sk|language=sk}} The game is heavily influenced by H. P. Lovecraft and makes references to his works such as the Necronomicon, De Vermis Mysteriis, The Mountains of Madness, and the city of R'yleh. Michael also states that he moved to Rothbury from Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.{{Cite web|title=Got Game Entertainment "Scratches" North America|url=http://home.nestor.minsk.by/game/news/2005/12/3002.html|access-date=2021-04-12|website=home.nestor.minsk.by}}

Scratches was developed by a two-man team in Buenos Aires. Agustín Cordes did the programming and design, while Alejandro Graziani did the art direction. The developers opted to create their own game engine called SCREAM (Simple CReation Engine for Adventure Makers) rather than licensing a pre-existing engine. SCREAM utilised a combination of pre-rendered and 3D graphics, creating what the team referred to as "pseudo-3D", an effect which was hard to create using existing adventure game engines.{{Cite web|date=2005-02-15|title=Adventure Gamers : Scratches|url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,468/p,2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050215070615/http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,468/p,2|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-02-15|access-date=2021-04-12}}

The game was designed to be non-linear.{{Cite web|title=Hororová adventura Scratches hotova {{!}} GAMES.CZ|url=https://games.tiscali.cz/tema/hororova-adventura-scratches-hotova-233134|access-date=2021-04-12|website=games.tiscali.cz|language=cs}} Its atmosphere has been compared to that of Resident Evil.{{Cite web|last=Nerces|date=2005-06-27|title=Micro Application dévoile Scratches de Nucleosys|url=https://www.clubic.com/actualite-20954-micro-application-devoile-scratches-de-nucleosys.html|access-date=2021-04-12|website=Clubic.com|language=fr}} Artwork from the game started being released in 2004.{{Cite web|last=s.r.o|first=Sector|title=Scratches obrázky|url=https://www.sector.sk/novinka/22894/scratches-obrazky.htm|access-date=2021-04-12|website=Sector.sk|language=sk}} The Director's Cut saw changes analogous to those between Myst and its remake Realmyst.{{Cite web|title=Scratches: Director's Cut Review - Mr. Bill's Adventureland|url=http://www.mrbillsadventureland.com/reviews/s-t/scratchesR/scratchesdcR.htm|access-date=2021-04-12|website=www.mrbillsadventureland.com}}

Scratches went gold February 21, 2006.{{Cite web|title=Evil Is Ready To Play As Got Game Entertainment Announces "Scratches" Goes Gold|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/evil-is-ready-to-play-as-got-game-entertainment-announces-scratches-goes-gold|access-date=2021-04-12|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=21 February 2006 |language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Gold - Scratches - Blue's News Comments|url=https://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewthread&boardid=1&threadid=64762&view=flatold&change=view|access-date=2021-04-12|website=Blue's News}}

Scratches was first released in North America on March 8, 2006 through game publisher Got Game Entertainment. However, Nucleosys had plans to release several international versions of the game worldwide.

A German version of the game has been available since March 2006 (published by Rondomedia), as has the Italian version Graffi Mortali (published by Power Up). A Greek version of the game is also available. A Russian version of the game has been available since May 2006 (published by Russobit-M[http://www.russobit-m.ru/catalogue/item/scratches/ Scratches on Russobit-M official site (in Russian)]). The Spanish version of the game (Rasguños) was announced but was never completed.

Nucleosys in 2007 released a "Director's Cut" version of Scratches, which includes an alternate ending and two more hours of gameplay. In addition to remastered sound, graphics and more.[http://www.gotgameentertainment.com/scratchesdc/index.html Scratches: Director's Cut] This version was announced on March 16, 2007.{{Cite web|last=Dubin|first=Jayson|date=2012-05-04|title=Got Game Announces Scratches: Director's Cut|url=https://www.gamezone.com/news/got_game_announces_scratches_director_s_cut/|access-date=2021-04-12|website=GameZone|language=en-US}} The title was part of Got Game Entertainment's mixed genre of games in 2007.{{Cite web|last=Wallis|first=Alistair|title=Q&A: Got Game On PC Adventures, PSP Plans|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/103264/QA_Got_Game_On_PC_Adventures_PSP_Plans.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115030023/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/103264/QA_Got_Game_On_PC_Adventures_PSP_Plans.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 15, 2013|access-date=2021-04-12|website=www.gamasutra.com|date=15 January 2007|language=en}} On October 21, 2010, Meridian4 announced that they had signed a digital publishing agreement with Nucleosys for this game.{{Cite web|title=Scratches: Director's Cut|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/scratches--director-s-cut-meridian4-itching-to-release-it-digitally|access-date=2021-04-12|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=21 October 2010 |language=en}}

There were plans to create a Director's Commentary with a few additional features but as a result of Nucleosys' shutdown, it will not be released.

In 2012, Meridian4 released Scratches on Steam.{{Citation|title=Meridian4 Releases 'Scratches' on Steam - IGN|date=21 April 2011 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/04/21/meridian4-releases-scratches-on-steam|language=en|access-date=2021-04-12}}

Versions for Linux and Mac OS X were planned, but were never released before the demise of the developer.

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 67% {{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/scratches/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Scratches |publisher=Metacritic |accessdate=10 July 2011}}

| GSpot = 3.9/10{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/scratches/review.html?sid=6146641 |title=Scratches Review |last=Davis |first=Ryan |publisher=GameSpot |date=2006-03-24 |accessdate=10 July 2011}}

| GameZone = 7.4/10

| IGN = 7.7/10

}}

Globally, Scratches sold more than 150,000 units by March 2007.{{cite press release | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101075628/http://www.gotgameentertainment.com:80/news/scratchesdc/16mar07.htm | url=http://www.gotgameentertainment.com:80/news/scratchesdc/16mar07.htm | title=Got Game Entertainment Scratches and Cuts North America with Scratches: Director's Cut | location=Weston, Connecticut | date=March 16, 2007 | publisher=Got Game Entertainment | archivedate=November 1, 2007 | url-status=dead }} By 2012, sales had reached roughly 250,000 units.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121202053235/https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/23362 | url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/23362 | title=Agustín Cordes Interview | date=November 28, 2012 | author=Böke, Ingmar | work=Adventure Gamers | archivedate=December 2, 2012 | url-status=live }} Upon release of the director's cut, Wired asserted "You probably didn't play PC game Scratches".{{Cite news|title=Scratches:Director's Cut Wants to Scare You Stupid|language=en-us|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/2007/03/directors-cut-o/|access-date=2021-04-12|issn=1059-1028}}

In March 2006, Scratches ranked in the top 10 of Amazon.com's Top Sellers in Computer and Video Games, as well as in popular game indexes such as GameRankings.com.{{Cite web|last=Ivanov|first=Carmen|title=Got Game's "Scratches" Claws Its Way to The Top|url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/Got-Game-039-s-Scratches-Claws-Its-Way-To-The-Top-20322.shtml|access-date=2021-04-12|website=softpedia|date=27 March 2006|language=english}}

Scratches received mixed reviews but overall achieved an average to high score from most review sites.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} According to Gameguru the game " received decent reviews".{{Cite web|last1=P|first1=Rohan|last2=ey|date=2007-03-19|title=Scratches: Director's Cut Announced by Got Game Entertainment - GameGuru|url=https://www.gameguru.in/action/2007/19/scratches-directors-cut-announced-by-got-game-entertainment/|access-date=2021-04-12|website=Game Guru|language=en-US}} Most notably GameSpot gave the game a 3.9{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/scratches/reviews/scratches-review-6146641/|title=Scratches Review|date=25 March 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130225061858/http://www.gamespot.com/scratches/reviews/scratches-review-6146641|archive-date=25 February 2013}} and IGN gave it a 7.7,{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/03/07/scratches/|title=Scratches – IGN|date=November 2021}} emphasising the game's mixed reviews.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

GamesRadar noted that the games uses a "brooding, silent atmosphere" to "slowly build up the tension and terror".{{Cite web|last=February 2006|first=Alex_Cooke 16|title=Scratches bites on PC|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/au/scratches-bites-on-pc/|access-date=2021-04-12|website=gamesradar|date=16 February 2006|language=en}} Game Chrinocle offered a positive review on the horror aspects of the game.{{Cite web|title=Game Chronicles - Review|url=http://www.gamechronicles.com/reviews/pc/scratches/scratches.htm|access-date=2021-04-12|website=www.gamechronicles.com}} IGN seerted that it was "average" and "decent-to-good".{{Citation|title=Scratches - IGN|date=7 March 2006 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/03/07/scratches|language=en|access-date=2021-04-12}}

After Nucleosys went out of business, Agustín Cordes would go on to found Senscape, who developed the horror game Asylum after a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

Scratches is the first commercially released adventure game ever developed in Argentina.{{Cite web|title=Adventurní speciál #5: výlet do sanatoria v lovecraftovské adventuře Asylum {{!}} GAMES.CZ|url=https://games.tiscali.cz/video/adventurni-special-5-vylet-do-sanatoria-v-lovecraftovske-adventure-asylum-243612|access-date=2021-04-12|website=games.tiscali.cz|language=cs}}

• List of horror video games

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20060820090808/http://www.scratchesmystery.com/}} (archived)
• {{moby game|id=/scratches|name=Scratches}}
• [https://terrorcordoba.com.ar/2020/10/04/entrevista-a-agustin-cordes-desarrollador-videojuego/ Video interview with developer (Spanish)]

Category:2006 video games

Category:Windows games

Category:Windows-only games

Category:Cancelled Linux games

Category:Cancelled macOS games

Category:Adventure games

Category:First-person adventure games

Category:2000s horror video games

Category:Point-and-click adventure games

Category:Video games developed in Argentina

Category:Video games set in country houses

Category:Video games set in Northumberland

Category:Russobit-M games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Got Game Entertainment games

Category:Meridian4 games