Scratches

 PC
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 18
  3. Negative: 3 out of 18
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  1. Just Adventure
    100
    They have really pulled out all the stops with their first effort and created one classic piece of Adventure gaming. Just don’t get too used to that luxury called sleep.
  2. PC Gameworld
    83
    A creepy and fun title, fans of the Myst series and with a love of horror will be right at home in this game.
  3. PC Gamer
    82
    Scratches won't appeal to everyone, but for fans of quaint English ghost stories/mysteries, it's to die for. [May 2006, p.102]
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  5. Adventure Gamers
    80
    Scratches is a great adventure game that shouldn't be missed by anyone who enjoys a story well told within a scary, gothic presentation.
  6. Quandary
    80
    Both the story and the gameplay are substantial and the game is genuinely scary rather than gory. Proving once again that you don't need dripping blood and gore to be scary.
  7. Four Fat Chicks
    80
    With an original concept and less cliché-mongering, we could be bearing witness to a rising star. For now, though, it flickers with dim promise on the horizon, catching our eye but not holding us long enough to do much more than raise a finger and point.
  8. Worth Playing
    80
    Scratches is not "F.E.A.R." – it is infinitely more subtle. It is not "Monkey Island" – it is far darker with less arbitrary puzzles. Scratches is a work of art in the horror genre, and if you aren't willing to appreciate it as such, you should not bother.
  9. IGN
    77
    If you're an adventure gaming veteran, especially if you like the horror / creepy / gothic-type atmosphere, then Scratches is for you. It's a solid game although a bit on the short side as you may be able to get through it in less than a day.
  10. Game Over Online
    76
    It’s creepy and it’s involving, but it has some annoying technical problems (the game must have locked up on me over a dozen times while I was playing it), the engine isn’t very sophisticated, and the puzzles are hit and miss.
  11. GameZone
    74
    It's the standard point-and-click adventure/horror/mystery game that has been around for years. The ability to look around to several different areas of the same area is a welcomed feature but results in some problems in moving to different areas in the game.
  12. Game Chronicles
    73
    This is one creepy, horror adventure game that not only features solid gameplay (the point and click style) but also an amazingly good storyline. It boasts good graphics, sound, and interesting puzzles that never become tedious or annoying.
  13. Digital Entertainment News
    58
    Scratches would have been a runaway hit … 10 years ago. Today? It’s just fairly tedious. This one’s only for die-hard point-and-click fans; others will be bored stiff.
  14. My Gamer
    56
    Scratches was developed by a two-man team: one designer and one artist. We have to admit that’s pretty impressive.
  15. GameCritics
    55
    It's shame that the ending is so inadvisably abrupt, opting for a limp 'shock' finale rather than a satisfying closure that would have sat so much better with the game's slow-burning narrative.
  16. Gamer 2.0
    54
    It's got some nice touches, but in the end, it's too buggy, too cliched, and too uninteresting to come to the head of its class.
  17. G4 TV
    40
    What starts out as a fantastic concept -- even though you have to slog through endless diaries to figure out what the heck is going on – never gathers steam.
  18. Computer Games Magazine
    40
    Unfortunately, getting there is a dull journey full of leaden exposition, mouse hovering and clicking, and inventory manipulation. [July 2006, p.67]
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  19. GameSpot
    39
    Scratches is dull, ugly, a bit short, and a perfect example of exactly why traditional adventure games have fallen out of favor.

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
62
#62 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 64 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 64
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 64
  3. Negative: 9 out of 64
  1. KcSmiff
    Apr 21, 2011
    9
    This game is NOT for people with short attention-spans or intolerance for progressive gameplay. This game starts off slow but interesting, youThis game is NOT for people with short attention-spans or intolerance for progressive gameplay. This game starts off slow but interesting, you need to be attentive and observant to notice what you need to do next. Reading and conceiving a story is part of the game as well, it's more about being involved rather then getting some gold sparkly achievement.

    And when it starts getting creepy, you WILL know, Dead Space or Silent Hill can't creep/scare the crap out of you like this game when it begins sinking its teeth in. Haven't felt this creeped out since Amnesia: The Dark Decsent. I only mentioned Dead Space as a marker for certain people. Dead Space is pretty tame, the type of game that 'might' of scared me when I was 12 =p

    Oh and yeah, I love this game! If only I had this game sooner.

    MUST: Play the game at night, with headphones on, with the lights off.    … Full Review »
  2. DeathtoSpongify
    Sep 20, 2013
    9
    Although the title font and color might lead one to assume that this is just a throwaway horror flick, Scratches actually provides aAlthough the title font and color might lead one to assume that this is just a throwaway horror flick, Scratches actually provides a compelling game experience. While it may not add much to the point-and-click adventure scene, this really ought not count against it; in a time when point-and-clicks are really made purely for the sake of classicism more than innovation, this game does a great job of capturing the spirit of the genre. This set aside, the game offers a story which keeps the player guessing through the end, and provides a good dose of suspense and an occasional jump to go with it. The visuals are stunning, as well as the sound layers; both do a good job of attaining a solid feeling of immersion, very similar to reading a good suspense novel. All in all, this game may not look like much from the outset, but it has a lot to offer to the right player.… Full Review »
  3. Manatierchen
    Jan 20, 2013
    8
    If you love books as much as point-and-click games, you should definitely try Scratches. It's not only about an author solving a mystery, forIf you love books as much as point-and-click games, you should definitely try Scratches. It's not only about an author solving a mystery, for me the whole game felt like reading a very compelling book. Some puzzles were a bit difficult, but most of the time I was like "what would I do next?" or "what would I do in this situation?" and it worked. It's kind of difficult to remember every thing in every room, so I would recommend writing things down or even draw a map of the house and surroundings.
    What bothered me was that there's no tutorial at the beginning (for example, I had no idea how to access the inventory), the items in your bag are not labeled, so you don't know exactly what they are and you really do have a lot of clicking to do.    … Full Review »
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