Scratches
Nucleosys
Publisher: Got Game Entertainment
★
7.0
23 user ratings
★
7.5
24 critic ratings
★★★★★★★★★★
VOTES
24
Summary
Scratches is a mystery adventure computer game created by developer Nucleosys. It holds the distinction of being the first commercially released adventure game developed in Argentina. The game is set in the Blackwood estate, located on the outskirts of Rothbury, a quiet rural town in Northumberland, England, during 1976. Originally built by James T. Blackwood in 1963, the mansion is inherited by Christopher Milton after Blackwood is suspected of killing his wife. A few days later, Blackwood suffers a sudden heart attack, though some locals begin to whisper that he may have taken his own life. With no conclusive evidence, the police officially close the case. Shortly after taking possession of the house, Milton vanishes in 1970 without a trace. Players step into the shoes of Michael Arthate, the next occupant of the estate, a writer in search of solitude to complete his next novel. Upon moving in, he quickly discovers that the house is haunted by its dark history—literally, as strange scratching noises echo throughout, especially in the basement and around the fireplaces. His focus soon shifts from writing to uncovering the secrets of the house. Scratches is played from a first-person perspective, with players using a mouse to explore different rooms and locations to unravel the mysteries behind Blackwood and Milton's fates. The game's chilling atmosphere is enhanced by music and sound effects from the now-defunct Cellar of Rats, adding to the eerie experience in the mansion, crypt, greenhouse, and nearby church. The game draws strong inspiration from the H.P. Lovecraft mythos, with several direct nods to Lovecraft's works. In-game elements include references to the Necronomicon, De Vermis Mysteriis, Lovecraft's story "The Mountains of Madness," and a critic of Michael's book named R'yleh. Michael also mentions in the game that he recently relocated to Rothbury from Providence, Rhode Island—Lovecraft's birthplace.
