Scratches Impressions January 12,2006 - Writer’s block. Those who’ve spent copious amounts of time working on a novel only to find the dénouement allude them will know of the mounting frustration that comes with the blinking cursor screaming for the next word to be typed, or the dangling pen awaiting the next bout of inspiration.

It makes sense then that Scractches’ pen-handy protagonist, Michael Arthate, believes that by relocating to an ageing three-storey house, he can finish off his novel. The change of scenery, for instance, may just inject the wordsmith with the necessary inspiration and allow for those final pages to be written. What’s less plausible is the notion that within the house, something sinister lurks.

Contrived? Perhaps, but the sense of atmosphere that reverberates about the house is instantly compelling and imminently satisfying. And yes, Scratches is an adventure game utilizing an immersive first-person viewpoint. Immersive being the key word, since immersion will ultimately play a key role in determining how highly the scares rate on player’s fright-o-meter.

Undoubtedly enough, scares will play an integral part in this horror-themed adventure, with inspiration clearly drawn from the spook-inducing flicks of the last few decades as Arthate delves deeper into the mystery surrounding his newly-aquired mansion, and the reason for the past-owner’s disappearance.

But above and beyond thickly layered aesthetics, Scracthes plays nicely. Although we do tend to frown upon node-based games, Scractches survives our critical pawing by including the ability to freely move the camera with the mouse, whilst initiating movement with the click of the mouse. Unfortunately, you’re forced to move the mouse about the screen until the hand icon indicates it’s possible to progress, and we suspect that in moments of time-scarce desperation it’ll prove a hindrance.

Aside from being a node-based game, Scratches makes use of another convention found in others of the ilk: that of time. Upon saving your game you’ll have the time of day recorded and this indicates the progression made. With each puzzle solved the clock will advance, although it remains stagnant until the next piece of the puzzle is unearthed.

The puzzles themselves are inventory-orientated and in this sense, fairly logical. The ability to call outsiders via the telephone is an excellent touch too. Furthermore, in moments of frustration as you wander about the moribund mansion; mulling the awaiting puzzle, it’s often possible to find that you merely need to make a phone call to attain progression. So yes, if you’re stuck, the telephone can often be the answer.

Any faults to be found in the demo version of Scratches are common afflictions of the genre. Since the game makes use of a node system and relies on time, it’s easy to wander about without an inkling of what to do next. Frustrating, yes, but undeniably rewarding too when you’ve finally got past that annoying bit.

Without being too judgmental, it’s easy to say Scratches made a firm impression on us. From the seedy, husky visuals; the richly layered atmosphere and the impressive 360 degree camera, it’s amazing this has all been achieved by two Argentineans. And yes, Scratches also sounds positively excellent, with footsteps given the extra emphasis, and voice-work notably better than its compatriots.

But whether or not we’ll enjoy the game for the duration of its tenure? In short bursts, it’s a fun game; we only hope Scratches goes above and beyond the desire to scare. We want a smattering of variety and something original to make it stand above the genre staples.

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