[MystGirl]

I just finished this game today. Just like Barrow Hill, it's a fairly simple, and shorter game. However, whereas Barrow Hill is point and click and you move along, one frame at a time, Scatches allows more realistic movement, where you can "look around" with the mouse as you walk along. The camera angle follows the mouse to give you a 360 degree look at everything around you. I like that feature in games.

You play a writer named Michael Arthate, who moves into an old Victorian mansion in England, to get new inspiration for a new novel he's working on. Of course, after you arrive at the mansion, you uncover the tragic story of James Blackwood, and his family, who originally lived at the mansion, before he went mad and murdered his wife, and then committed suicide.

Of course, being a writer, mister Arthate must find out what's behind the mystery and the circumstances surrounding the murder of so many years ago at the mansion.

As with my review of Barrow Hill, some might find this game too simple, and short to enjoy, but if you like the idea of exploring a giant Victorian mansion, for clues and items, while the game takes a slower, laid back pace, then you might like this one. It's another one of those games, that's nice for a lazy weekend, if you have nothing else to play. Pretty easy game, overall.

I enjoyed if for what it was. No big expectations. Horror/mystery games seem to be hard to make truly "scary" these days, mostly because we've seen all the tricks of the trade before, in so many other past horror/mystery games over the years. So the "boo" factor in horror/mystery games these days, tends to be kind of watered down, in my personal opinion. I don't get easily spooked by these types of games anymore. I tend to enjoy them more for the story, and solving a mystery, instead of any potential "scare" factor. Personally, I think it's hard to make a horror/mystery game feel truly "new" these days, since they all seem to contain the same past elements. However, even with familiar elements, they can still be enjoyable, and I my jaded heart still liked exploring the old Victorian mansion in this one.

As far as "been there, done that" horror/mystery elements, this one is no exception. However, I enjoyed exploring the old mansion, and to add to the "spooky" feel, play it at night in a dark room. This is a first person game, and the only people you interact with, are the phone calls you have to make from time to time to talk to your friend Jerry, who gives you more "clues", or to continue to a new part of the game. You also call a couple of other folks for some info, but Jerry is your main lifeline to the game.

There are plenty of rooms to explore in this old house, with items to pick up, combine, use, etc. And of course, there are journals and other things to read to find out more about the story behind the murder, and the family members themselves.

The mansion is pretty much where you stay the entire game. There are some other areas you explore outside of the mansion, an old garage, for example, among a few other places, but for the most part, you'll be spending a lot of time in the mansion. If you don't mind that, then you'll enjoy checking out the different rooms, and occasionally hearing spooky sounds as you figure out what to do next.

Just like Barrow Hill, this is another game that was rated "T" for Teen, but could easily pass as "E" for Everyone. Much younger players could play this game, since it's more "spooky", then scary.

Anyway, if you like exploring old rooms, in old mansions, and don't mind "simpler" game play, then you'll enjoy this game. It's a good horror/mystery game to introduce to your kids, if you're worried about them getting nightmares from other scarier games, since this one is pretty tame.

Scratches is a nice, simple, laid back game. Nothing too difficult here. Enjoy!