is the scotch game actually a good opening?

The scotch game is a aggressive opening to open up the centre and strike the opponent. It's great opening but for under 1200 elo. BTW it's good opening you just need to practice and study them.

I'd say its a good aggresive opening. You can really easily go to 1400 rapid elo by having an advantage from the opening. I managed to play the scotch till 1800rapid. But now it just doesnt work ,,,, so I changed to the spanish

I am not a fan of scoth game as white. At higher level it is known to lead to fairly easy equality.

At low level, 4. ...Qh4?! ( the Steinitz variation) seems to give White a lot of headache. It is considered dubious, but is very tricky to counter, and what's more important - not in taste of many a white player. Too often even if White happen to have looked up the supposed refutation, he usually fails to prove anything with it.

in all honesty the scotch game is very solid where both sides have ideas and potential to win, the only issue is that black isnt as under attack or pressured as he typically is, so take that into consideration