Sally Face

About

Sally Face is a single player action adventure game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Portable Moose and was released on April 15, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Sally Face" is a dark mystery adventure game, composed of five episodes, in which players control a boy with a prosthetic face, named Sally, who moves into a new apartment filled with eccentric tenants and unravels supernatural events with his handheld video game system, the Gear Boy. The game features hand-drawn art, quirky characters, and a unique narrative inspired by 1990s Nicktoons and personal nightmares. The subsequent episodes build upon the introduction of Sally Face in the first episode, "Strange Neighbors."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,809 reviews

story1.6k positive mentions

grinding24 negative mentions

Engaging and emotional storyline that captivates players and keeps them invested.
Unique art style and soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
Well-developed characters with relatable backstories and strong friendships.

Some puzzles can be overly complex or unintuitive, leading to frustration.
The final chapter feels rushed and leaves many plot points unresolved.
Missable content can lead to confusion and a lack of clarity in the story.

story
2,873 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The story of "Sally Face" is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and unique blend of horror and mystery elements. Players find themselves deeply invested in the characters and their complex backstories, with many noting the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from joy to heartbreak. While some critiques mention pacing issues and a convoluted narrative in later episodes, the overall consensus is that the storytelling is compelling and engaging, making it a standout title in the indie game scene.
- “This game has an incredible story and game-play.”
- “The story is captivating and the gameplay is fun.”
- “Sally face offers an incredibly captivating story crafted by a single developer, and it's nothing short of a masterpiece.”
- “The story can be somewhat hard to follow at times, but overall it's really interesting, takes lots of twists and turns, and even has quite a few sections that switch up the gameplay to keep you invested.”
- “The story feels rushed and just tackled on.”
- “The story is incredibly simple and, in my opinion, poorly written.”
graphics
726 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
43%
1%
The graphics of "Sally Face" are widely praised for their unique and distinctive art style, which combines grotesque and cartoonish elements to create a haunting atmosphere that complements the game's psychological horror themes. Many players appreciate the hand-drawn visuals and the way the art evolves throughout the episodes, enhancing the storytelling experience. While some find the style unconventional or off-putting at first, it ultimately grows on most players, contributing to the game's overall charm and emotional impact.
- “The art style is unique, and the story scratches that mystery cult lore itch that I seem to have.”
- “The graphics are incredibly charming and I personally adore them.”
- “Sally face is such a beautiful, story-rich point-and-click thriller/horror game that's very Tim Burton, Coraline, Fran Bow, Phantom of the Opera-esque with its child-like, haunting narrative spanning multiple perspectives and periods of time.”
- “The art style is pretty bad.”
- “I wasn't really a fan of the art style of this game at first; it looked cheap, to put it bluntly, which made it feel like the game would be cheap and lacking in content.”
- “It was clearly rushed and all the effort was put into different art styles rather than the story, which leads to a rushed and not-so-great ending.”
music
658 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
1%
The music in "Sally Face" has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and emotional depth. The original soundtrack, created by the developer, features a mix of rock and metal influences that resonate well with the game's dark themes, making it a standout aspect for players. Overall, the music is described as captivating, memorable, and integral to the gaming experience, often leaving a lasting impression on players long after they finish the game.
- “The music complements the atmosphere perfectly, setting the tone for each scene, whether it's eerie or heartfelt.”
- “The soundtrack seamlessly integrates with the narrative, enhancing the emotional impact of each moment.”
- “The music is so good, it makes me feel.. things.”
- “The music doesn't really add much to the atmosphere and I don't remember any of the tunes from it, either.”
- “I do wish the songs were a bit higher quality since they sound very bitcrushed in a lot of places, however I ended up getting used to it, since a lot of these songs are really catchy, especially the main menu theme.”
- “The music department was, perhaps, the only aspect of the game that did not really impress me.”
gameplay
364 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The gameplay of "Sally Face" is primarily a point-and-click adventure that combines simple mechanics with engaging storytelling, allowing players to explore a richly detailed world filled with puzzles and character interactions. While many players appreciate the narrative depth and emotional resonance, some find the gameplay repetitive and occasionally frustrating, particularly in later episodes where mechanics can feel inconsistent or overly simplistic. Overall, the game is praised for its unique art style and compelling story, though it may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay experiences.
- “The story is incredibly well written, and the way it blends gameplay with dark, emotional, and surreal storytelling is something really special.”
- “Creative and interesting story with easy yet immersive gameplay, fun easter eggs along the way, well-developed characters, and the multiple art styles were the cherry on top.”
- “The gameplay is simple and deliberately paced, allowing the narrative and atmosphere to take center stage.”
- “The gameplay is the most frustrating thing in the world.”
- “That said, the episode’s brevity and minimal gameplay may leave some players wanting more from a traditional game structure.”
- “Gameplay can be a bit tedious at times with a lot of repetition and backtracking for large portions of the game.”
emotional
306 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Sally Face" is widely praised, with players reporting profound connections to the characters and story, often leading to tears throughout the gameplay. The game masterfully blends dark themes with heartfelt moments, creating an emotional rollercoaster that resonates deeply with players, making them feel a range of emotions from joy to heartbreak. Many reviews highlight the well-crafted narrative and character development, which leave a lasting impact and foster a strong sense of attachment to the game's world.
- “A strange, beautiful, and heartbreaking masterpiece.”
- “The story is incredibly well written, and the way it blends gameplay with dark, emotional, and surreal storytelling is something really special.”
- “Sally face is an amazing, upsetting, inspirational and all around fun game to play, its great to have a character that bends gender norms to project ones values and beliefs into the character, sal is a brilliant character and i cried my eyes out when he *spoiler*, larry is a character full of funny moments, sal and larry's brotherly bond is so so so sweet and bonus!”
atmosphere
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
39%
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The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of eerie visuals, haunting music, and emotional depth, creating an immersive experience that captivates players. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of nostalgia and unease, with a strong narrative that complements its unsettling ambiance. Overall, the combination of art style, sound design, and storytelling contributes to a memorable and atmospheric gameplay experience that resonates with fans of indie horror and adventure genres.
- “The combination of unique visuals, unsettling atmosphere, and emotional undercurrents creates an experience that stands out in the indie horror and adventure space.”
- “The music complements the atmosphere perfectly, setting the tone for each scene, whether it's eerie or heartfelt.”
- “The atmosphere pulls you in and is very unique; the art and story are very unsettling.”
- “The story, instead of gaining cohesiveness, frayed and developed in arbitrary directions, the spooky atmosphere was overtaken by an anything-goes attitude to a point where I nearly lost interest in finishing the game, and the style explodes in all kinds of directions for no reason at all.”
- “The music doesn't really add much to the atmosphere and I don't remember any of the tunes from it, either.”
- “There are sections of the game that get rather tedious and can break the atmosphere a tad, but it makes up for the tedium with a rather rewarding and interesting story.”
humor
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
3%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark and light-hearted moments that resonate with players. Many reviews highlight the witty dialogue, lovable characters, and the ability to balance serious themes with comedic elements, creating a unique experience that elicits both laughter and emotional depth. Overall, the humor is described as charming, often surprising, and integral to the game's captivating narrative.
- “Its storyline is captivating and interesting, laced with easter eggs and mystery, the graphics are beautifully grotesque and unique, the dialogue is so funny and the characters are diverse and lovable!”
- “The humor of this game is subtle, but charming; on top of this, the characters are all wonderfully rounded and the worldbuilding is spectacular.”
- “The jokes and references are hilarious, and the characters are so likable that you're rooting for them no matter what challenges they face.”
- “From the first episode, it becomes clear that the story will not be funny at all, but the love for the characters did not fade until the very end.”
- “The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, leaving me more cringing than laughing.”
- “While the game tries to inject humor into its dialogue, most of the jokes miss the mark and feel outdated.”
character development
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
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Character development in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its depth and the meaningful connections between characters. The unique and often grotesque character designs complement the narrative, enhancing the emotional impact of the story. However, some players noted inconsistencies, with a few characters lacking development, suggesting that while the game excels in many areas, there are moments where character growth could be improved.
- “Not only does it have an in-depth storyline, it has amazing character development.”
- “Haven't been unexpectedly blown away by a game like this in a long time, blends elements of horror/drama/dark comedy perfectly, surprisingly deep characters and character development for what is on the surface a fairly simplistic game.”
- “The character development and backstories are in-depth, and the dialogue is meaningful.”
- “He has no character development.”
- “These notes read like a first draft the dev decided to just stick in the game files as an excuse for the evil cult lacking in any politics, identity, or relation to the main cast's character development whatsoever.”
- “No character development.”
replayability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
"Sally Face" is widely praised for its strong replayability, with players noting the presence of hidden secrets, multiple choices, and achievements that encourage exploration. Many reviewers appreciate the game's ability to offer different experiences upon replay, despite some criticism regarding the narrative's presentation. Overall, it is considered a highly engaging adventure with significant replay value, appealing to both completionists and casual players alike.
- “Each chapter has its own little secrets you can go back to after you beat the game to unlock all the Steam achievements, so it has decent replay value.”
- “Sally Face has some cool things, like visuals, music, atmosphere, and characters. It has missable content, your choices have consequences, and thus the game can offer some replay value.”
- “The game has multiple choice replies to character conversations, offering replayability for those who are either completionists or just curious about what the other alternatives offer!”
- “There is definitely replayability because I want to see if the story plays out differently with the missing third.”
- “While the stories themselves are fantastic, the way they are told has been compromised somewhat by a design decision that, whilst lending itself very well to replayability and the encouragement of exploration, causes issues down the road - ones that, most certainly by chapter four, can leave a very foul taste in one's mouth as not only are certain key events relayed to you out of nowhere, they are, indeed, a tad spoiled by this very presentation.”
- “The game has multiple choice replies to character conversations offering replayability for those who are either completionists or just curious about what the other alternatives offer!”
grinding
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, often involving excessive backtracking and frustrating puzzles that hinder progress. While the engaging story and well-developed characters provide some enjoyment, many reviewers feel that the grinding elements detract from the overall experience, making it a chore to achieve 100% completion or to advance through certain chapters. Overall, the grinding can lead to a sense of boredom, overshadowing the game's more enjoyable narrative elements.
- “Tedious progression with too much backtracking and easily missable content.”
- “My only criticism is that at a certain point in the game, progress becomes very tedious and gets a bit boring.”
- “The constant pacing back and forth becomes more and more tedious as the areas expand and open up.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
73%
Overall, the stability of the game is mixed, with some players reporting a generally smooth experience free of major glitches, while others encountered occasional bugs, freezing, and lag, particularly towards the end. While many users appreciated the game's lore and gameplay, the frequency and severity of glitches varied, leading to some frustration, especially during critical moments.
- “This game is not buggy, has a good plot, is full of puzzles, and a lot of secret stuff to find while playing.”
- “No glitches, just awesome.”
- “Very peak, no glitches, great lore 100%.”
- “Due to several glitches, I couldn't finish the game.”
- “I have only found 2 glitches/bugs; in the 3D forest part, the model's arm was broken. I don't know if it's supposed to be like that or not (if it is, comment it and I'll change the review). It does get very laggy towards the end; I died a few times because the game froze up, but it hasn't crashed though.”
- “This game always freezes at the controller instructions and makes me have to restart my computer.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its smooth performance and lack of technical issues, contributing to an engaging and emotionally impactful experience. Reviewers highlight that the optimization allows for seamless gameplay, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the story and characters.
- “Runs smoothly, always interesting (in my personal opinion), both scary and emotional, and super awesome.”
- “The story is great, the characters are interesting, and the game in general runs smoothly.”
- “The game had no problems for me performance-wise, just to get that out of the way.”