Sally Face
- December 14, 2016
- Portable Moose
- 9h median play time
"Sally Face" is a pixel art adventure game with psychological horror elements. You play as Sal Fisher, a boy with a prosthetic face, moving to a new apartment with his dad and uncovering supernatural mysteries in the building. The game features episodic storytelling, dialogue choices, and a unique cast of characters.
Reviews
- story2,386 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "Sally Face" is a captivating blend of dark themes, mystery, and emotional depth, following the titular character as he navigates a haunted apartment complex filled with quirky neighbors and supernatural elements. Players are drawn into a richly woven narrative that explores trauma, friendship, and the macabre, with well-developed characters and unexpected plot twists that keep them engaged throughout the episodic journey. While the game excels in storytelling, some players note that the pacing can falter in later episodes, leading to a rushed conclusion that may leave some narrative threads unresolved.
“The story is layered and captivating.”
“The story is unfolding wonderfully and I am very emotionally invested.”
“Amazing storytelling, one of the best indie games I've played in a while.”
“Almost everything in the story happens for basically no reason.”
“Starts off promising but the latter episodes just fall flat on their face and kill the vibe of the story.”
“The ending of the game I feel could've been done a little better honestly... I feel like the 'closer' to the story that we all seek when we're invested was kind of 'phoned in' for the most part.”
- graphics614 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and captivating art style, which combines hand-drawn visuals with a surreal, cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of 90s cartoons. Many players appreciate the way the art enhances the storytelling, creating an immersive atmosphere that complements the game's dark themes. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in visual quality and a lack of coherence in later episodes, though the overall artistic direction is considered a standout feature.
“The graphics give it a surreal feel, and the soundtrack complements it wonderfully.”
“The visuals are breathtaking, with each scene carefully crafted to build an immersive and stunning world.”
“The art style is so unique and it really adds to the feel of the game.”
“The game loses its aesthetic coherence and transforms into a messy thing that tries too hard to impress with questionable choices.”
“It feels like the developer of the game completely ran out of ideas and just mashed a bunch of random stuff together in terms of story, gameplay, and even graphics.”
“The art style is very crude, giving it a sort of sketchbook-like, more graphic feeling.”
- music529 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Sally Face" is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with many reviewers highlighting its rock and metal influences that perfectly complement the game's dark atmosphere and storytelling. The soundtrack, created by the solo developer, enhances emotional moments and immerses players in the narrative, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, players express a deep appreciation for the music, often describing it as captivating, memorable, and integral to their gaming experience.
“The soundtrack seamlessly integrates with the narrative, enhancing the emotional impact of each moment.”
“The music mixed with the story is heart-shatteringly beautiful.”
“The music, the art style, the story—everything makes this game perfect.”
“The music department was, perhaps, the only aspect of the game that did not really impress me.”
“Sound and music compliments the game well, though it is a little too basic and while I personally feel that it needed more work, the rudimentary nature of the sound effects/music might actually be appealing to others.”
“Although the art style can be called not very appealing by some, it goes perfectly with the tone of the story and the iconic music that stays in your head for years.”
- gameplay295 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging story, unique art style, and interesting mechanics, while others criticize it for being clunky, repetitive, or overly simplistic. Players appreciate the variety of gameplay styles and puzzles, though some find the mechanics inconsistent and the later chapters less enjoyable. Overall, the game is seen as more story-driven, appealing to those who prioritize narrative over complex gameplay.
“The gameplay is well-designed, with puzzles and challenges that kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat.”
“The gameplay is super solid, and mixes together several different genres, doing it well and in ways that don't feel immersion-breaking.”
“The story is amazing and the gameplay is awesome.”
“The gameplay is simply not fun and boring.”
“Gameplay can be a bit tedious at times with a lot of repetition and backtracking for large portions of the game.”
“The gameplay itself is rather simple but nonetheless freaking catchy.”
- emotional250 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a significant highlight, with players frequently expressing deep emotional investment in the characters and story. Many reviews mention crying multiple times throughout the gameplay, emphasizing the game's ability to blend dark themes with wholesome moments, creating a powerful emotional rollercoaster. Overall, the narrative is described as heart-wrenching yet captivating, leaving players feeling attached to the characters and their journeys.
“The story is unfolding wonderfully and I am very emotionally invested.”
“I laughed, I cried, I kicked some cultist butt!”
“This game made me cry even more than the ending to Hotline Miami 2, and I am still in tears as I am writing this review.”
- atmosphere132 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Sally Face" is widely praised for its unique blend of eerie, whimsical, and immersive elements, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and striking visuals. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of mystery and suspense, with many noting its dark themes and emotional depth. Overall, the combination of art, music, and storytelling creates a hauntingly memorable experience that resonates with fans of atmospheric and psychological horror games.
“Sally Face combines fantastical storytelling with a great atmosphere and a killer soundtrack.”
“The atmosphere, art, and characters are amazing; I 100% recommend it.”
“The atmosphere is immaculate, the soundtrack is amazing, and I couldn't help but fall in love with all the characters immediately.”
“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.”
“It tries too hard to be disturbing with images that are not justified by the plot's events and neither help the atmosphere.”
“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.”
- humor90 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark and absurd elements that evoke both laughter and emotional depth. Players appreciate the well-developed characters and witty dialogue, which provide a charming contrast to the game's more serious themes. Overall, the humor is described as both clever and impactful, enhancing the storytelling while maintaining a balance between lightheartedness and darker moments.
“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.”
“This game is hilarious, psychological, has an amazing story, great music, and is absurd in just the best way possible.”
“From the first episode, it becomes clear that the story will clearly not be funny, but the love of the characters did not fade until the very end.”
“The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, leaving the dialogue feeling awkward rather than amusing.”
“While the game tries to inject humor into its narrative, most jokes miss the mark and fail to elicit any genuine laughter.”
- character development44 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its depth and meaningful connections between characters, while others note a lack of development for certain characters. Players appreciate the unique and engaging character designs, which enhance the overall storytelling experience. Overall, the game is recognized for its strong narrative and character development, despite some criticisms regarding missed opportunities for deeper exploration.
“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.”
“Story is honestly pretty solid with great character development along with meaningful connections built upon with main characters throughout the game, although there seems to be so many things you can miss unless you have a guide.”
“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.”
- replayability25 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its engaging story, multiple choices, and hidden content, encouraging players to explore different outcomes and collect achievements. Many reviewers highlight the enjoyment of uncovering secrets and experiencing the narrative from various perspectives, making it a worthwhile experience for both newcomers and returning players. Overall, it is praised for its depth and replay value, particularly for those who appreciate exploration and completionism.
“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.”
“There is definitely replayability because I want to see if the story plays out differently with the missing third.”
“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!”
“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.”
“It's definitely replayable but playing it for the first time is great as you get to see the story unfold and be surprised... and shocked and disturbed.”
“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!”
- grinding21 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 76 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often requiring excessive backtracking and multiple playthroughs to achieve 100% completion. While some appreciate the well-written characters and engaging story, the overall gameplay loop can become monotonous, detracting from the experience. Many reviewers express that the need for extensive grinding significantly impacts their enjoyment, making it feel like a chore rather than a rewarding challenge.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“But when I think about all those tedious and repetitive puzzles, and the amount of backtracking I'll have to do again... no.”
“If you want to try and get 100% of the achievements, and you mess up, then you have to replay the whole episode, which can be very tedious. I messed up chapter 3 twice, meaning I had to play through the whole chapter three times, and let me tell you: it is not fun having to play clunky three times.”
“The constant pacing back and forth becomes more and more tedious as the areas expand and open up.”
- stability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, players report a mixed experience regarding stability, with some encountering occasional bugs and glitches, particularly towards the end of the game, which can lead to freezing and control issues. However, many users also note that the game is largely stable, with minimal glitches affecting gameplay, and some have had no issues at all.
“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.”
“The game runs smoothly without any issues.”
“Some players have reported occasional bugs or glitches, although the frequency and severity seem to vary.”
“I have only found 2 glitches in the 3D forest part; the model's arm was broken, and it gets very laggy towards the end. I died a few times because the game froze up, but it hasn't crashed.”
“This game always freezes at the controller instructions and makes me have to restart my computer.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its smooth performance and lack of technical issues, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight that the optimization allows for both emotional and thrilling gameplay without any noticeable problems.
“The game had no problems for me performance-wise, just to get that out of the way.”
“The story is great, the characters are interesting, and the game in general runs smoothly.”
“Runs smoothly, always interesting, both scary and emotional, and super awesome.”