Sally Face

About

Sally Face is a single player puzzle game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Portable Moose and was released on December 14, 2016. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"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.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

+22

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 14,426 reviews

story2.7k positive mentions

grinding32 negative mentions

story
4,772 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
42%
2%
The story of "Sally Face" is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and unique blend of horror and humor. Players are drawn into a dark, intricate narrative that unfolds through engaging character development and unexpected plot twists, often leaving them emotionally invested and eager for more. While some critiques mention pacing issues and a convoluted ending, the overall consensus highlights the game's compelling storytelling and memorable characters, making it a standout in the indie game scene.
- “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.”
- “The story is deep, weaving complex narratives that are both captivating and eerie.”
- “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.”
graphics
1,228 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
43%
1%
The graphics of "Sally Face" are widely praised for their unique hand-drawn art style, which combines elements of cartoonish aesthetics with darker themes, creating a captivating and immersive atmosphere. Many players appreciate the variety of art styles presented throughout the game, particularly in the later episodes, which enhance the storytelling and emotional depth. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in visual quality and a potential overwhelming mix of styles that may detract from the overall coherence.
- “The visuals are breathtaking, with each scene carefully crafted to build an immersive and stunning world.”
- “From the very beginning, the gritty art style, creepy sound design, and mysterious characters intrigued me.”
- “The art style is so unique and it really adds to the feel of the game.”
- “Overall, I found the game boring, in its gameplay design, graphics, or story.”
- “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.”
music
1,058 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The music in "Sally Face" has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and emotional depth, with many players praising its rock and metal influences. The soundtrack, composed by the game's sole developer, is described as captivating, immersive, and integral to the storytelling, often leaving a lasting impression on players. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's unique charm and appeal.
- “The music mixed with the story is heart shatteringly beautiful.”
- “The soundtrack seamlessly integrates with the narrative, enhancing the emotional impact of each moment.”
- “The music became a companion, guiding me through the protagonist's dark and introspective journey, and leaving an indelible mark on my soul.”
- “If the music wasn't playing all the time in the background, it would be better though.”
- “The music department was, perhaps, the only aspect of the game that did not really impress me.”
- “The art is cool but the soundtrack gets a bit repetitive.”
gameplay
590 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
63%
6%
The gameplay of "Sally Face" is a mix of point-and-click mechanics and interactive storytelling, praised for its engaging narrative and unique art style, though it can be simplistic and at times tedious with repetitive tasks and clunky mechanics. While many players appreciate the variety of gameplay elements and puzzles, some criticize the later chapters for introducing confusing mechanics and a lack of cohesion. 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.”
- “Incredible story, art, gameplay.”
- “The story is amazing and the gameplay is awesome.”
- “At the last chapter, gameplay turns into a total mess.”
- “Overall, I found the game boring in its gameplay design, graphics, or story.”
- “This game is terrible; gameplay is simply not fun and boring.”
emotional
500 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly impactful, with players frequently expressing deep attachment to the characters and their stories, often leading to tears and heartfelt reactions. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to balance dark themes with moments of wholesomeness, creating a compelling emotional rollercoaster that resonates with players long after they finish. While some players note potential emotional triggers, the overall consensus is that the game's rich storytelling and character development make it a must-play for those seeking an emotionally engaging experience.
- “The story is unfolding wonderfully and I am very emotionally invested.”
- “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.”
- “Sally Face's masterfully crafted story has made me feel things I've never felt before, and haven't felt since.”
atmosphere
264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
40%
2%
The atmosphere of "Sally Face" is widely praised for its unique blend of eerie, captivating visuals and an exceptional soundtrack that enhances the game's dark storytelling. Players appreciate the immersive, unsettling environment filled with quirky characters and deep lore, which creates a compelling experience that keeps them engaged. Despite some critiques regarding pacing and plot coherence, the overall atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a memorable psychological horror adventure.
- “Sally Face combines fantastical storytelling with a great atmosphere and a killer soundtrack.”
- “The atmosphere, art, and characters are amazing; I 100% recommend.”
- “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.”
humor
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Sally Face" is a standout feature, blending dark and absurd elements that evoke both laughter and emotional depth. Players appreciate the well-crafted characters and witty dialogue, which provide a charming contrast to the game's darker themes, resulting in a unique experience that can be both funny and heartbreaking. Overall, the humor is described as clever and engaging, enhancing the storytelling and character development throughout the game.
- “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.”
- “It's got very dark moments, but through all, the characters remain upbeat and funny.”
- “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.”
character development
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
32%
7%
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its depth and the meaningful connections between characters, while others criticize the lack of development for certain characters. Players appreciate the unique and engaging character designs, which enhance the overall storytelling experience, though some feel that not all characters are fully fleshed out. Overall, the game is noted for its strong narrative and character interactions, making it a compelling experience for many.
- “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.”
replayability
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
54%
6%
"Sally Face" is highly regarded for its replayability, with players noting the presence of missable content, multiple choices, and hidden achievements that encourage exploration and different playthroughs. The engaging story and characters, combined with bonus puzzles, contribute to its appeal for both completionists and casual players alike. While some design choices may detract from the narrative experience, the overall consensus is that the game offers significant 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.”
- “It has amazing replay value, and hidden information in pretty much all the chapters.”
- “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, shocked, and disturbed.”
- “There is definitely replayability because I want to see if the story plays out differently with the missing third.”
grinding
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
76%
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tediousness, with players noting excessive repetition, backtracking, and the need to replay entire chapters for 100% completion. While some found enjoyment in the story and character development, many felt that the gameplay loop became monotonous and detracted from the overall experience. Overall, players suggest that significant grinding is required, making it a less appealing prospect for those seeking a more streamlined experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “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.e., 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).”
- “My only criticism is that at a certain point in the game, progress becomes very tedious and gets a bit boring.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
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. The frequency and severity of these problems appear to vary among players.
- “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.”
- “This game is not buggy, has a good plot, is full of puzzles, and a lot of secret stuff to find while playing.”
- “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, and I died a few times because the game froze up. It hasn't crashed though.”
- “This game always freezes at the controller instructions and makes me have to restart my computer.”
- “The only thing is it sometimes glitches and freezes, but besides that, it's amazing.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game is praised for its smooth performance, with users reporting no technical issues and a consistently engaging experience. Overall, the optimization is considered excellent, allowing players to fully enjoy the story and characters without interruptions.
- “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 (in my personal opinion), both scary and emotional, and super awesome.”