Disclaimer: This review is presented as spoiler-free as possible for best enjoyment!
Oozing atmosphere, character, and creativeness, Sally Face is a 2D adventure game, by developer Steve Gabry and publisher Portable Moose, that is sure to please puzzle pundits and horror fanatics alike. Taking on the role of a teenage buy with a Jason Voorhees-style prosthetic mask, you will embark on a decade spanning nightmare that travels from the decrepit rooms an apartment building to nightmarish dreamscapes. Along with his best friends and quest companies, you can uncover an ancient conspiracy hellbent on turning an idyllic town into a twisted version of its former self. Just like Sally Face himself said, you may soon be missing your old house in New Jersey!
Sally Face makes no bones about being a gruesome horror experience, from the Adult-Swim stylized characters and backgrounds, to the gruesome deaths that take place, this is not a game for those of weak constitution. If you are able to make it through that, however, you will find a simple, yet rewarding adventure game layout with tons of secrets (for example, in order to experience the epilogue, you must unlock ALL of the achievements, making for great replay value), fun characters, and an engaging story.
As mentioned, the art style might appeal most to those who enjoy such shows as Metalocalypse, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, South Park, etc. It may not be for everyone, but it suits the mood of the game well, and has some great surprises in store in the latter half of the game in that regard. The music sets the atmosphere well, much like the recent Resident Evil 2 remake, and has some great metal tracks for lovers of the genre (such as myself). Overall, the sounds and style of the game are sure to please fans of the genre, and maybe even some newcomers as well.
The gameplay is exactly what you would expect in a 2.5D adventure game and gets the job done just as well as it should. Using your keyboard and mouse or a controller, you can move from location to location and interact with characters and objects in the environment. From gruesome guests to fiendish ghosts, you and your Ghostbuster buddies will meet the good, the bad, and the ugly of the town of Nockfell. There are a few change ups in the gameplay to keep it fresh, such as playing on a game boy-esque system (that also acts as a EKG/PKE meter!) but that is just a nice bonus, as the game never really feels tiring at any point – I felt engaged to try to find as many secrets as possible and continue the story.
The puzzles may attract positive and negative attention depending on how much you enjoy them. I enjoy good adventure game puzzles, but I admit sometimes I get stumped and need help from a walkthrough, regardless if it is a classic like Sam and Max Hit the Road, or the newcomer on the block like Sally Face. That said, if I disliked any type of puzzle at all, or just wanted to get past it after a while, it would have to be the trial-and-error find your path games. This type of puzzle is used at least four times, and though I only really disliked one of them, I definitely felt like they wore out their welcome rather quickly.
Sally Face may not be a game for the casual gamer, or even the casual adventure gamer, but it definitely has a loving community who has seen it built to its full potential over the last four years. We even had a review of the first episode mentioning that the game would eventually tie up a lot of loose ends, and boy did it! From strange neighbors to even stranger conspiracies, if you feel the itch for a simple, yet engaging dark adventure, look no further than behind the mask of Sally Face!
Gameplay – 8.5/10
Sound – 9/10
Graphics -8.5/10
Story – 9/10
Overall: 8.75
Check Out the Sally Face Trailer:
Sally Face is available for PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam.
For more information, please visit: https://portablemoose.com/
Steam Review
Your local neighborhood nutjob, gamer, and teacher! I'm an avid fan of many genres such as platformers, shooters, horror, etc. I am also an avid tabletop gamer - hugely into the worlds of Warhammer and all of their spinoffs. I'm a big believer in being objective - even if something is not my cup of tea, I want to talk about it on the objective level - is it well made, crafted with love, and with care for the fans? If so, that's a good game in my book for someone and well worth their hard earned dollarydoos!
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