Sally Face Episode One: Strange Neighbors

Weird stories usually attract attention, because people are fascinated by things that are out of the ordinary somehow. While some choose to step outside the normal on their own, others are forced by circumstance to stick out from the crowd. The latter may not even desire all the attention they are getting, so it’s always better to avoid pointing out irregularities in people.

Sally Face Episode One: Strange Neighbors is a very interesting adventure game with 2D graphics and a focus on storytelling, in which you play the role of a boy with pigtails and a prosthetic face. The goal is to solve puzzles and explore a weird world, all of which are part of the boy’s memories, although it’s a pretty trippy experience from start to finish.

This episode presents the part where Sally moves with his father to a new apartment, where his neighbors are even weirder than he is. On top of that, the building has also been the scene of a crime recently, which makes the whole thing a lot more creepy. Thus, you have to explore the other rooms and find out what you can about the crime in question.

Most of the gameplay is very similar to the classic point & click adventure formula, except you move using the keyboard. Thus, you have to explore the environment and find objects that might come in handy, as well as communicate with various characters you run into. Dialog is a pretty important piece of the puzzle, but don’t expect too much depth in this regard.

As for the graphics, the 2D environments are quite simple when it comes to artwork and level of detail, but they are designed in such a way as to awaken a sense of dread and loneliness in the players. It may not work all the time, but some of the scenes can be quite powerful under the right conditions. The soundtrack is decent as well, although it sometimes doesn’t go very well with what’s happening on the screen.

In the end, Sally Face Episode One: Strange Neighbors might just speak to you on one level or another, but it’s also quite the nice video game. The puzzles are a tad too simple for hardcore gamers, yet the atmosphere is engaging enough for that not to matter.