Sally’s Salon PC Game Review : Meryl.net

Sally’s Salon PC Game Review

Posted on August 20, 2007 - 1 Comment - Join The Discussion Comments

We shouldn’t be surprised at the flurry of beauty-themed games considering the industry makes billions from diet-related products and plastic surgery. Sally’s Salon takes a page from the Diner Dash manual replacing food and bussing with hair dos and eyebrow shaping services. The game does a fine job with its crisp graphics and the process of picking the right style for the customer.

I can’t help but compare Sally to Belle’s Beauty Boutique, another dash and serve game applying the beauty salon theme. Sally outdoes Belle by far especially in the area of selecting the right color and style for the customer. Belle made it a chore while Sally relies on pictures of the customer “trying on” the different styles and watching for the one with a big grin. That smile tells ya the customer likes the style best and that’s the one Sally should use. Whether or not it’s a good idea — we’ll keep our opinions to ourselves.

Although the process of selecting the customer’s style works, it also feels clunky. Since the game allows chaining — and does a great job of it by identifying each task as #1, #2, etc. — it messes up a player’s rhythm in having to stop and pick a style.

Customers come in all ages and shapes. Serve the prom queens and goths, coloring their hair anywhere from gutsy green and brave blue to bright blonde and basic black. Style hair from old-fashioned beehive and the ’80s mullet to the flip and liberty spikes. Your eyes must multitask by watching the little hearts beneath a customer to check the happiness level or else you could lose the customer and serious tips.

Who knew shaping eyebrows had so many methods such as tadpole and tapered? Then there’s the nail polishing station that carries lavender spring, blue moon and minty burst colors. When you get far enough in the game, you add spray tanning services. Well, at least, it’s better for your skin than the real sun.

Sally comes with upgrades including additional chairs, improved furniture, happiness items (such as coffee to ease the waiting pains) and employees who can do the hair washing, blow drying and coffee making. Keep earning profits and you’ll eventually upgrade everything — long before the game ends. Sally must have a boredom problem because she changes location every five days (each day is a level), but it offers a nice change of scenery as she works at a ski resort, big city, hotel, studios and in the hills.

Professional Flo’ers (Diner Dash star) might find Sally too easy to play while those with little or no diner game experience will find Sally’s Salon an easier experience than Flo’s restaurants. Personally, I found the gradual climbing of difficulty just right. Although offering little originality to the diner genre, Sally’s Salon is a classy and stylin’ one worth a look.