Apartment Story

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 42 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Apartment Story Game Cover
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"Apartment Story" is a single-player thriller game set in a single apartment in 2023. As Arthur, you must manage your needs and decide whether to engage with visitors or isolate yourself. The arrival of an old roommate and a dangerous character named Blondey sets the stage for a dramatic and risky narrative, with a gun hidden somewhere in the apartment. The game features a deep needs management system and distinct personalities that develop as the stakes rise.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews
story8 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • Apartment Story offers a unique blend of Sims-like gameplay and a gripping narrative, immersing players in the mundane yet suspenseful life of the protagonist, Arthur.
  • The game's atmosphere is beautifully crafted, with impressive visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and attention to detail that enhances the overall experience.
  • Despite its short length, the game provides meaningful choices and moments of tension, making it a memorable and engaging experience for players.
  • The gameplay can feel slow-paced and clunky, with some controls being janky and interactions not always functioning as intended, leading to frustrating moments.
  • Character depth is lacking, and dialogues can feel short and unengaging, which detracts from the emotional impact of the story.
  • There are technical issues, including bugs that can disrupt gameplay and a lack of multiple endings or significant choices, which may leave players wanting more.
  • story36 mentions

    The story in *Apartment Story* is a unique blend of narrative-driven gameplay and life simulation elements, effectively immersing players in the protagonist's life through both dramatic and mundane moments. While the game can be completed in about two hours, it offers significant replayability with multiple endings and thoughtful character development, making it a standout title in the indie gaming scene. Despite some predictability, the overall experience is praised for its captivating atmosphere, engaging storytelling, and the balance of simplicity with depth.

    • “An insanely stylish Sims-like game that cleverly leverages the genre not only to tell a story, but to explore the negative space around it—the mundane parts that are often skipped.”
    • “Each interaction feels significant, drawing you deeper into the story.”
    • “Apartment Story offers a captivating atmosphere and a truly unique experience that immerses you in someone else’s life.”
    • “It feels like this would have worked much better as a short film or written story.”
    • “The game will take around two hours to complete, and while there is a story to be told here, much of the real meat of the game is in the quiet time between the big story beats.”
    • “While the story can be a bit predictable at moments, the overall experience left me satisfied.”
  • gameplay8 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a slow pace and clunky controls, which detracts from the overall experience despite the engaging story and thoughtful character development. While it effectively utilizes life-sim mechanics and offers rewarding challenges, players desire more polished controls and additional features like voice acting. Overall, the game excels in its interaction mechanics and concise dialogues, creating memorable character moments.

    • “Great story and really cool use of the life-sim mechanic.”
    • “It doesn’t rely on flashy mechanics but instead uses thoughtful storytelling and character development to pull you in.”
    • “Apartment story offers gameplay that is as precise as a well-honed blade, challenging yet rewarding those with the courage to navigate its thrilling twists.”
    • “Gameplay is rather slow-paced, and at the time of reviewing, I'm unsure if the game has alternate endings.”
    • “Some of the controls are clunky, and the mechanics aren't amazing given the 'sims-like' comparison.”
    • “This game deserves better control, a slightly more polished gameplay, and some voice acting.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The game's graphics are characterized by a charming low-poly aesthetic that enhances its personality and atmosphere, with impressive lighting and a minimalist art style that encourages player imagination. Despite some control clumsiness, the visuals effectively convey authenticity and detail, making the overall experience engaging and visually appealing. Players appreciate how the retro-inspired graphics communicate complex ideas while maintaining a cohesive and immersive environment.

    • “The visuals really bring it to life, every detail of the apartment exudes personality and the lighting is gorgeous.”
    • “The characters and environment feel authentic, and the art style is spot on.”
    • “Though all of the controls are a bit fiddly and there’s a degree of jank to every element of the design, it somehow works with the low-poly aesthetics.”
    • “Lends itself well to the lo-fi graphics, and especially if you are British, your brain will be filling in the details vividly anyway.”
    • “I don't really have any nostalgia for PS1 style graphics, but I felt that the game utilized the look effectively, allowing for more complex ideas to be communicated through a simplified visual language.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, allowing players to relax and engage deeply with the environment and narrative. Reviewers highlight its unique vibe, which blends weirdness with a chill, dreary ambiance, making it an intriguing experience that encourages reflection and exploration of another's life. Overall, the game's rich atmosphere, combined with its visuals and storytelling, makes it a compelling choice for those seeking a story-driven experience.

    • “Apartment Story offers a captivating atmosphere and a truly unique experience that immerses you in someone else’s life.”
    • “It definitely passes the weird/chill/dreary atmosphere vibe check, and for $7 and two hours of my life, I found it to be a pretty interesting game and a great way to spend my weekend.”
    • “The game compels the player to take time for reflection, time to take in the atmosphere, time to take a peek into another life.”
    • “It changes scenarios and oozes atmosphere.”
  • music7 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for its beautiful, drifting electronic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail, including how the music interacts with the game's visuals and narrative, creating a perfectly paced experience that complements the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's vibe and replayability.

    • “The soundtrack is beautiful, composed of drifting electronic tracks from traaps.”
    • “The diegetic music nails the vibe, especially when you have a visitor.”
    • “Perfectly paced with a fantastic use of music; it is absolutely well deserving of your time.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players report that the game evokes a strong sense of anxiety and powerlessness, creating a unique emotional experience. The tension of mundane tasks, like washing dishes while anticipating consequences, enhances the feeling of paranoia and unease.

    • “This game made me feel anxious and powerless in a way that was pretty unique.”
    • “Washing the dishes while you wait in paranoia for the consequences of what took place the previous day was quite interesting and made me feel surprisingly anxious.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game offers notable replayability through its branching narrative, allowing players to experience multiple story endings. This feature adds a layer of richness that enhances the overall gameplay, making it a standout among smaller titles.

    • “There are several ways your story can end, which adds to the replayability.”
    • “The branching narrative and replayability provide a richness that's rare in smaller games.”
    • “There are several ways your story can end, which makes for some replayability.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report occasional glitches, such as issues with item interaction and minor navigation problems, but the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck too.”
    • “I experienced a few glitches here and there, such as being unable to pick up an item again after I set it down somewhere, and getting stuck for a little while trying to turn off a light because there was an item in front of it.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without constant restarts.”
    • “I encountered several bugs that disrupted my gameplay, including characters getting stuck in the environment and quests not triggering properly.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth, relying on thoughtful storytelling rather than flashy mechanics to engage players. This approach creates a more immersive experience, allowing for meaningful connections with the characters.

    • “It doesn’t rely on flashy mechanics but instead uses thoughtful storytelling and character development to pull you in.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players found the humor in the game's bugs, appreciating how these glitches added to their enjoyment and elicited laughter, despite any technical issues.

    • “There were some bugs, but I didn't mind them since they made me laugh.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch; I found myself chuckling at every turn.”
    • “The witty dialogue and hilarious situations kept me entertained throughout my playthrough.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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