Apartment Story
- September 26, 2024
- Blue Rider Interactive
Get on Steam"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
Reviews
- Apartment Story offers a captivating atmosphere and a unique experience that immerses players in the life of the protagonist, Arthur, with meaningful choices and well-crafted characters.
- The game features impressive attention to detail in its art direction, lighting, and music, creating a beautiful and moody environment that enhances the storytelling.
- Despite its short runtime, the game provides replayability with multiple ways the story can unfold, making it a refreshing and memorable experience for fans of narrative-driven indie games.
- The game suffers from clunky controls and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, leading to frustrating moments where players may be unable to progress or interact with items as intended.
- While the narrative is engaging, some players found it predictable and felt that the game lacked significant reactivity to player choices, making it feel more like a linear experience.
- The pacing can be slow, with long stretches of downtime that may feel like filler, detracting from the overall immersion and engagement with the story.
- story28 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story of *Apartment Story* is a unique blend of mundane realism and engaging narrative, allowing players to immerse themselves in the protagonist's life through thoughtful character development and significant interactions. While the game can be completed in under two hours, its replayability and depth make it a standout in the indie scene, offering a refreshing experience that balances simplicity with emotional weight. Despite some predictability, the game is praised for its captivating atmosphere and innovative storytelling approach, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven titles.
“Apartment Story is a standout gem in the indie gaming scene, offering a fresh and unique experience compared to many smaller titles out there.”
“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.”
“While the story can be a bit predictable at moments, the overall experience left me satisfied.”
“This game manages to be bold and unique by committing completely to mundane realism and low stakes pulp storytelling.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of engaging storytelling and character development, enhanced by thoughtful mechanics like world interaction and cooking. However, some players find the controls clunky and the overall mechanics lacking polish, suggesting that the game could benefit from improved control and voice acting. Despite these issues, the gameplay is described as challenging yet rewarding, with a focus on meaningful 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.”
“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.”
“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.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a charming low-poly aesthetic that complements the game's design, despite some control clumsiness. The detailed environments and authentic character designs, enhanced by gorgeous lighting, create a vibrant atmosphere that resonates well with players, particularly those familiar with British culture. Overall, the minimalist art style effectively engages players' imaginations, making the visuals a standout feature of the game.
“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 (picking multiple items up is particularly clumsy) and there’s a degree of jank to every element of the design, it somehow works with the low-poly aesthetics - plus the sheer volume of interactable 'stuff' is impressive.”
“Lends itself well to the lo-fi graphics and especially if you are British, your brain will be filling in the details vividly anyway.”
“The minimalist art style somehow makes it even more convincing by forcing your brain to fill in the gaps.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its beautiful, drifting electronic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the effective use of diegetic music, particularly during interactions, and commend its perfect pacing, contributing to a chill and immersive experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that complements the game's detailed visuals and engaging story.
“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.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its branching narrative, allowing players to experience multiple story endings. This feature adds a layer of richness that is often uncommon in smaller titles, encouraging players to revisit the game for different outcomes.
“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.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Apartment Story is highly praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, allowing players to deeply engage with the unique experiences of another's life. The game's dynamic scenarios further enhance this rich atmosphere, making it a standout feature.
“Apartment Story offers a captivating atmosphere and a truly unique experience that immerses you in someone else’s life.”
“It changes scenarios and oozes atmosphere.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, users report occasional glitches, such as issues with item interaction and minor obstacles in gameplay, 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 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
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its depth, relying on thoughtful storytelling rather than flashy mechanics to engage players. This approach fosters a strong emotional connection to the characters and enhances the overall narrative experience.
“It doesn’t rely on flashy mechanics but instead uses thoughtful storytelling and character development to pull you in.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players found the humor in the game's bugs, appreciating how these glitches added to their enjoyment rather than detracting from it.
“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.”
