Mindlock: The Apartment

About

Mindlock: The Apartment is a single player puzzle game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by Roof Cut Media and was released on November 26, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

Colin’s apartment maze has puzzles, dialogues, and some dry humor waiting for you. A surreal adventure of a special kind.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 180 reviews

story47 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Mindlock: The Apartment features a captivating story that explores deep themes of self-discovery and existential dread, resonating with many players.
The game boasts a unique art style, engaging voice acting, and clever puzzles that provide a satisfying challenge without being overly frustrating.
Players appreciate the humor and emotional depth of the narrative, making it a memorable experience that encourages reflection on personal struggles.

Some puzzles can be unintuitive and require excessive backtracking, leading to frustration and reliance on walkthroughs.
The controls and inventory management can feel clunky, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
The pacing of the story may feel slow at times, with some players expressing a desire for more dynamic interactions and quicker progression.

story
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The story of the game is a compelling exploration of self-discovery and personal struggles, resonating deeply with players through its relatable themes and character development. While some found the pacing and complexity of the narrative to be uneven, many praised its emotional depth, engaging writing, and the ability to provoke reflection on life choices. Overall, the combination of a meaningful storyline, impressive visuals, and immersive voice acting contributes to a memorable gaming experience.
- “The story is well-crafted, the graphics are stunning, and the music and soundtrack are absolutely spot-on.”
- “Mindlock's story felt cathartic to experience, the voice acting and delivery of lines felt meaningful when it needed to be while also being really clever and self-aware.”
- “The story unfolds at a pace that keeps going while giving you enough time to reflect on what's happening all around.”
- “If you're looking for a story about self-loathing that is advertising itself as a 'game,' Mindlock is for you.”
- “In the beginning, you wander back and forth in the same five rooms waiting for new items to be added to your inventory so you can move the story along.”
- “The ending was funny, and as it turns out, was hinted at all the time, but the dramatic backstory was pretty pointless and the story would have worked without it.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
29%
9%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful and unique art style, which combines hand-drawn elements with a charming, cartoonish aesthetic reminiscent of early 2000s games. Reviewers noted the consistency in the artwork, engaging animations, and how well the visuals complement the game's surreal storyline and overall atmosphere. Many highlighted the impressive quality of the graphics, especially considering the game was primarily developed by a single developer, making it a standout in the adventure genre.
- “The graphics, music, storyline, voice acting, and characters as well as their depth all go hard - it is amazing that it was mostly created by a single dev!”
- “The story is well-crafted, the graphics are stunning, and the music and soundtrack are absolutely spot-on.”
- “Everything is very well done, from the voice acting, to the genre-typical puzzles, to the music, to the graphics.”
- “Graphics are what you expect from an adventure of this type.”
- “The artwork and music just top it off in my opinion - but that boils down to personal preference.”
- “Last thing I'll mention is the game's art style!”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
35%
11%
The music in "Mindlock" has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, with many players praising its emotional depth and quality. The soundtrack is described as engaging and beautifully composed, featuring standout tracks that resonate with players, including a notable song that players enjoyed rocking out to. Overall, the music, alongside the art and voice acting, contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience, showcasing the dedication of its single developer.
- “The art and music set the mood beautifully, though the controls take a little getting used to.”
- “The story is well-crafted, the graphics are stunning, and the music and soundtrack are absolutely spot-on.”
- “The puzzles were enjoyable, the art was endearing, and the soundtrack was stunning.”
- “The artwork and music just top it off in my opinion - but that boils down to personal preference.”
- “The fact the single developer spent some time to put together a song and music video shows some proper dedication from me!”
- “Everything is very well done, from the voice acting, to the genre-typical puzzles, to the music, to the graphics.”
humor
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark, dry wit and surreal elements, often intertwined with deeper psychological themes and emotional depth. Players appreciate the clever writing, relatable characters, and unexpected comedic moments that enhance the overall experience, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. The art style and voice acting further contribute to the game's humorous atmosphere, with many finding joy in its clever references and mature approach to serious topics.
- “The mix of puzzles, dry humor, and that totally surreal apartment vibe kept me glued to the screen the whole time.”
- “The main character is super relatable in a sad-funny kind of way, and the writing is way smarter than I expected.”
- “Dark humor mixed with a little psychological horror and a very nice story to follow that gives you a good couple of hours of entertainment.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, effectively exploring themes of personal turmoil and reflection through its narrative and design. Players appreciate the blend of dark humor and heartfelt storytelling, which resonates particularly with young to middle-aged adults. While some felt the illusion of choice was disappointing, the overall experience is described as wholesome and thought-provoking, making it a memorable journey that evokes strong emotions.
- “It left me entertained, thinking, and even more emotionally touched than I am willing to admit.”
- “The game doesn't just entertain — it invites reflection and emotional connection.”
- “The art, writing, music, voices, everything comes together so well into such a great and emotional experience!”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the mechanics clumsy and reminiscent of early 2010s flash games, particularly criticizing the repetitive dialogue after puzzle failures. While the puzzles themselves are generally solvable and creatively designed, frustrations with certain mechanics detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of annoyance despite some enjoyable elements and a variety of gameplay segments.
- “The puzzles are solvable, and I especially loved the combination of sketch art and memory puzzles integrated into the gameplay.”
- “I also like that the various gameplay bits in between provide a welcome change to the main puzzles.”
- “-4-5 hours of fun gameplay.”
- “As feedback, the game mechanics feel clumsy, reminiscent of the bad parts from flash games in the early 2010s. You have to repeat all the dialogue every time you fail a puzzle, and this becomes very annoying.”
- “After nearly 3 hours of gameplay, I was too annoyed.”
- “But the terrible, monstrous gameplay just kills the whole impression of the game.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to slow walk speeds and the cumbersome process of combining items with the environment. However, many users report that despite the initial tedium, they became engaged enough to complete the game in one sitting.
- “My last comment would be that the walk speed is a bit slow, so having a double click to fast travel would have made moving between rooms a bit less tedious.”
- “Combining items from your inventory with the environment is really tedious.”
- “Some time-based puzzles are tedious.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its spooky and immersive qualities, effectively drawing players into its eerie world. The visual style complements the unsettling ambiance, enhancing the overall experience while maintaining a balance between challenging puzzles and player engagement.
- “The atmosphere and visual style were perfect from start to finish, drawing me further into the world with every scene.”
- “If you like a spooky atmosphere and you enjoy puzzles, I would totally recommend this.”
- “The game has a strange and creepy atmosphere that keeps you curious, and the puzzles are challenging but not frustrating.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of "mindlock" is criticized for prioritizing self-loathing themes over engaging gameplay, suggesting that it may not deliver a satisfying gaming experience despite its promotional claims.
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy basic features.”
- “It's frustrating that progress is locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency ruin the overall experience and make it feel more like a cash grab.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers praise the character development in the game, highlighting its strong message and engaging portrayal of characters, enhanced by solid art style, design, and voice acting that immerse players in its unique world.
- “But overall, this game has such a good message, and I love the character development that happens!”