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The Berlin Apartment

The Berlin Apartment is certainly a nice tribute to the history of the titular city. With gorgeous scenery evolving through time that tells the tales of its residents, the apartment is a delight to explore. However, a more intriguing main narrative or engaging gameplay mechanics would’ve been a massive boon for the game. A gorgeous art style and heartwarming sentimentality make The Berlin Apartment an enjoyable experience, albeit one that struggles to stand against the genre’s best.
The Berlin Apartment Game Cover
86%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, emotional
Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
92% User Score Based on 128 reviews
Critic Score 69%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5XboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
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The Berlin Apartment Game Cover

About The Berlin Apartment

The Berlin Apartment is a single player casual simulation game with drama, mystery and historical themes. It was developed by Blue Backpack and was released on November 17, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

STORY: Dilara joins her father Malik, a handyman tasked with refurbishing an old apartment in the city of Berlin, Germany. In the course of their extensive renovation work, Dilara digs deeper and deeper into the history of the apartment. Relics from past times turn out to be silent witnesses and former companions of the apartment's previous inhabitants. With each new find, Malik tells his daughter…

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The Berlin Apartment screenshot
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The Berlin Apartment screenshot
The Berlin Apartment screenshot
The Berlin Apartment screenshot
The Berlin Apartment screenshot
The Berlin Apartment screenshot
The Berlin Apartment screenshot
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Reviews

92%Audience ScoreBased on 128 reviews
story37 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The Berlin Apartment offers a deeply moving, well-written narrative exploring Berlin's history through the lives of its residents over a century, with emotional and authentic characters.
  • The game's unique setting—a single apartment changing through time—combined with a beautiful art style, period-appropriate music, and voice acting (especially German audio) creates an immersive and atmospheric experience.
  • Varied and inventive gameplay mechanics tailored to each story segment add originality and enhance the storytelling, making it more than a typical walking simulator.
  • The game is relatively short (around 3-6 hours), leading many to feel the price is too high for the content offered; several reviews recommend purchasing only on sale.
  • The final chapter/story set in 1967 is widely criticized for being disjointed, less compelling, and breaking the tone and focus established by earlier chapters.
  • The gameplay has technical and design issues, including clunky controls, unintuitive mechanics, lack of dialogue skip options, bugs, soft-locks, and frustrating mini-games that detract from the overall experience.

  • story

    109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    34% positive mentions, 60% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions

    The story is praised for its emotional depth, thoughtful portrayal of historical periods, and unique narrative structure centered on an evolving Berlin apartment and its inhabitants. While many find the writing beautiful, well-animated, and impactful, some segments—particularly the present-day and 1967 chapters—are criticized for disrupting narrative coherence or feeling out of place. Overall, it offers a rich, poignant experience, though pacing and gameplay integration occasionally hinder full engagement.

    • “This is one of the most well-written, animated and beautiful storylines I've had in a game in a very long time.”
    • “Thank you so much, developers, for taking such a hard and emotionally difficult story and turning it into such a beautiful, funny, heartbreaking and amazing game.”
    • “Highly, highly recommend this one for anyone who appreciates evocative, subtle storytelling in games.”
    • “Another problem is that the plot set in the present day should actually tie all these stories together into a coherent whole, but instead it undermines their meaning.”
    • “Gameplay itself is rather weak for a walking simulator and includes several sections that are simply boring; meanwhile, the plot is designed in such a way that the player begins to doubt whether any of it actually happened, which is strange since it was supposed to be the central part of the game.”
    • “But... while touching, there wasn't as much depth to each segment, and what seemed like the longest (1967) has the very least to do with the story of the location or the time it was set in. The censorship board could easily have been a nagging publisher; in a sense the timelessness works, but we already had a story about somebody being miserable in the GDR. It having taken place there seems entirely incidental besides a coincidental connection with her father and a previous tenant, and it genuinely made me feel like they were satisfying some requirement for their funding from the government space agency.”

  • emotional

    37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game delivers a deeply emotional experience through a series of heartfelt, personal stories set in the same Berlin apartment across different decades, blending moments of humor, heartbreak, and hope. Its simple yet profound narrative, supported by beautiful visuals and a sincere English dub, engages players in a reflective and often intense emotional journey. While some segments feel less connected or brief, overall it is praised as a touching, atmospheric indie gem that powerfully captures historical and human experiences.

    • “Thank you so much, developers, for taking such a hard and emotionally difficult story and turning it into such a beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, and amazing game.”
    • “The stories are simple and short, yet feel so profound, being kind of tragic and heartwarming at the same time, much thanks to the way it is told through the view of past residents of the apartment; it really drags you into those stories.”
    • “Brought to life with a gorgeous art style and emotionally personal stories, The Berlin Apartment aims to tug on the heartstrings.”

  • graphics

    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    69% positive mentions, 21% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions

    The game features a beautiful, colorful, and painterly art style that vividly captures detailed 3D environments and authentic period aesthetics, enhancing immersion and emotional impact. Its charming visuals perfectly complement the storytelling, creating a cozy yet engaging atmosphere throughout different eras. Overall, the graphics are widely praised for their quality, style, and contribution to the game's unique narrative experience.

    • “The game has a colorful, comic-book aesthetic with detailed 3D environments.”
    • “The Berlin apartment is a heartfelt narrative experience with some stunning visuals.”
    • “Beautiful painterly art style that shifts with authentic detail in each era.”
    • “The game has colorful, comic-book aesthetics with detailed 3D environments.”
    • “It is worth noting that the apartment’s decor and the furniture on display reflect the aesthetic typical of that period and follow the most popular design trends of the time.”
    • “Good work, I see a lot of effort was put into everything including the environment, the art style, the characters, the stories, and the mini-games.”

  • gameplay

    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    29% positive mentions, 60% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions

    The gameplay is generally minimalist and relaxed, with varied mechanics that aim to support the narrative but often feel basic, slow, or unintuitive. While some chapters offer unique and emotionally engaging interactions, others suffer from frustrating or drawn-out mechanics that disrupt pacing and player immersion. Overall, gameplay serves more as a vehicle for storytelling than as a compelling experience on its own.

    • “Each story has its own unique mechanics.”
    • “In covering a different section of history, each segment takes on its own style and gameplay.”
    • “Some of the mechanics were really frustrating though (looking at you space story!) so if you quickly get annoyed when you wander around lost or by slow paced things, I would say maybe this game isn't for you.”
    • “Gameplay itself is rather weak for a walking simulator and includes several sections that are simply boring; meanwhile, the plot is designed in such a way that the player begins to doubt whether any of it actually happened, which is strange since it was supposed to be the central part of the game.”
    • “Gameplay is both tedious and too basic.”
    • “Add to that slow animations and drawn-out dialogues, and you end up with gameplay that bores players instead of drawing them in.”

  • humor

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is well-balanced, blending genuinely funny moments with heartfelt and emotional storytelling. The clever, character-driven dialogue adds levity without undermining the serious themes, creating a nuanced experience that is both touching and amusing.

    • “The voice actors all did so well conveying the message and I almost cried so many times either laughing (thanks, Erich!) or due to the episodes I think we all know.”
    • “Thank you so much, developers, for taking such a hard and emotionally difficult story and turning it into such a beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, and amazing game.”
    • “The dialogues are well written (and very funny in the first story), the art and graphics are lovely, and the gameplay (so far) was relaxing!”

  • music

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    67% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music in the game is well-crafted to match the time period of each story, creating a calm and cozy atmosphere that complements the charming art style and overall relaxed gameplay. Reviewers consistently praise the soundtrack for fitting perfectly with the game's vibe and enhancing the experience.

    • “Music is tailored to the time period in which each story takes place.”
    • “The art style is charming, the music fits perfectly, and the whole vibe is cozy without shying away from heavier moments.”
    • “The gameplay is relaxed and cozy, the soundtrack fits perfectly.”

  • atmosphere

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    75% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game effectively captures a rich cultural and social atmosphere, vividly portraying life struggles across different historical periods within the apartment. Early stories convey strong urgency and emotional depth, creating a heartfelt and immersive narrative experience, though the final story is seen as less impactful. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its authenticity and emotional resonance.

    • “Very well made culture and social lifestyle game, showing the atmosphere and life struggles at different moments in the history of the apartment.”
    • “The first three stories had a sense of atmosphere and urgency that the final story lacked - with the anticipation of being caught in 1989 and 1933 respectively, and the crushing realization of the family background in 1945.”
    • “Overall, a heartfelt, atmospheric game that’s absolutely worth your time.”

  • grinding

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is generally perceived as tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. The excessive dialogue and simple gameplay contribute to a lack of engagement and immersion during repetitive sections.

    • “For a walking simulator, grinding feels mediocre and tedious.”
    • “Gameplay is both tedious and too basic.”
    • “Finishing a certain chapter ended up feeling very tedious due to excess dialogue and monologue.”

  • stability

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game exhibits several bugs and minor glitches, including clipping issues and occasional problems with the paper plane segments, which may slightly detract from the overall experience. However, these stability issues are generally not severe enough to significantly impact enjoyment.

    • “Game is buggy.”
    • “There are some small glitches, clipping problems, and inconsistencies that leave you more disappointed than satisfied by the end of the game.”
    • “There are a few glitches with the paper plane segments, but it's not a major issue.”
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Critic Reviews

69%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Berlin Apartment is a casual simulation game with drama, mystery and historical themes. Common tags for The Berlin Apartment include first-person, indie, educational, linear, exploration and others.

The Berlin Apartment is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Steam Deck and others.

The Berlin Apartment was released on November 17, 2025.

The Berlin Apartment was developed by Blue Backpack.

The Berlin Apartment has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked The Berlin Apartment for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

The Berlin Apartment is a single player game.

Similar games include SEASON: A letter to the future, Sunset, American Arcadia, What Remains of Edith Finch, Harold Halibut and others.