Apartment Story Review: A Gripping, Realistic Drama

Apartment Story Review

The great thing about story-driven games is that, if done right, the story can be about anything. Apartment Story is a small narrative in a small space that feels much bigger. It's a simple concept fleshed out and enriched, more engaging and more rewarding. It turns out that the small moments that make up your day can also make for a great plot. Small things that don't require any thought suddenly feel like tangible, powerful experiences.

A simple but compelling story

I won't go into spoilers here, but the basic plot is exactly that: three people, a gun, and the apartment as a setting. It's absolutely stylish. What makes Apartment Story such a fascinating experience is the padding between plot and story. You're expected to shave, shower, cook, and smoke. Every action is tied to a simple control scheme that forces these actions to feel deliberate and thoughtful. You have to pick up cigarettes, light them, and throw away the remains. Cooking involves washing dishes and remembering to close the refrigerator and cupboard doors.

This isn’t optional either. You have to keep a stack of meters. If you neglect your sleep and hunger, it affects your performance. Smoking balances your mind. It can’t make you want to smoke at an important plot moment, right? Keeping yourself busy with small tasks like cooking and getting high fills the day. Suddenly, you feel more connected to this character. Their day resembles yours, and the stakes seem more real. It’s such a simple way to draw you in, and yet it works so well. I found myself cleaning up and shaving, and not for any real reason, but just as a natural thing to do.

The graphics are rough and odd, but they're more endearing than off-putting. Apartment Story looks like a lost PS1 game, albeit with crisp audio. Somehow, the setting is so realistic that the visuals no longer feel nostalgic. Instead, they're a deliberate design decision that keeps you focused on your actions. Also, the presence of a shattered, poor-quality smartphone screen kept me anchored in the modern era. While the simple models aren't capable of expressing much, the dialogue is crisp enough to make up for it.

Like a lost PS1 game

I loved the music. There's a Bluetooth speaker in the living room that controls the tunes, but they also kick in during particularly tense story moments. I'm looking forward to a more thorough analysis of the songs when the game is released. Much like the graphics and mechanics, the music works to elevate the atmosphere. Pouring rain and cigarette smoke mix with the soundtrack to create a powerful ambiance.

As always, I played this game on my Stealth 16 Studio A13V laptop. Even though Apartment Story is a fairly small game, a proper graphics card is still preferable. As long as you have that covered, you should be good to go.

Even though I've described the plot as basic, it's still engaging. It's raw, relatable characters with solid fights that you connect with immediately. The aforementioned gun carries a significant amount of weight, as do your individual actions. The entire game is fairly short, roughly the length of a movie. You can experience it all in one sitting, though it'll stay with you for longer. I'm curious to see what changes in subsequent playthroughs, but I kind of want to keep the story as I've seen it.

The length of a good movie

For me, Apartment Story stands out from most narrative games. The big difference is the simulation element. Having to do things like shower, cook, smoke, and pee really elevates the experience. Between the plot, atmosphere, and mechanics, I'm pretty impressed. Even though the story is pretty simple, it still draws you in. If you have a few hours to spare, I highly recommend checking out Apartment Story.

***The publisher provided a Steam key***