Apartment Story is a short, dramatic thriller with life simulation elements
Apartment story is a short, cinematic game on Steam which initially feels like a life simulator, but corrupts the domestic fantasy with a threat, an intruder and a gun. It all starts out fun and games when I take on the role of Arthur, a man with no plans for the day and no money in his bank account. As Arthur, I explore my apartment, a cozy spot, and realize I’m hungry.
I have only a few needs to take care of: mind, hunger, hygiene, sleep and toilet. Taking care of all these needs is easy. I fix myself bowls of cereal, smoke weed, and jerk off. Every now and then the phone beeps with a new message about Arthur’s financial situation, and unfortunately it’s bad. So it is an aimless, slightly anxious day. Then a friend offers to come over and share a pizza.
It’s at the beginning of day two when everything goes to hell; there is a stranger in Arthur’s living room, which is now completely destroyed. Smoking weed and ignoring texts about my bank balance are now among the least of my worries; I am engaged in a struggle for survival.
Apartment story is not a horror game; it’s more of a dramatic thriller. But there’s something very unsettling about having someone in your house that you don’t expect. The game does have something in common with horror films: I find myself frustrated with the main character. Hey, Arthur, lock your doors! I feel like a lot of this game could be avoided if Arthur was a little more safety conscious.
For every moment of action there is a long period of downtime. I can clean out my apartment, grab every DVD and put them back on the shelf in a meticulous order, while listening to music created for the game by the artist TRAAPS. Those slow parts, combined with the random attacks and building story, give the game a dreamlike feel.
After working from home for several years, including during the pandemic, something about the threat in Apartment story stuck with me. Arthur is a homebody, and the idea of having that sacred space ruined by a violent intruder is an alarming one. While the game feels a bit awkward, slow, and plodding, the visuals and story kept me engaged – and grateful for my peaceful little apartment.
Apartment story was released on September 26 on Windows. The game was reviewed on Windows using a pre-release download code from Blue Rider Interactive. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased through affiliate links. Additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy can be found here.