The concept of blending unlikely genres continues to? take shape in the gaming world, proving that titles don't need to be known for that one thing. In my experience, it'?s brought out some of the best gameplay, from Dave the Diver's restaurant and fishing mechanics to the Yakuza series' many genre-bending elements.

I thought I had seen it all until Blue Rider Interactive's Apartment Story threw me for a loop with its combination of Sims-esque and narrative thriller gameplay. Although a somewhat cozy game like The Sims seems unusual for this particular genre, Apartment Story is definitely ont?o something here, and it certainly had my interest piqued.

Apartment Story (PC [Reviewed])

Developer: Blue Rider Interactive

Publisher: Blue Rider Interactive

Released: September 26, 2024

You begin the game as Arthur, a 27-year-old man with little to no money in his bank account. Well, he actually has a negative balance, but hey, no judgment here. His wellness? de??pends on his life stats, including Hunger, Sleep, Mind, Toilet and Hygiene. You'll also need to keep track of your electricity usage by managing the amount you use throughout the day.

It almost felt like I was initially doing a typical Sims playthrough, performing mundane tasks around the place, like tidying up the apartment and making some grub. Might seem a little monotonous to some, but I did enjoy it a lot toward the beginning. Sometimes, it's just better to make meals in video games than to think of what to cook up in real life for the hun??dredth time.

The only real goal at this point is to wait for your old roommate, Diane, to pick up her belongings. Things really kick into high gear after she shows up, and the two of you party together. I almost forgot I was playing a narrative thriller as I got caught up in their conversations about the good old days. But then I got gripped back in once she spilled the tea ab??out a man utterly obsessed with her.

Lo and behold, that same man shows up at Arthur's doorstep and threatens his life for speaking to her. I was shocked, to say the least, but not about his sudden arrival. It was the fact that he had messed up my perfectly cleaned apartment I had worked so hard to keep tidy. Yet, before I ?could comprehend what was happening, the man simply walked away to leave me in a state of fear?.

This is where the blending of two different gameplays truly begins. You'll switch back and forth between?? taking care of Arthur's health and plotting what to do about the bad man. As much as I was excited to see where this would take me, I was a bit disappoin??ted with the results.

The more I kept up with Arthur's life stats, the more I realized how out of place th??ey were. I mean, a man shows up and threatens my life, and now I'm eating a bowl? of cereal like nothing happened? Seems a little strange to me.

On the other hand, I do understand why it was incorporated to show the importance of keeping one's health up during an intense situation. You can see that when Arthur can't perform regular tasks once his stats are at an all-time low. This element reminded me a lot of Indigo Prophecy's sanity meter, where the character could end u?p in a psych ward with low stats. A mechanic like this may have benefited its gameplay, making the life stats feel more crucial.

The in-between times also felt tedious as the game went on. The point-and-click interactions started to become dull after an endless amount of cleaning. All I would do is get Arthur's stats up and aimlessly wait until Apartment Story's thrille??r side came into play. At the least, the horror part got my blood pumping, given that the mysterious man could attack Arthur at any moment. I wish the game honed on this moreso than the slice-of-life part. Maybe the developers could've added in a jumpscare when you're showering or placed hidden secrets for you to discover. Just something to make the downtime more ex??citing.

I probably would've got more into it if the story was more fleshed out. There was definitely some traction at the beginning with the unique dynamic between Diane and Arthur. All we really know about them is that they were old roommates who are the epitome of a 'Will they? Won't they?' relationship. But outside of that, there's not much to them that made me want ?to dig in more.

The narrative does reach a high point toward the end, like any thriller would. You'll get to its conclusion pretty quickly, as a single playthrough only really lasts around 90 to 120 minutes. I like having a game that doesn't require too?? much time, and I think if it had done anything more, it would've overstayed its welcome.

All in all, Apartment Story's merging of Sim's life stats and the thriller genre is an intriguing aspect that I would love to explo?re more. I just wish it coul??d've been executed better by increasing the thrill of the gameplay. It's almost like the concept was there, but it didn't quite hit the mark.

What did work, though, was its retro ??PS2-style graphics. While I do love me some modern graphics, it's nice to go back to the past with the? game's blocky style.

So, if you feel like getting a quick fix for a thriller, try out Apartment Story. It's not the most gripping tale, but it does try something new with its unique stat management system. ??The game doesn't take up too much of your time, making it perfect for a one-night playthrough.

The post Review: Apartment Story appeared first on Destructoid.

Developer Blue Rider Interactive has officially revealed its feature-length dramatic third-person thriller Apartment Story. The game blends its narrative with slice-of-life simulator mechanics to create an engrossing experience with a visual style that takes me right back to the launch of GTA Vice City.

In Apartment Story, you play as Arthur, a 27-year-old who is doing what most of us are: trying to keep his head above water with the cost of food, an apartment, fun, and everything else life throws at us looming over our heads. Aruthur's old roommate Diane unexpectedly shows up one day, and the two hit things off. But everything takes a bit of a downward turn when Blondey ent??ers the picture.

Be a human in this world

The gameplay in Apartment Story looks pretty similar to what you'd be doing if you directly controlled just one character in The Sims 4. Arthur has needs such as hunger, sleep, mind, toilet, hygiene, and life. You've got to keep on top of these by feeding him, cooking up whatever you can find in the cupboards and fridge, getting him to shower, ma??king him sleep, and allowing him to have fun when the opportunity arises.

This isn't a slice-of-life sim, though, and escalating events of the narrative will quickly impede your ability to look after Arthur as life becomes fuller, more stressful, and filled with ?potential pitfalls. This is such an interesting blend of mechanics, and the confined space of Arthur's apartment should make it possible to get your head into where Arthur's at with everything life throws at him.

Interestingly, when Apartment Story is released on September 26, 2024, you'll be able t??o dynamically choose between engaging with the narrative or not. If Arthur opens his door and lets peopl??e in, he could also be opening himself up to a world of hurt. Ignore the knocks and keep the door closed, though; you can procrastinate with him until his life is completely devoid of connections.

My favorite thing about the game is its PSX-style aesthetic. A modern engine ensures the game runs smoothly, but these intentio??nally low-quality visu??als always pull me in more because it feels like I have to fill in more blanks while I play, almost becoming the character or narrator.

The post Apartm?ent Story blends narrative thrills with slice-of-life sim this September appeared first on Destructoid.