Apartment No 129 arrives with the sort of premise horror fans are conditioned to respect: a supposedly true story, an abandoned building, and the promise of deeply unpleasant events. Developed by Turkish studio Dead Witness, it positions itself as a slow-burn psychological horror. Unfortunately, it also positions itself as a reminder that atmosphere alone cannot hold a game together.
Gaming Heaven
To its credit, Apartment No 129 understands how to set a mood. The apartment block itself is convincingly grim, with narrow corridors and shadowy rooms doing their best to unsettle you. There are moments where the tension genuinely works, and the central mystery surrounding the building is intriguing enough to push you forward. The inclusion of a full-motion video opening suggests ambition, and the short overall length means the experience never overstays its welcome. A handful of scares land as intended, and the underlying story, once deciphered, is more engaging than expected.
Gaming Hell
Sadly, almost everything else gets in the way. The controls are bafflingly arranged, as if designed during a spirited debate rather than tested by humans. Oversensitive camera movement makes the opening minutes borderline unplayable until you intervene in the settings. Combat, when it appears, feels clumsy and unfinished, draining any tension from encounters. Interaction mechanics are slow and awkward, especially when entering codes, turning simple tasks into tests of patience. Some systems are rendered pointless by others, such as a torch with limited batteries that is immediately made obsolete by a magically powered gun-mounted light. Add weak localisation and forgotten mechanics that reappear only when the game demands them, and cohesion collapses entirely.
Final Judgement
Apartment No 129 has the bones of a decent horror experience, but they’re scattered across the floor rather than assembled into something functional. While it manages to be unsettling in places, it is far more often frustrating, awkward, and unintentionally amusing. It’s not the worst horror game you’ll ever play, but it’s difficult to recommend unless you have a high tolerance for rough edges and low expectations.
