- We’re Part of “Games Forged in Germany”! - 24 July 2025
Wake up Fans! We’re excited to announce that Mindlock – The Apartment is part of this year’s Games Forged in Germany event on Steam!Discover a great selection of exciting games from German studios—featuring hidden gems like:PVKK: Operate a giant defense cannon and save your planet—with humor and tea.OKU: Become a wandering monk, write haikus, and follow the wind.PRIM: A darkly humorous point & click adventure about Death’s daughter.Dünnes Eis: A mini point & click story from Deponia creator Poki.Check out the event and discover even more amazing titles!➡️ Visit the Games Forged in Germany Event We also have some wonderful news to shareMindlock – The Apartment was nominated for the German Computer Games Award (Deutscher Computerspielpreis) in the “Best Debut” category this year. At the GermanDevDays Awards, we were honored to win:🏆 Best Audio 🏆 Best Story 🏆 Best GameWe’re incredibly p…
- Release and now spring Sale?! - 14 March 2025
20% off during Spring Sale Hey fans! We’re excited to share that Mindlock is now part of the Steam Spring Sale. Dive into its gripping narrative and eerie world of mystery. It’s your chance to experience a unique adventure—unravel secrets and uncover surprises that await at every turn. Don’t miss out; grab your copy today! Successful Release – Thank You for Your Support! The release of “Mindlock - The Apartment” was a huge success! It’s incredible to see how many Let’s Plays and streams have already been created. Prominent German YouTubers like Gnu and Gronkh have played the game enthusiastically and captivated their communities. Your feedback is fantastic – we’ve already received over 200 very positive reviews on Steam! It feels amazing to know that Colin’s story touches so many people. Thank you for all the kind words coming from every direction! Music Release on Steam Chris Kohler co…
- Patch: Improvements for an Even Better Gaming Experience - 20 December 2024
Of course, we’ve also received constructive criticism that helps us continue to improve Mindlock. Opinions on the puzzles differ: Some find the hints appear too quickly, while others would like even more guidance. What’s considered a hard or easy puzzle varies from player to player. As a developer, I’ve always aimed to strike a balance that works for the majority. However, there were two frequently criticized puzzles that have now been revised and simplified: Repairing the Clock: You can now make fewer mistakes, and a single error no longer triggers a full restart of the minigame. This should reduce frustration. The Flamethrower: Handling has been simplified so you no longer need to open the inventory repeatedly. Additionally, there’s more time to deal with the grabber arms. After all, the battle shouldn’t be fought against the inventory system, but within the story itself. The update i…
- Horror Night at Steam Next Fest - 15 October 2024
Join the Horror at Steam Next Fest! This week marks our exciting participation in Steam Next Fest! Dive into the early stages of our game through the demo, featuring the voices of Colin and Veloria in both German and English. Enjoy our stunning, original soundtrack and brace yourself for the chilling adventure ahead. Routines - Official Music Video Out Now! Have you caught the latest hit from our soundtrack? The official music video for "Routines" is not only catchy but also introduces you to the mysterious owl character. Check it out now! Loved the demo? Connect with us on Discord or follow us on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content and updates. We’re just getting started, and there's much more to come. Happy Horror, Folks! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2669150/Mindlock__The_Apartment/
- The Daily Life of a Solo Developer - 7 June 2024
Project Planning The development of Mindlock - The Apartment is divided into monthly milestones, delivered to my publisher, United Soft Media. These milestones form the chronological chapters of the game. Additional tasks include managing the Instagram channel, creating a demo, revisions, and promotional graphics. At the end of each month, I present the next month's concept and receive feedback. The previous milestone is reviewed with significant support from their QA department. Pros and Cons of Working Solo A key topic is working hours. While I save time on meetings and don’t need a ticketing system, I can't multitask like a team. However, working solo allows direct insight into all areas of the project, easing bug-fixing and making daily work varied. The solitary nature might not suit everyone, but I've always had intrinsic motivation for solo projects since school. Feedback and prob…
- My Punk Past and the Musical Journey of "Mindlock" - 4 April 2024
From Punk Band to Game Developer My personal journey has always been closely linked to punk. I spent years as the bassist and singer of the band PRANX. A little Easter egg in "Mindlock": An EP cover of my band adorns Colin's wall – a drawing by me that dates back seven years. My punk mindset not only flows into the music but also into questioning our societal system, an attitude that I find reflected in Colin, the main character of "Mindlock." Colin: A Reflection of Social Critique Colin lives the punk mantra "Punk's not dead" with a corresponding poster and a dusty guitar. He questions the system, feels like a cog in the machine, and expresses his dissatisfaction. Over time, however, I have developed a more mature perspective, growth that I also allow Colin to experience. "Mindlock" declares: The world is not just black or white. The Creation of the Soundtrack Currently, I am working o…
- Development Diary: On Thought Processes and Memories - 7 March 2024
At the heart of "Mindlock – The Apartment" is a story designed to captivate and surprise the player repeatedly. Other games, like "Return of the Obra Dinn", focus their storytelling on gameplay mechanics. In contrast, "Mindlock" prioritizes a compellingly narrated story to bring out the profound and humorous aspects of the game world, with unexpected twists and multifaceted characters in the best possible way. Throughout the development process, which you can follow in more detail on Instagram, it was important to me to provide players with a maximum variety despite a minimalist adventure control scheme, which mainly consists of walking, examining, and interacting. Players explore not only the present but also Colin's world of thoughts and the memories he gradually rediscovers. These narrative variations differ both in graphic style and gameplay. Especially with the thought processes, i…
- From Sketches to Animation - 5 February 2024
Influences like the "Gorillaz" music videos, cartoon-style video games such as "Sly Raccoon", and Tim Burton's stop-motion films have profoundly shaped my life. My artistic journey began with hand-drawn comics at age 7 and evolved into creating digital graphics on a tablet during my college years. An artist's unique signature is always discernible, even when their projects span various styles. For Mindlock's art style, I intentionally drew heavy inspiration from Tim Burton's distinctive approach. The combination of pale skin tones, abundant black and darkness, intentionally imperfect lines, and cartoon-esque anatomy strikes the perfect balance between eerie and whimsical. This blend is mirrored in the storyline, which infuses serious and somber themes with dry humor, marrying depth with entertainment. Beyond style, the right technique is crucial to shape spaces as envisioned. I initiall…
- Behind closed doors: Colin's origins - 16 January 2024
It all began in an inconspicuous silence. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt the need to start a small project at home. While drawing, I developed a sketchy style in which I then created a small, chaotic apartment from only a few screens. That’s how the apartment came about. I quickly came up with the perfect basic idea for my project: how would a person deal with their own front door disappearing one morning? It was obvious that this story needed a main character who suffered from inner conflicts and dissatisfaction. I invented Colin Walker, whose deep personality could provide enough material to fill the small apartment with a lot of content and memories. It’s funny what a small stone can sometimes trigger when it starts rolling. Because what was initially planned as a little gimmick gradually developed into a complete game idea with a complex story. I love it when video ga…
