Panelka

About

Panelka is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by MonsterAttack and was released on February 13, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Panelka is a relaxing simulation game that lets you recreate cozy post-Soviet apartments from the late 80s and early 90s. Customize interiors with a wide variety of furniture, wallpapers, and decor to evoke warm memories and nostalgia. Explore classic layouts like Khrushchyovkas and panel buildings while freely designing your personal creative space.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 54 reviews

atmosphere4 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game offers a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere, capturing the essence of Soviet-era apartments with charming visuals and decor.
Players appreciate the emotional resonance and creativity involved in decorating their spaces, making it a relaxing experience.
The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing commitment to enhancing the game over time.

The game suffers from significant bugs, including issues with saving progress, laggy performance, and glitches that can trap players in walls.
Many players find the interface confusing due to poor translations, with item categories appearing in Russian and some items not displaying correctly.
The limited variety of furniture and decor options, along with clunky controls, detracts from the overall experience and makes gameplay feel repetitive.

graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a distinctive, atmospheric art style that evokes a cozy, retro aesthetic, though they are often described as rough and simplistic. While some players appreciate the unique visuals and lighting, others criticize the limited variety of items and the overall performance, noting that certain graphical settings can detract from the experience. Overall, the game's charm lies in its nostalgic presentation, appealing primarily to those who enjoy its specific aesthetic.
- “What makes Panelka especially memorable is the atmosphere it creates through its art style and presentation.”
- “I love the aesthetic of the game and was so looking forward to playing.”
- “Beautiful visuals and lighting.”
- “The visual quality, while atmospheric, is intentionally rough around the edges—those looking for pristine graphics or modern design elements may find it simplistic.”
- “Unfortunately, the game runs very poorly and the graphics leave a lot to be desired.”
- “The furniture items are very limited, and most appear grimy/dirty - I understand this is part of the aesthetic, but I would have liked more options for items and furniture that look retro/lived-in/used without being filthy.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a cozy, nostalgic vibe, evoking the lived-in feel of Soviet-era housing with its retro art style and intentional roughness. Players appreciate the emotional resonance created through the game's design, though some note that the graphics can appear flat under certain settings. Overall, the atmosphere is described as lovely and inviting, appealing to those who enjoy slow, intentional gameplay and the beauty of everyday spaces.
- “What makes Panelka especially memorable is the atmosphere it creates through its art style and presentation.”
- “Developed and published by Monsterattack, it invites players into a world of cramped apartments, faded wallpapers, and retro furnishings that define the lived-in atmosphere of Soviet-era housing blocks.”
- “It caters to players who find comfort in slow, intentional decorating, who appreciate the quiet beauty of everyday spaces, and who enjoy games that create emotional resonance through atmosphere rather than storytelling.”
- “Nice graphics and atmosphere, but lack of many options and variety!”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Panelka evokes a strong emotional response by allowing players to recreate nostalgic homes, fostering a sense of comfort and connection to their cultural backgrounds. The game emphasizes atmosphere over complex mechanics, inviting players to engage in slow, intentional decorating that resonates with personal memories. Additionally, the relatable characters and touching snippets of story enhance the overall emotional experience.
- “Panelka is not concerned with simulation accuracy or elaborate mechanics; instead, it is built around the emotional resonance of recreating homes that many players grew up in or recognize from their cultural surroundings.”
- “Whether you’re laying down a floral carpet, hanging up an old poster, or arranging trinkets on a shelf, everything contributes to the emotional impression that this is a place with history.”
- “It caters to players who find comfort in slow, intentional decorating, who appreciate the quiet beauty of everyday spaces, and who enjoy games that create emotional resonance through atmosphere rather than storytelling.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's story is conveyed through its immersive environment, evoking themes of childhood and nostalgia without imposing a traditional narrative structure. Players appreciate the relatable characters and touching snippets of story, while the focus on atmosphere and emotional resonance enhances the overall experience. However, some technical issues, such as text running off the screen in story mode, have been noted.
- “The game doesn’t force narrative onto the player, but the environment itself tells a story: of childhood, of family gatherings, of old radios humming in kitchens, of everyday life frozen in time.”
- “Loved the snippets of story, the characters are relatable and the stories touching.”
- “Panelka has no tasks to complete, no storyline to follow, and no pressure to optimize.”
- “It caters to players who find comfort in slow, intentional decorating, who appreciate the quiet beauty of everyday spaces, and who enjoy games that create emotional resonance through atmosphere rather than storytelling.”
- “Update: in story mode the text runs off the screen; it happens, but not awful!”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Panelka prioritizes emotional resonance and cultural familiarity over traditional gameplay mechanics, offering a cozy and meditative experience that encourages creativity. Its easy-to-learn mechanics complement the game's charm, making it accessible while fostering a sense of nostalgia.
- “The mechanics are easy to get used to.”
- “The lack of traditional gameplay structure becomes part of the charm.”
- “It is a cozy, meditative tool for creativity, driven by cultural memory rather than mechanical ambition.”
- “Panelka is not concerned with simulation accuracy or elaborate mechanics; instead, it is built around the emotional resonance of recreating homes that many players grew up in or recognize from their cultural surroundings.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The music in the game is praised for its nostalgic quality, effectively enhancing the overall vibe and immersing players in a vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of their childhood. While some users suggest that a different soundtrack could better fit the game's theme, the existing music is generally described as lovely and enjoyable.
- “But trust me, as soon as you dive in, you're gonna get hooked like crazy—little details, throwbacks to our childhood, the soundtrack—everything’s gonna hit you right in the nostalgia feels, taking you back to when life was different… and way more vibrant.”
- “I really enjoyed the gameplay; the music is lovely.”
- “Also, music that fits this vibe better would be great.”
- “The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the game exhibits some stability issues, particularly with buggy interactions involving doors.
- “The game is a bit buggy when interacting with doors.”
- “There are frequent glitches that disrupt gameplay.”
- “I experienced several crashes that made it hard to enjoy the game.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues.
- “Terrible optimization.”