PANELKI

About

"Panelki" is an open-world, massively multiplayer game for 2 players, with both co-op and single-player options, that lets you play as a utility worker in a Siberian city. Complete assignments from utility services, interact with snow, and enjoy the procedurally generated environment and weather system, all while saving up for a ticket to start a new life. The game features a unique atmosphere with its panel houses and Siberian setting.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews

atmosphere11 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game has a unique and immersive atmosphere, capturing the essence of a post-Soviet winter landscape.
Gameplay is calming and satisfying, with a variety of tasks that can be enjoyable for players who appreciate slower-paced experiences.
The art and sound design are well-executed, contributing to a cozy yet melancholic vibe that resonates with many players.

The gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with limited variety in tasks and environments leading to boredom.
There are significant optimization issues, causing performance problems even on capable hardware.
The game lacks clear objectives and explanations, which can make it confusing for new players and detracts from the overall experience.

atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
13%
19%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and enchanting qualities, blending elements of nostalgia and melancholy with a unique setting reminiscent of a post-USSR northern city. Players appreciate the dynamic weather, day/night cycle, and thoughtful sound design, which enhance the overall experience, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a relaxing yet atmospheric gameplay experience. The combination of humor and deeper themes, along with engaging mechanics like snow digging, further enriches the game's ambiance.
- “The enthralling melancholy, the pressing nostalgia were too insistent and enchanting an atmosphere to ever truly vanish from my mind.”
- “I'm loving the atmosphere and ambience of the game, it's rare to find this kind of ambience in non-horror games.”
- “Great atmosphere and sound design, and appears to be well-looked after by its lone dev.”
- “The snow digging feature is really unique and fun, and the dynamic weather and day/night cycle add a lot to the atmosphere.”
- “Yeah, I want to live in Panelki, especially in Norilsk. I just want to see how the polar night goes on, and I want to face the difficult windy snow. That's why I bought that game; I just wanted to experience the atmosphere in a computer game a bit.”
- “+ the shoveling mechanics are quite funny, and can really add a light comedic element to the otherwise depressing atmosphere.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The gameplay is characterized by a repetitive yet satisfying loop centered around shoveling snow and maintaining equipment, which some players find entertaining despite its simplicity. While the mechanics can feel uninteractive at times, they contribute to a unique atmosphere that blends humor with a somber narrative about survival in a challenging environment. Overall, the game is seen as an artistic endeavor that effectively conveys its themes through engaging, if not always rewarding, gameplay.
- “But that's irrelevant, the gameplay loop is satisfying and calming.”
- “The soundtrack just won't let me go, the gameplay loop is as simple and depressing as it is motivating and realistic, every gameplay or design choice made sense, and the awesome, unexpectedly polished snow shovel feature allows for the construction of eerie, mystical snow creatures, miles high, that entwine around the abandoned, shabby old tenement housing estates, from which only a cough or a soft conversation can be heard at night.”
- “Gameplay consists of shoveling snow, fixing and maintaining equipment and dealing with unusual encounters.”
- “Gameplay aside, one of the first things you do in the game is pick up a box of light bulbs, with the player character commenting, 'some 'Obama' keeps taking the light bulbs from the entrances of the building.'”
- “Gameplay consists of shoveling snow, fixing and maintaining equipment, and dealing with unusual encounters.”
- “The gameplay loop is as simple and depressing as it is motivating and realistic.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with users reporting performance issues such as stuttering and difficulty achieving stable frame rates, even on high-end PCs. While some aspects of the game function well, the overall optimization appears to be lacking, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
- “Aside from some performance issues and not detecting that I cleared snow correctly (could be my fault, but I did the same thing to some places and I got money for it), it works.”
- “Great game, but optimization sucks.”
- “I have a great PC and can't even get 60 frames at 1080p without stuttering every time the game loads an asset.”
- “Has some real performance issues.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmospheric experience, with many users noting its relaxing qualities and perfect timing during gameplay. Reviewers describe the soundtrack as both haunting and immersive, contributing significantly to the overall emotional impact of the game. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, elevating the game's ambiance to a 10/10 level.
- “The atmosphere is on point, 10/10. The scale of everything feels very realistic, the music is insanely good, and the feeling when you're inside the block at night with the wind howling outside is just 💯.”
- “Very relaxing game with good music that plays at the right times during a playthrough.”
- “Very atmospheric, and the music is surprisingly good. Looking forward to future updates.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during long play sessions.”
- “The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The audio quality of the music is poor, and it often sounds muffled or distorted, ruining the immersion.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, showcasing a compelling winter and abandoned aesthetic that resonates with players. However, some areas, particularly the stairwells, are criticized for feeling cramped.
- “As a Balkan resident and a winter/abandoned aesthetic enjoyer, I love this game.”
- “The graphics are pretty good, but some parts, mainly the stairwells of the buildings, seemed to be kind of small.”
- “There's an aesthetic to it, but it's so sad and hopeless.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
- “The color palette is dull and doesn't do justice to the game's potential.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing shoveling mechanics, which provide a lighthearted contrast to the otherwise bleak atmosphere. Players find the comedic elements to be a refreshing addition, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The shoveling mechanics are quite funny and can really add a light comedic element to the otherwise depressing atmosphere.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unrewarding, leading to a lack of enjoyment.
- “This is not fun or enjoyable; it's tedious and unrewarding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and lacks any meaningful rewards.”
- “I find myself doing the same repetitive tasks over and over without any real progress.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game presents an intriguing concept but suffers from significant bugs, impacting its overall stability.
- “It's a really interesting concept, but it's definitely very buggy.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the gameplay.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of clarity and direction, with players expressing confusion about the narrative and uncertainty regarding any potential ending.
- “There is no story; I don't even know if there is an ending or how it concludes.”
- “The narrative is completely lacking, leaving players confused and disengaged.”
- “The story feels disjointed and fails to provide any meaningful context or character development.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, particularly due to the inclusion of achievements, which adds an engaging layer to the open-world experience.
- “The achievements enable a great level of replayability in the game, which is always a plus for open-world titles like this.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes encourages multiple playthroughs, making the game highly replayable.”
- “With different character builds and story paths, each playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”