Small Spaces

About Small Spaces

Small Spaces is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Niklas Tomkowitz and was released on May 27, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Unpacking Mode Update About the GameAbout this gameHi, I’m Niklas – the developer of Small Spaces. My goal is to make a game that puts you into a creative flow without you even noticing. And a lot of the player feedback has been exactly that. So, if you’re looking for a relaxing game to take your mind off stressful thoughts, Small Spaces might be just the creative escape you were looking for :…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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Reviews

90%Audience ScoreBased on 821 reviews

graphics54 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

Cozy and relaxing interior design game with high-quality graphics and immersive lighting effects.
Intuitive controls and interface allow easy placement, rotation, scaling, and customization of furniture and decor.
Two modes available (design and unpacking) offering free creative expression and light challenge with client objectives.
Active developer engagement with frequent updates and promising roadmap including sandbox mode and more content.
First-person walkthrough mode enhances immersion and allows players to appreciate their creations in detail.
Star-based unlocking system encourages replayability and gradual access to new furniture, materials, and architectural elements.
Strong community support with helpful guides and inspiration from shared builds.

Current early access state limits variety of furniture, decorations, and floorplans, leading to some repetitiveness.
Occasional bugs and glitches including clipping issues, item snapping problems, visual artifacts, and crashes for some players.
Performance and optimization issues on lower-end PCs causing lag and overheating, limiting accessibility.
Some UI and control frustrations such as lack of undo/redo functions, limited zoom while placing objects, and clunky camera movement.
Insufficient color customization for many items and lack of certain expected features like curtains, ceiling lights, and movable doors/windows.
No fully functional sandbox mode yet; players cannot build or customize layouts beyond predesigned spaces.
Difficulty in placing items and occasional frustrating mechanics in tight or multi-floor spaces.

graphics
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51% positive mentions, 46% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions
The game features beautiful, largely realistic and cozy graphics enhanced by Unreal Engine 5's lighting effects, creating an immersive and aesthetically pleasing decorating experience. While many praise the detailed visuals, variety of styles, and smooth art design, some users report performance issues, especially on lower-end PCs, with occasional graphical glitches and limited control over settings. Overall, the graphics are a standout feature that greatly contribute to the game's relaxing and engaging atmosphere, though optimization improvements are needed for broader accessibility.
- “Beautiful game, gorgeous graphics, gorgeous designs, totally immersive and engaging.”
- “The graphics are superb and even with the currently limited number of items to place the scope for creativity is immense so, personally I am delighted to highly recommend this game and hope you love it as much as I do.”
- “The game’s art direction is clear, it uses Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen lighting to lean into that realistic graphics that you often see in home interior videos.”
- “There also are many graphical glitches, especially with the walls and different camera angles, and combined with the controls, it just makes it tiring to play after a while, whereas this is the kind of game that should definitely not have that effect on the player.”
- “The ghosting issue is especially frustrating—particularly since I’m running it on a 5080 graphics card, where that shouldn’t be happening.”
- “Honestly, the game could be a whole lot better... this game looks cute and fun but I just can't get around how slow it makes my PC... and graphics look so blurry when I play this game and do not focus right.”
music
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39% positive mentions, 56% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming, cozy, and atmospheric qualities, perfectly complementing the relaxing interior design gameplay. However, many users find the soundtrack repetitive due to limited variety and express frustration over the lack of volume controls or the ability to customize audio settings. Despite these drawbacks, the music effectively enhances the game's soothing vibe and overall charm.
- “The lighting is so atmospheric and beautiful and with the soft music and day-night cycle, it's very meditative.”
- “I've already convinced two friends to get it - it has everything an interior design game should have and it plays really nice music while you design things!”
- “The atmosphere, music and the design catalogue make this the perfect game to unwind with in an evening or during a stressful week.”
- “My only nitpick is that the music track (I think there's just one?) loops pretty quickly, which gets annoying if you spend a long time in any one level; you can always mute it if that bothers you.”
- “I had to turn off the music as it was too repetitive and kept to the same song.”
- “My only real dislike is that there are no sliders for the audio in game—it's either on or off, which is not ideal if you like background music and sound effects at different sound levels.”
gameplay
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21% positive mentions, 73% neutral mentions, 6% negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for being simple, intuitive, and relaxing, with smooth mechanics for decorating and design that encourage creativity and personal expression. However, users note limitations due to early access status, such as a lack of variety in items, occasional mechanical glitches, and some rigid design constraints that reduce freedom. Overall, it offers a cozy, chill experience with potential for growth through future updates like sandbox mode and more content.
- “The gameplay is elegantly simple yet deeply satisfying.”
- “The core mechanic involves moving and rotating pieces, experimenting with color palettes, lighting, and spatial arrangements to find the perfect balance and atmosphere.”
- “The gameplay makes it more than just "playing with a doll house" because you have the ability to make a space that becomes a home based on your style and creativity.”
- “You are completely locked into someone else's rigid design choices, effectively turning the gameplay into a tedious exercise of pressing buttons in a specific order.”
- “The game mechanics also seemed quite awkward for me.”
- “While the visual detail is very appealing, the developer has stalled on improving the game mechanics; I've not joined the Discord so I don't understand why that isn't the priority.”
optimization
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12% positive mentions, 73% neutral mentions, 15% negative mentions
Optimization in the game is inconsistent, with some users experiencing smooth performance even on high settings, while many report poor optimization causing performance issues, especially on less powerful hardware. Although the developers appear committed to improving it through updates, buyers with mid-range or lower-end PCs should be cautious. Overall, optimization is a key concern but shows signs of gradual improvement.
- “When I decided to play again, I noticed that the optimization got way better; I can run high settings on my laptop without it overheating or dropping FPS.”
- “For early access too, it runs smoothly and I haven't run into any issues with it.”
- “I had zero performance issues personally, but it is also reassuring to see the many regular updates and fixes.”
- “It is not optimized and not finished.”
- “Performance is abysmal and so far it was a waste of time and money as I wasn't able to play.”
- “The game is currently poorly optimized.”
story
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24% positive mentions, 66% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by charming, brief narratives tied to each location and its inhabitants, providing light context and objectives that inspire creativity without feeling restrictive. While some players appreciate these story snippets for enhancing immersion and guiding design choices, others find the storyline minimal or flat, with quest mechanics sometimes feeling more like task lists than engaging plots. Overall, the storytelling adds a thoughtful layer but leaves room for deeper development and better integration with gameplay.
- “I really enjoy the simplicity of the game's interface, as well as the thoughtfulness behind the storytelling.”
- “The thing I love the most is that each location's owner has their own story and requirements.”
- “Each new space provides you with a small story of the people you're designing for and their simple requests, meaning you can do the bare minimum or get carried away filling in every nook and cranny.”
- “Normal mode is getting really boring, because to keep things existing, we are reintroduced to the family and their requirements, but this doesn't feel like a storyline; it's just tasks for the player.”
- “Sometimes quests are not possible to fulfill because you don't get the needed items.”
- “Storyline is flat.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 96% negative mentions
The game is notably buggy, with frequent issues in unboxing, item placement, camera controls, lighting, and graphical glitches, reflecting its early access status. Despite these stability problems, many players find the experience smooth enough to enjoy and recognize strong potential for future improvements. Overall, while glitches can be frustrating, they do not render the game unplayable and players remain excited for its development.
- “Super cozy game and runs great if you have a mid-end rig from 2026.”
- “The unboxing mode is super buggy and incredibly boring, mainly because the items you get are just repetitive and feel like they weren't actually picked out for the specific house (why did I get 17 same carpets for an incredibly small room for one (difficulty medium) but ended up with a completely empty workspace in the second much bigger room for two (difficulty easy)).”
- “There also are many graphical glitches, especially with the walls and different camera angles, and combined with the controls, it just makes it tiring to play after a while, whereas this is the kind of game that should definitely not have that effect on the player.”
- “Block placement is buggy; the snap-to-grid/object feature in particular is unreliable when it comes to blocks.”
atmosphere
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The atmosphere is consistently praised for being cozy, relaxing, and immersive, enhanced by beautiful lighting, calming music, and a soothing day-night cycle. Players appreciate the intuitive decorating system and thoughtful design that create a stress-free, mellow environment perfect for unwinding. Overall, the game offers a charming, meditative experience that draws players into a warm and inviting space.
- “The lighting is so atmospheric and beautiful and with the soft music and day-night cycle it's very meditative.”
- “Its thoughtful design, atmospheric environments, and well-crafted assets create an inviting space for players to explore interior design in a stress-free setting.”
- “The atmosphere, music and the design catalogue make this the perfect game to unwind with in an evening or during a stressful week.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38% positive mentions, 24% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions
The game offers high replayability through its space decorating mechanics, allowing players to redesign areas multiple times with different styles and unlock new items gradually. Its cozy, relaxing vibe and unpacking mode add to the enjoyment and encourage players to revisit levels, though perfectionists may find the building process less appealing initially. Overall, the replay value is enhanced by the progressing unlocks and the desire to continually improve and personalize spaces.
- “Amazingly fun and replayable space decorating game with a cozy and fun vibe!”
- “The game is also very replayable; you can redesign the spaces as many times as you like, trying out different styles, placements, and vibes.”
- “Unpacking mode is also super fun and gives the smaller number of levels currently in the game lots of replay value.”
- “It does give you a reason to go back and improve the room, which is the upside of it (also in terms of replayability), but at the moment of building, for perfectionists this can be a major turn-off.”
- “I'm postponing finishing the last apartment because I don't want it to end yet... you don't get all the furniture and materials at the beginning and so you have to unlock them by playing, which makes it very replayable because you can redo all your starting apartments eventually.”
- “Cozy and with gradually unlocking different items, has replay value.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game features no in-app purchases or microtransactions, offering a complete experience without additional costs. Users appreciate the absence of pay-to-win elements and see potential for future expansions from the developer.
- “The stories about the characters are really well thought out and I love how there are no in-game purchases.”
- “Unlike many decorating games out there right now, there are no microtransactions, no additional packs to buy -- and yet, I feel like there's room for growth and potential expansions later down the road if the developer wants to keep updating the game.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The grinding in the game is criticized for being overly repetitive and rigid, reducing gameplay to a monotonous cycle of specific button presses. Many players find it tedious and mentally exhausting, requiring additional time or resources to progress.
- “You are completely locked into someone else's rigid design choices, effectively turning the gameplay into a tedious exercise of pressing buttons in a specific order.”
- “But at some point I just thought to myself, 'God, it feels so tedious to think I have a next room to do.'”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Players find the game surprisingly emotional, often forming unexpected attachments that provide a strong sense of comfort and support.
- “Who would have known I would become so emotionally invested in a couch?”
- “More like emotional support simulator.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game genuinely funny and enjoy its comedic elements, with some suggesting that incorporating trending memes could enhance the amusement further.
- “I honestly find this hilarious.”