The Palace on the Hill

About

The Palace on the Hill is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Niku Games and was released on May 4, 2023. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"The Palace on the Hill" is a slice-of-life adventure game set in 90s India, following the ambition and struggles of a teenaged boy named Vir. The game features an emotional story, vibrant hand-painted watercolour graphics, and a relaxing puzzle-based painting mechanic. Players will also have the opportunity to explore a 15th century Indian royal palace and experience Indian cooking.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 87 reviews

graphics15 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

The game features beautiful hand-drawn art and a relaxing atmosphere, making it a great choice for players seeking a calming experience.
It offers a unique cultural perspective with its Indian setting, providing players with a refreshing and nostalgic glimpse into rural life.
Gameplay is engaging with a mix of farming, crafting, and exploration, and many players are excited about the potential for more content in the full version.

The prologue is criticized for being too short and lacking depth, leaving players wanting more content and a more polished experience.
Some players experienced bugs and issues with gameplay mechanics, such as inventory management and cooking, which detracted from the overall experience.
There are concerns about the game being perceived as an advertisement rather than a standalone product, leading to disappointment among players expecting a full game.

graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
24%
13%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and beautiful art style, which effectively captures a unique Indian aesthetic and enhances the overall atmosphere. While some reviewers note that the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they appreciate the attention to detail and the relaxing, immersive experience they provide. Overall, the artwork and animations contribute significantly to the game's identity and appeal.
- “Very cute art style, representing desi village lifestyle.”
- “Wonderful aesthetics, with a visual style truly displaying the love the developers have for this game.”
- “A lovely gentle bit of game with beautiful artwork and feeling of community.”
- “And it's not even as deep or fleshed out as Stardew Valley... although the graphics are obviously better because they're not pixel crap, it's not exactly award-winning stuff.”
- “The few farming sims that I have found that do have a relaxed time mechanic don't necessarily have high-quality art/visuals that I'm trying to admire, so this was nice to have both, and I hope they keep it the same for the full game release.”
- “The commitment to that is evident from the variety of plants which are native as well as capturing the art style which has a traditional Indian flair.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The game's story is praised for its unique cultural perspective, engaging characters, and beautiful art style, which together create a compelling narrative experience. While the prologue offers a solid introduction with a few quests, players express a desire for deeper storytelling and more content, indicating that the current offering leaves them wanting more. Overall, the story is described as charming and immersive, with a relaxing ambiance that enhances the gameplay.
- “I also really like the story behind it and would love to play the full game.”
- “The art and story are truly breathtaking.”
- “I'm delighted by the gameplay; the story lets you explore a lively rural town, and the music, oh the music, the soothing ambiance gives you a relaxing daydream experience.”
- “☐ no story”
- “Please add more content, add a deeper story and narratives, more quests.”
- “Very simple, story driven...left me wanting to find out more.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The gameplay is described as a relaxing and visually appealing experience, with elements of gathering, foraging, and a unique painting mechanic that shows promise for future development. While many players appreciate the calm atmosphere and easy-to-learn mechanics, some find the gameplay slow and lacking polish, with suggestions for improvements in customer interactions and the painting aspect. Overall, the game has potential, especially for fans of life simulation genres like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing.
- “Relaxing atmosphere, beautiful visuals, and fun gameplay.”
- “Amazing art, very calm but still interesting gameplay.”
- “Overall, I recommend the prologue since it does have some really great art and goes for the Stardew Valley/Animal Crossing type life sim gameplay set in a rural Indian village setting.”
- “I thought it was slow and dull with somewhat tedious gameplay that feels unpolished.”
- “Now on to some issues I had with the gameplay which I think could be improved upon.”
- “- I think that the painting portion of gameplay could be improved a bit; I love exploring around to get inspiration, but maybe there could be more involvement from the player, like allowing us to color in some of it like paint-by-numbers.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The grinding aspect of this farming RPG is described as both soothing and addictive, offering a unique cultural backdrop and a relaxed gameplay experience without the typical time constraints found in other farming sims. While some players find the gameplay slow and occasionally tedious, the absence of penalties for staying up late and the engaging side quests contribute to a more enjoyable and less rushed experience. Overall, it appeals to those who appreciate a leisurely pace in farming and exploration.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I thought it was slow and dull with somewhat tedious gameplay that feels unpolished.”
- “Despite a few bugs, I absolutely adored this addictive demo that is both a farming sim and a glimpse into a different world for anyone who didn't grow up in rural India.”
monetization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for being essentially an advertisement disguised as a game, misleading players into downloading and paying for content that is not a full game experience. Reviewers express frustration over the practice of publishing demos and ads as separate titles, arguing it detracts from genuine developers and misleads consumers. Overall, the monetization strategy is deemed exploitative and unworthy of gamers' time and money.
- “If you enjoy advertisements, you can consume them for free on the web or on YouTube without needing to add them to your game library, download them, and then launch the advertising.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “It's impossible for me to recommend this incorrectly published advertising spam to gamers; you deserve better than adverts.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
49%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to create a relaxing ambiance, enhancing the overall experience with its unique Indian art style. Players appreciate the soothing melodies and sound effects, particularly the delightful tabla sounds accompanying actions, though some hope for more variety in the full version. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's identity and immersive atmosphere.
- “Its Indian art style, story, and music are the standouts as they give the game its unique identity.”
- “Charming art style and relaxing music.”
- “I'm delighted by the gameplay; the story lets you explore a lively rural town, and the music, oh the music, the soothing ambiance gives you a relaxing daydream experience.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its discovery through the wholesome direct and the excitement of trying the demo. The positive sentiment reflects a sense of gratitude and anticipation for the full version, indicating that the game resonates well with those seeking uplifting and heartwarming experiences.
- “Will get the full version for my next staycation and I'm glad I've found this game by watching the recording of Wholesome Direct 2024!”
- “I saw this game in the Wholesome Direct and had to try the demo.”
- “My fiancé suggested I check out Wholesome Direct because there were tons of options with free demos available.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxed and enjoyable quality, complemented by beautiful visuals and attention to detail. Reviewers appreciate how the ambiance enhances the gameplay without being overwhelming, creating a pleasant overall experience.
- “I'm very fond of the relaxed atmosphere of the game.”
- “Overall, I really liked the atmosphere of this game and how it's not too overwhelming.”
- “Relaxing atmosphere, beautiful visuals, and fun gameplay.”

Skip Game Offers

Buy The Palace on the Hill

5h Median play time

5h Average play time

5-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like The Palace on the Hill

92%5.4kreviews

Little Witch in the Woods

2022

Casual Role Playing

72%3kreviews

Staxel

2019

Role Playing

86%3.8kreviews

Bear & Breakfast

2022

Casual Role Playing

72%2.6kreviews

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game

2025

Casual Role Playing

89%1.6kreviews

Chef RPG

2024

Role Playing

More games like The Palace on the Hill

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

The Palace on the Hill is a casual role playing game.

The Palace on the Hill is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows, Linux and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing The Palace on the Hill.

The Palace on the Hill was released on May 4, 2023.

The Palace on the Hill was developed by Niku Games.

The Palace on the Hill has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its gameplay.

The Palace on the Hill is a single player game.

Similar games include Little Witch in the Woods, Staxel, Bear & Breakfast, Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game, Chef RPG and others.

The Palace on the Hill

Platforms

About

Buy The Palace on the Hill