The Palace on the Hill

About

"The Palace on the Hill" is a management simulation game with a focus on Indian cooking and tea shop operations, set in a beautifully illustrated 15th century royal palace. Players will interact with over 25 diverse characters while exploring the open world and completing quests in a feel-good story of achievement despite social marginalization. The prologue of the game is available to play for free.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

story7 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful art style and soothing music that create a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
The narrative is engaging, focusing on the protagonist's journey and the charming relationships within the village, making players feel attached to the characters.
Gameplay elements like farming and running a tea shop are enjoyable, providing a unique experience that reflects rural Indian culture.

The game feels short and ends abruptly, leaving players wanting more closure and exploration of character backstories.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as the tea shop system and farming tasks, can become repetitive and lack depth, leading to frustration.
There are technical issues and unpolished elements, such as glitches and clunky UI, which detract from the overall experience.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
47%
16%
The game's story is praised for its rich narrative centered around the protagonist Vir's journey, his passion for painting, and the intriguing lore of a kingdom and its princess. Players appreciate the relatable themes and the emotional connection to the characters, despite the story being relatively short and straightforward. While the narrative is engaging and beautifully intertwined with gameplay, some aspects feel unpolished, and the game's brevity may limit replay value compared to more expansive titles.
- “The story is nice, with Vir’s journey, his dreams, and his love for painting.”
- “It may be a short story, but you absolutely get attached to Vir and Savi in the small amount of time, and the narrative will pull at your heartstrings.”
- “As I said in the demo's review, this game reminds me of the work of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee, a sweet slice of life story set in rural India.”
- “The story is very simple, and what makes it long is grinding for money.”
- “It's a quick game, and so much of it is story-driven that there isn't much replay value compared to Stardew Valley, which is far more open-world and customizable, and can be played for appalling amounts of time.”
- “Later parts of the game felt a bit unpolished - quest names not formatted properly, sketches didn't have any descriptions, watering can upgrade that can only be purchased once.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their unique and beautiful art style, which effectively creates a comforting and inviting atmosphere reminiscent of 90s rural India. Players appreciate the watercolor-inspired visuals and the storytelling embedded in the character designs and environments, enhancing the overall experience despite the game's brevity. Many express a desire for more games featuring this distinctive art style and setting.
- “The game is absolutely beautiful and the art style goes a long way in building the comforting, inviting atmosphere that will make you feel right at home, even if you've never lived the village life of a child from 90s rural India.”
- “The art style is unique and lovely - the characters as well as the place have a story of their own.”
- “The watercolour styled artwork was a nice touch.”
- “Artwork?”
- “Even though the game is short, I really liked the art style and artworks of Vir.”
- “Visuals, sound effects, and music made me feel authentically like an Indian village.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
27%
27%
The gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics and integration with the story, creating a nostalgic atmosphere that resonates with players. However, some reviewers note that it feels unpolished and could benefit from deeper economic systems, particularly in the plant and restaurant elements. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable and immersive, it has room for improvement in terms of mechanical refinement.
- “Overall, the art, music, and gameplay are fantastic.”
- “I thought the art was very good, and the gameplay elements were well integrated.”
- “Short story, engaging gameplay, detailed world filled with mystery and intrigue.”
- “As a game, on a mechanical level, it is crunchy and unpolished.”
- “Basically every edge is a rough one, and there isn't a single mechanic that won't have you like ???”
- “- The plant and dhaba (restaurant) gameplay economy could be more in-depth.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the farming and cafe management aspects of the game, but find the grinding for resources and money to become repetitive and tedious over time, especially due to the lack of automation options. While the farming mechanics are functional, they can feel clunky, and many express a desire for deeper and more refined systems in potential future expansions. Overall, the vibrant setting and engaging gameplay elements are overshadowed by the grind-heavy nature of the experience.
- “I liked the farming and running the tea shop, but after a while, it gets repetitive.”
- “Planting seeds, watering, and harvesting start to feel tedious, and there’s no option to automate, like using pipes instead of just the basic watering can.”
- “The story is very simple, and what makes it long is grinding for money.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and upbeat qualities, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersing players in the experience. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack complements the visuals and gameplay, creating a soothing yet lively ambiance that resonates with the game's themes.
- “Immediately upon starting, I was struck by its expertly curated vibes—the soft pastel color palette, the looseness in the illustrations' lines, and the calm yet upbeat music—all of it is a sensory salve, a great way to cool down at the end of the day.”
- “Characters felt lively, and the soothing music felt calm while playing the game.”
- “Love the art, the music, the people, the narrative, and the expansive cozy management which is not super overwhelming for people like me.”
- “The music was forgettable and didn't add anything to the experience.”
- “I found the soundtrack repetitive and uninspired, which detracted from the overall immersion.”
- “The music felt out of place and didn't match the game's atmosphere.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's atmosphere is described as cozy and inviting, enhanced by its beautiful art style that evokes a sense of nostalgia for rural life. Players appreciate the relaxing environment, free from penalties, which encourages exploration and immersion in various activities. Overall, it creates a comforting experience that makes players feel at home.
- “I haven't gotten deep into the narrative yet, but it's such a cozy atmosphere; it makes me want to start gardening.”
- “The game has no penalties for missing things, which creates a very relaxing atmosphere. I almost lost track of time playing it and doing various activities.”
- “The game is absolutely beautiful, and the art style goes a long way in building the comforting, inviting atmosphere that will make you feel right at home, even if you've never lived the village life of a child from 90s rural India.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome experience, enhanced by visuals, sound effects, and music that authentically evoke the atmosphere of an Indian village, making it a worthwhile investment for players.
- “It was truly wholesome... worth every penny.”
- “The visuals, sound effects, and music made me feel authentically like I was in an Indian village.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has limited replayability due to its quick, story-driven nature, which contrasts sharply with more open-world and customizable games like Stardew Valley that offer extensive replay value.
- “It's a quick game, and so much of it is story-driven that there isn't much replay value compared to Stardew Valley, which is far more open-world and customizable, and can be played for an appalling amount of time.”