The hilltop palace combines Indian culture, storytelling and art

In The palace on the hill, Now available on Xbox, you play as a teenager living in a village inspired by rural India in the 90s. The character Vir starts his summer vacation working as a farmer and takes on odd jobs during this time to support his father, who has suffered losses on his farm.

The game plays like an adventure RPG with life simulation elements. You must explore locations, collect items, craft, run errands, and cook at the local tea shop to earn money.

With a unique setting inspired by rural India and a story about a teenager’s socioeconomic struggles, the developers aim to tell a story that will be familiar to many people around the world.

Aside from the setting, the game also introduces players to various cultural elements in the form of small details, such as collectible plants, crafts, cooking recipes, etc. These things add little surprises and make discovering all the unique collectibles in the game a pleasure.

The game’s artwork was created by Mala Sen, an artist from Niku Games. Her previous work is in the field of textile art, and she brings a unique hand-crafted style to the game’s backgrounds. The vibrant watercolor colors also give the environment a cozy feel.

Art plays an important role not only in the development of the game, but also in the game’s story. The player character, Vir, is an aspiring artist who wants to study at the country’s leading art school. Although the player is busy with various game features, they also advance the story by collecting special items called references. When collected, these items reveal a little insight into a location, character, or legend in the game and help the player make paintings. The paintings reveal themselves when all of the associated references are collected.

Inspired by the historical miniature art of India, these collectible paintings are a pleasant surprise for players.

Along the way, you’ll also befriend Savi, a childhood friend who’s now a cool city girl. Savi encourages your passion for art and helps you find hidden places in the game.

Together, you’ll explore ancient ruins that litter the village and paint pictures about the stories of a centuries-old kingdom. The ruins and locations in the game are inspired by the developers’ lives and travels spent in the countryside during their childhood.

Composer, Srikant Krishna’s Music adds an evocative atmosphere to the game’s atmosphere with soothing and serene background music for each area and for the day-night cycle. The music combines various Indian instruments such as the bansuri flute, tabla and the like to create a unique relaxing soundscape. Immerse yourself in the beauty, culture, art and adventure of
The palace on the hillnow available on Xbox.