- HOMEGROWN WORLD
- #HGCREATORS
- #HGEXPLORE
- #HGVOICES
- #HGSHOP
- CAREERS
- ABOUT US
- CONTACT US
Developed by Mono Tusk Studios, based in Visakhapatnam, 'Palm Sugar' is a retro-inspired RPG set in the fictional Telugu village of Velampakan. Combining pixel-art aesthetics with a narrative centred on young love, political intrigue, drug cartels and the consequences of choice, the game offers a distinctly South Indian perspective rarely seen in mainstream gaming. Drawing inspiration from classic RPGs while embracing regional cultural nuances, Palm Sugar seeks to tell a deeply local story with universal appeal.
For many Indian gamers who grew up playing story-driven video games, there was often a quiet disconnect between the worlds on screen and the realities they knew. The protagonists, landscapes and cultural references that shaped some of gaming's most beloved narratives were overwhelmingly Western, leaving many players searching for characters and settings that felt a little closer to home. It is from this desire for representation and cultural specificity that Palm Sugar was born.
Developed by a Mono Tusk Studios based in Visakhapatnam, Palm Sugar is a retro-inspired role-playing game set in the fictional Telugu-speaking village of Velampakan. Drawing inspiration from classic titles such as The Legend of Zelda and pixel-art RPGs of the SNES era, the game combines nostalgic aesthetics with a distinctly South Indian setting. Rather than presenting India as a single, monolithic culture, Palm Sugar embraces the regional nuances that shape everyday life. Kartheek Raj, Palm Sugar's creator compared India to the European Union, a vast collection of cultures, languages and traditions that can vary dramatically from one region to another. The game seeks to capture one small corner of that diversity through its setting, characters and storytelling.
At the heart of Palm Sugar is a coming-of-age story that blends young love, difficult choices and the consequences that follow. Set against the backdrop of village life, the narrative gradually expands into a darker tale involving politics, organised crime, drug cartels and bloodshed. Central to the story is a fictional narcotic called Malua, which is concealed within blocks of jaggery, or bellam, a familiar ingredient across many South Indian households. What begins as a personal journey soon becomes entangled in larger systems of power and corruption, forcing players to navigate a world where every decision carries weight.
The project first began taking shape in 2022, long before the developers had formally established a game studio. During its earliest stages, the team, led by Kartheek Raj, focused on sketching out ideas, gathering references and exploring the story they wanted to tell. Much of the game's foundation emerged organically, evolving from conversations about the kinds of narratives they wished they had encountered while growing up. In 2023, the team officially registered the studio and began developing the project in earnest, with support from Indian publishing partners helping to bring the vision closer to reality.
Palm Sugar is attracting attention from players both within India and abroad. Its demo, which ends on a cliffhanger, has sparked curiosity among audiences, including international streamers drawn to its unusual setting and distinctive visual style. While its retro-inspired design may appeal to fans of classic RPGs, Palm Sugar represents something larger: an attempt to tell a deeply local story while speaking to universal themes of identity, love, ambition and consequence.
