What kept drawing me back to ‘The Palace on the Hill’, however, was the wonderful community that surrounds our main character, Vir. Early in the game, you meet a slew of characters like Sam, the neighbourhood pawnbroker, Sadrul, the tailor who loves puppetry, and Savi, Vir’s childhood friend who is returning to town after spending years in the city. Sen commented that the game’s non-playable characters are designed to be simple and realistic, to make them relatable to its audience.

As a player, I can confidently say she achieved this goal. I felt a deep sense of nostalgia as I played. Running around the town freely, chatting with one older character, and being put to work by the next, reminded me of my own childhood. Despite my urban upbringing, certain intrinsically Indian sensibilities and our reliance on our communities still resonated.

‘The Palace on the Hill’ is a beautiful commemoration of rural India, a side of our country that Sen noted often goes underrepresented. This quiet, serene countryside gameplay experience makes for a perfect escape from the fast-paced chaos of city life.

The Palace on the Hill is availalbe on Steam, Xbox, and Google Play. You can find out more here.

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