Matreshka RP is a free online role-playing game marketed much like a mobile GTA, with expensive cars, gangsters and turf wars. According to the source author’s account of a first session, the opening hours are far more mundane. New players chop trees at a sawmill, ride a rented moped and watch their money to afford shawarma. The game is available on Google Play and RuStore, and there is also an iPhone version. The first launch requires a large extra download, and the author got stuck a couple of times because the game gives no hint about what to do next.
Matreshka RP on a smartphone, next to a wooden matryoshka doll
What you need to know
- The app itself is about 300 MB, but the first launch asks for an additional 1.2 GB download.
- Character names must follow the Firstname_Lastname format in Latin letters, with no digits or joke names. Otherwise promotions and most in-game organizations stay closed.
- Rental mopeds only work after you rent one at the rental desk. Trying to ride without renting triggers a “no driver’s license” message.
- In-game rubles cannot be converted into real money, and buying currency or accounts from other players can lead to a ban.
Installing the game: use official stores and free up space first
Matreshka RP is free and listed on Google Play and RuStore, and there is also an iPhone version. The source author advises downloading only from these official stores. Forum builds promising “Matreshka with infinite money” can hide anything, the author warns. They are also unlikely to work, because the game runs online on its own servers.
The first surprise comes right after installation. The app weighs about 300 MB, but on first launch it asks to download another 1.2 GB. The author recommends connecting to Wi-Fi and freeing up a couple of gigabytes beforehand.
Game files downloading on first launch
While the files download, the game plays a video promising that you can become anyone, from governor to gang leader. Once the download finishes, a few steps remain before the first scene:
- Tick the boxes accepting the user agreement and the privacy policy.
- Sign in with Google, VK ID, Apple or email, or continue as a guest.
- Choose a server. Recommended servers are highlighted at the top.
- Choose a gender and appearance, enter a first and last name, and tap “Continue.”
Account, server and the naming trap
Guest login is available immediately, but the game warns that progress may be lost in that case. The source author suggests signing in with Google or VK if you plan to play for more than one evening. According to the author, the character then survives even a phone change. The author chose the recommended server No. 17. In the author’s view, servers barely differ. The main differences are how many players they have and how many houses and cars have already been bought.
Character creation on server No. 17
The character name hides a catch that the game does not mention. The nickname must use the format Firstname_Lastname in Latin letters, without digits or jokes such as Vladik_Pushka. According to the source, this rule appears in the server rules. A character with a non-compliant name will not be promoted and will not be accepted into most organizations. If you are short on ideas, the dice button generates a name for you, such as Hugh_Gutmann.
Arriving in Arzamas: the tutorial and the moped
The character spawns in the town of Arzamas, and the game first asks whether you want to take the tutorial. You can decline, but then you will not receive unique rewards, so the source author accepted. A local mentor named Mark, wearing a checked jacket, appears and greets the player: “Welcome to Arzamas! Moving is never easy.” He shows how to walk and advises finding a job first.
The first dialogue with the mentor after the move
Jobs, like almost everything else in the game, are found through the in-game tablet. It works like a phone inside your phone, with quests, job listings, a map and even its own social network. Mark sends the player to the sawmill and asks you to mark it via GPS. The sawmill is more than a kilometer away, so the source author headed for the mopeds parked nearby.
Apps on the in-game tablet
This is where the author got stuck for the first time. Trying to get on a moped produced the message “You don’t have a driver’s license.” It turns out the moped must first be rented from the woman at the rental desk, and only then will it move. The accelerator and brake are pedals on the right, and steering is done with a joystick. If the route disappears from the map, you can rebuild it on the tablet under “Vacancies,” then “Carpenter,” then “Route.” These menu names are translated from the Russian labels cited in the source.
Riding a rented moped to the sawmill
The first sawmill shift: 3,750 in-game rubles
At the sawmill, the Foreman assigns the first job, logging. The character is changed into work overalls and a hard hat, handed an axe and sent to fell trees. The source describes this sequence:
- Walk up to the Foreman and tap “Talk to character.”
- Choose “Logging” and start the shift.
- Stand in the red zone next to a tree and tap “Start chopping the tree.”
- Carry the log to the stack marked on the minimap.
- To finish, open the job menu and tap “Finish work.”
Payment for the first log at the sawmill
According to the source author, delivering the first log paid 1,250 in-game rubles. A three-log shift brought in 3,750, while the character had started with 1,000. The author calls it modest but enough for a first day. The longer you work as a carpenter, the higher your level and the better the pay, and there is also a separate daily task there worth 3,500 in-game rubles. You can switch jobs later, but many are not available right away. Truck driving, for example, opens only at level 5.
Energy, shawarma and a free car
While the author chopped trees, a second bar under the money counter, energy, was draining. Mark noticed first and sent the player to the nearest shawarma stand, which can be located via GPS next to the minimap. The author was surprised to find that shawarma stands are owned by players. The one the author visited carried a sign reading “Shawarma Stand No. 9” with the owner’s nickname and the name of their family.
The shawarma stand menu with in-game prices
Shawarma costs 150 to 410 in-game rubles depending on size, and the cheese version costs slightly more. The author bought a medium one and opened the inventory through the radial menu, where a newcomer already has a passport. Tapping “Eat” restored energy. Meanwhile, completed tasks had added experience, and the character reached level 2.
The “Escape from the Sawmill” case with a VADA car
For the new level, Mark gave the player a newcomer case. Possible rewards include a salary coupon, money, blueprints or vitamins. The author received a slot for an additional car. Next came the “Escape from the Sawmill” case, which contained body armor, 5,000 in-game rubles and a VADA Urban Cross, the game’s version of the Niva. Opening this case normally costs money, but newcomers get several free attempts.
How the game makes money
These cases show where the game’s revenue comes from. Matreshka RP has two currencies. In-game rubles are earned through work, while “matreshkoins” are bought with real money. Matreshkoins are spent on skins, cars, cases and a “Premium” subscription. The chat makes sure players do not forget this. While the author was chopping trees, it displayed a message about a double top-up promotion.
Earnings, prices and download size from the first day
Points the source raises before any purchase
The source author lists several points worth knowing before the first purchase:
- In-game money cannot be withdrawn as real money.
- Buying currency or accounts from other people can lead to a ban.
- According to the source, refunds are possible only for items not yet used, and only within 14 days.
- The game includes real people, voice chat and fights. The author recommends installing it for children only with parental controls.
Verdict: recognizable setting, optional spending
Compared with other free GTA-style games on Android, the source author concludes that Matreshka RP stands out for familiarity rather than graphics. Its setting includes Soviet-style apartment blocks, the Niva, shawarma and rental mopeds. The author finished the first day without spending any real money. Beyond that point, the author argues, progress depends on whether you are willing to grind or prefer to pay to speed things up.
