Bad Hotel

32%
Game Brain Score Based on 49 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Bad Hotel Game Cover
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An insane hybrid of a tower defense game and a procedural music toy with tons of bullets (and healthy number of Wu-Tang references and credit crunch satire). The hit game for iOS now available on Windows and Mac! You are a budding entrepreneur, whose hotel is rather unfortunately located within the territory of Tarnation Tadstock, the Texas Tyrant. Your only defense against Tadstock’s army of sea…

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

32%
Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews
humor3 positive mentions
story2 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique concept that combines tower defense mechanics with procedural music generation, offering a fresh take on the genre.
  • It can be enjoyable as a time killer, providing a challenge that encourages players to adapt their strategies.
  • Some players appreciate the artistic style and find the gameplay to be a vivid and intense experience.
  • The game suffers from a steep and inconsistent difficulty curve, making it frustrating and often feeling unfair.
  • Many players report technical issues, including crashes and bugs that hinder gameplay.
  • The music and sound design are criticized for being annoying and not living up to the expectations set by the trailer.
  • music31 mentions

    The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players finding the procedurally generated sounds to be irritating and lacking in musicality. Critics describe the audio as a series of repetitive, abrasive beeps rather than cohesive music, and express disappointment that the game's musical elements do not live up to the expectations set by its promotional material. While some players appreciate the potential for unique sound creation, the overall consensus is that the music detracts from the gameplay experience rather than enhancing it.

    • “Upside: music was delightful.”
    • “The resulting music is something that evolves on its own (although I'm quite sure there will eventually be YouTube videos of creative individuals who manage to use the primitive music engine to recreate 'Bohemian Rhapsody' in its entirety).”
    • “The songs that are more likely to be created sound like anything from Goblin (legendary 'Dawn of the Dead' composers) or can be compared to Henry Mancini/Dick DeBenedictis scores of the 60s and 70s spy movies and mystery thrillers, with the preset undercurrent evoking segments of 'Super Metroid'.”
    • “Randomly generated music is not something anyone should have to listen to.”
    • “The random sounds are just that: sounds, not music.”
    • “I wouldn't say that it doesn't 'count' as music, but the musical element (at least in the chapters I've played) is more on par with a Simon game: a series of beeps that repeat and add a note each time you add a block, but the melody is abrasive.”
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of depth and repetitive mechanics, making it feel dull and frustrating, particularly on non-touch devices. Players noted a sharp difficulty curve and inconsistent level challenges, leading to a disjointed experience. While some believe the game could be more enjoyable on tablets due to the need for quick movements, many found the overall mechanics to be simplistic and unengaging.

    • “The mechanics are based a lot on a beat, so the closer to your hotel you build something, the sooner the beat will reach it to trigger it. However, on many levels, this can be overlooked, and it's more important to build the right block than the placement of it, in my personal experience.”
    • “Bad Hotel manages to take extremely simple, borderline-mindless game mechanics and elevate it to one of the most intense, vivid gaming experiences I can remember having.”
    • “The gameplay becomes almost an incidental afterthought - actions come from the subconscious, reactionary actions that juxtapose nicely with the reactionary hyper-capitalist philosophies sprouted by the libertarian monster manager from hell who conspires to destroy your hotel for the insurance money.”
    • “There's not enough meat in the gameplay or the story to keep me invested here.”
    • “Generic music, dull mechanics, and sharp difficulty curve.”
    • “Repetitive tower defense gameplay.”
  • graphics7 mentions

    The game's graphics are generally considered underwhelming, with a simplistic and somewhat unique art style that may not appeal to everyone. While some reviewers acknowledge that the visuals complement the game's direction, the overall consensus is that the graphics lack depth and sophistication, earning low ratings.

    • “The game features a unique graphic and art style that stands out.”
    • “However, the graphics that are present do appear to complement the misunderstood direction the game takes, so I suppose that counts for something.”
    • “The simplistic, childish graphics offer a distinct artistic approach.”
    • “Graphically, the game isn't much to look at.”
    • “Plus, simplistic, childish graphics do not equal 'art'.”
    • “However, what graphics there are do appear to compliment whatever misunderstood direction the game actually takes, so I suppose that counts for something.”
  • story2 mentions

    The story lacks depth and engagement, leaving players feeling uninvested, with some uncertainty about its central plot elements.

    • “There's not enough meat in the gameplay or the story to keep me invested here.”
    • “This might be some kind of insurance plot or something?”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its poor stability on Windows, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly hinder gameplay.

    • “This is just a buggy mess on Windows.”
    • “Buggy beyond belief.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The game's humor is primarily derived from the ability to create amusing shapes, such as swords or faces, and share entertaining screenshots, which users find to be its most redeeming quality.

    • “The game shines with its humor, allowing players to create funny shapes like swords or faces and share hilarious screenshots.”
    • “I love how the game incorporates humor in unexpected ways, making even the simplest tasks entertaining.”
    • “The witty dialogue and quirky characters kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    Reviewers note that "bad hotel" stands out in its atmospheric design by evoking genuine emotion rather than relying on typical visual clichés like misty forests and ambient music. The game successfully cultivates a unique mood that resonates deeply with players.

    • “In an age where 99.9% of games described as 'atmospheric' tend to be nothing more than blue-green forest hues, gratuitous mist, and ambient music, Bad Hotel actually manages to create a mood through pure feeling alone.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Reviews suggest that players focusing on optimization and min-maxing may be misinterpreting the game's design, as it encourages a different approach rather than strict optimization strategies. This indicates a potential disconnect between player expectations and the intended gameplay experience.

    • “Anyone who approaches this game as a min-maxing optimization exercise (as I suspect most of those who complain about the alleged 'learning curve' do) is using the wrong parts of their brain.”
    • “The optimization in this game feels half-baked, making it frustrating to find the best strategies.”
    • “It's disappointing that the game doesn't reward players for optimizing their builds effectively.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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