Bathotel

About

Bathotel is a single player casual puzzle game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by Bronze Box and was released on June 16, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Step into the everchanging, claustrophobic world of Batho[tel]. After losing everything, including your own body, you find yourself walking through a hotel which seems familiar but eerily unwelcoming. Solve puzzles, avoid death, and learn about other guests as you explore the repeating world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 21 reviews

story4 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Strong atmospheric and eerie horror experience with effective sound design and a mysterious story.
Engaging puzzles combined with interesting mechanics like hiding and using mice as interactive elements.
Low-res pixelated graphics and static effects contribute well to the nostalgic, analogue horror vibe.

The game is very short and can feel unfinished with limited endings and lack of closure.
Repetitive back-and-forth hallway navigation with limited variety and little expansion on the psychological themes.
Technical issues including lag, blurry text with the 'grunge' filter, occasional glitches, and UI problems hindered some players' experience.

story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The story is generally praised for its atmospheric and intriguing mystery that unfolds gradually, often enhanced by radios and environmental storytelling, appealing especially to fans of psychological horror and analogue horror aesthetics. However, some users find it confusing or felt it lacked sufficient closure and character context, desiring more depth or optional content to enrich the experience. Overall, it is recommended for players who enjoy immersive, puzzle-based horror narratives despite minor technical issues.
- “The story was really good though it does require reading everything and listening to all the radios to fully understand it.”
- “Features a story that doesn't overload you with information, but creates a mystery that you slowly piece together as the game progresses.”
- “The game has a lot of storytelling that was well condensed and lets you play either with or without context, letting you add your own imagination and thought to the world if you miss or don't get a chance to listen to certain radio messages.”
- “I personally don't really get the story behind this game or the appeal of the gameplay.”
- “My first impression was very positive, I think the game instantly hits you with an infectious atmosphere and a compelling environment to explore that reminds me of PT and Cube, but in the end, I think the story failed to keep up with the psychological elements and to contextualize its characters, in addition to having some technical issues and glitches.”
- “I didn't like the lack of closure with both endings. I'm not saying you need to explain the story, I just wanted a little cutscene or something.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
12%
25%
The game excels at creating a spooky, immersive atmosphere through effective sound design, visual effects, and nostalgic, old-school style elements. Many players felt genuinely tense and captivated by the environment, though some noted technical issues and that the story didn't fully support the psychological atmosphere. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that strongly enhances the experience despite some flaws.
- “Overall an amazingly atmospheric game with excellent design elements and certainly leaving me spooked!”
- “The sound design does an excellent job at creating an immersive and mysterious atmosphere.”
- “I loved the static effect and thought it added to the spooky atmosphere nicely.”
- “It built a decent atmosphere and there's some intrigue to the story, but I can't recommend it due to how poorly it ran.”
- “As the atmosphere built up, I found myself crouched in the corner clutching a mouse I grabbed from the floor for emotional support.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay offers simple puzzles, hiding mechanics, and a creepy atmosphere with well-functioning mechanics, including a unique mouse feature. While some find the repetitive back-and-forth walking less enjoyable and the story unclear, the overall experience, sound design, and puzzle design are praised, especially considering the game's indie scope and price.
- “A short little horror game with some simple puzzles and hiding mechanics.”
- “Good set of puzzles and the game has a great feel when playing with some mechanics to make it a little creepy, also the mice are a nice touch.”
- “The sound design and game mechanics are also stellar, especially for an indie game of this size.”
- “I personally don't really get the story behind this game or the appeal of the gameplay.”
- “However, the majority of the gameplay involves repetitive back-and-forth walking, which I found less enjoyable.”
- “(I have no idea why it has this mechanic but I'll take it) you can glitch the mice so they stay with you forever instead of them running away like they're supposed to.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game features a charming 3D pixelated and low-res graphical style that appeals to fans of retro and analogue horror aesthetics. While some may find the grungy visuals affect subtitle readability, an option to adjust this helps improve the experience. Overall, the graphics contribute to a nostalgic and timeless atmosphere fitting the game's tone.
- “The 3D pixelated graphics are pretty cool. I'm a huge fan of games like this, especially when it's a bit more the Janitor Bleeds style.”
- “It's an intriguing short game with a 3D pixelated art style that I personally love!”
- “The story, told alongside a charming, low-res graphical aesthetic, allows it to become a great addition to the analogue horror genre and can even feel nostalgic for some.”
- “If you find the graphics going too grungy and the subtitles unreadable, hit escape, then options, and look for the 'grunge' setting.”
- “The penalty for failure is low (once you know how to be able to fix the graphics issue), but I didn't feel rewarded either.”
- “The story, told alongside a charming, low res graphical aesthetic, allows it to become a great addition to the analogue horror genre and can even feel nostalgic for some.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally stable and not buggy, providing a smooth initial experience with an immersive atmosphere. However, some technical issues and glitches were reported, slightly detracting from the overall stability.
- “My first impression was very positive, I think the game instantly hits you with an infectious atmosphere and a compelling environment to explore that reminds me of PT and Cube, but in the end, I think the story failed to keep up with the psychological elements and to contextualize its characters, in addition to having some technical issues and glitches.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game provides guidance for addressing performance issues, but users report that these suggestions are often ineffective in improving optimization.
- “It's great that the game tells you what to do if you're having performance issues, but it'd be better if doing that actually worked.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is intense and immersive, successfully creating a tense atmosphere that deeply affects players, leading to genuine feelings of fear and vulnerability.
- “As the atmosphere built up, I found myself crouched in the corner clutching a mouse I grabbed from the floor for emotional support.”