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HOTEL BARCELONA

While a bit uneven, Hotel Barcelona is a blast to play. It starts a bit rough, but as more upgrades and abilities become available, the creativity behind the game really shines through.
HOTEL BARCELONA Game Cover
66%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
optimization, music
66% User Score Based on 188 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 15 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCXbox Game PassPlaystation 5CloudXbox Cloud GamingXboxWindowsPlayStation
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HOTEL BARCELONA Game Cover

About

HOTEL BARCELONA is a single player and multiplayer hack and slash game with horror and comedy themes. It was developed by White Owls Inc. and was released on September 26, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Justine, a rookie U.S. Marshal, thought this was just another routine case. But when her car crashes in a freak accident at the edge of nowhere, she finds herself trapped in a twisted new world: HOTEL BARCELONA. Seven serial killers. One haunted hotel. And a second personality living inside her head… Meet Dr. Carnival: murderer, psychopath, devastating ancient monster. THIS FALL… DEATH HAS A RO…

Genres & Tags
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HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
HOTEL BARCELONA screenshot
+8
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66%
Audience ScoreBased on 188 reviews
gameplay20 positive mentions
optimization8 negative mentions
  • Unique and creative collaboration that delivers a bizarre and stylish horror-themed roguelike experience with strong art direction and character design.
  • The 'phantom' mechanic of fighting alongside your previous run's echoes provides a fresh and addictive gameplay twist enhancing progression and strategy.
  • Considerable improvement after the major 'Under New Management' update that fixed many technical issues, improved performance, and refined the combat system.
  • Combat and controls feel clunky, sluggish, and unresponsive for many players, especially early on, leading to frustration and difficulty.
  • Game suffers from technical problems including poor optimization, performance issues, input lag, and occasional softlocks affecting the overall experience.
  • Multiplayer invasion mode is unbalanced and often considered intrusive or unfair, with no reliable way to disable invasions, frustrating solo players.
  • gameplay
    89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a fast-paced side-scrolling roguelike with unique mechanics like phantom doppelgangers assisting in combat, but it is often described as clunky, janky, and occasionally frustrating due to input lag, floaty controls, and some poorly balanced enemy encounters. While many appreciate the intriguing ideas, progression systems, and combat depth that improve over time, others find the experience hindered by rough performance, awkward design choices, and repetitive or punishing gameplay elements. Overall, the gameplay's appeal largely depends on the player's tolerance for its rough edges and appreciation for the game's distinctive style and narrative.

    • “Fans of DP can enjoy more of Swery's standard craziness but with much faster gameplay.”
    • “Quite a fun game to play around with during chill sessions, had a good time with the mechanics and dynamic gameplay.”
    • “Well to start I let it be known upfront that I'm a huge Swery fan and consider him a favorite director, same with Suda 51, so a bit biased. This game essentially breaks down into a side-scrolling roguelike where levels represent different types of horror. You start off weak until you do the loop a few times. Every time you die and retry, your last few attempts run alongside you and help you out—a very unique idea. Both Swery and Suda shine through their styles in the game, from running animations to character designs. The game also includes Dark Souls-like online mechanics where you can summon friends or be invaded. Swery has put together another game I enjoy quite a bit. You start weak but grow strong, with fun costumes to work toward and some online mechanics. If you like Swery and Suda, you will probably have a decent time!”
    • “However, when I tried the demo, the gameplay felt clunky, the animations were slow, and dodging was difficult.”
    • “The gameplay side of it really drags it down, despite some interesting ideas.”
    • “I love the art direction, the characters and dialogue are great and the bosses have such cool designs but gameplay wise this game is very clunky, underwhelming and repetitive.”
  • story
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is generally praised for its quirky, humorous, and surreal writing, capturing the chaotic energy typical of creators Suda51 and Swery65, with well-crafted characters and a compelling horror-punk atmosphere. While some find the narrative intriguing and enjoyable, offering a satisfying completed arc within a roguelike framework, others criticize it for being shallow, confusing, or not deep enough to justify the gameplay's repetitiveness and technical issues. Overall, the story appeals most to fans of the creators' distinct style but may feel lacking or convoluted to others.

    • “The story's also really interesting, funny in a way that made me laugh harder than I had in a while.”
    • “The aesthetic of the game's art, dialogue, and cutscenes is impeccable, perfectly framing a wonderfully bizarre horror story that delivers exactly what you'd expect from the legendary Suda51 and Swery.”
    • “The plot and characters are, as is usually the case, the main draw of this game and they are fun.”
    • “Spoiler alert: the story wasn't even worth it.”
    • “If they had let this thing cook for a few more years then maybe the game itself would be polished enough to excuse the short and lackluster story, or it would have been an engaging experience that shines above the jank.”
    • “I wish the story went into more depth, as the world and characters introduced were very interesting.”
  • graphics
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a distinctive and captivating art style praised for its unique horror aesthetic, character designs, and inventive animated sequences. While the graphics are visually impressive and contribute strongly to the atmosphere, some performance issues, bugs, and occasional visual clutter detract from the overall experience. Fans of quirky, indie horror visuals will likely appreciate the game's strong artistic identity despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “The aesthetic of the game's art, dialogue, and cutscenes is impeccable, perfectly framing a wonderfully bizarre horror story that delivers exactly what you'd expect from the legendary Suda51 and Swery.”
    • “Graphically the game looks amazing and I love the idea of having your phantom(s) follow your previous actions each run.”
    • “The character designs are fantastic, enough to make you want to meet the next character just to see what kind of wild aesthetic is coming up around the bend.”
    • “There's a lot of graphical elements I don't see the point to that bog the game down a lot and make it feel crummy, which is ultimately super disappointing.”
    • “It's not unplayable... but just expect it to perform significantly worse than you'd guess based on the visuals, especially with any kind of crowd on screen.”
    • “Hard to read low contrast visuals.”
  • optimization
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from notable performance and optimization issues, including bad framerate, lag spikes, and rough gameplay mechanics, which detract from the overall experience despite improvements from patches. While the unique writing and aesthetic are praised, many users find the technical shortcomings significant enough to impact enjoyment and recommend waiting for further updates or discounts.

    • “The last time I played this game was as a Steam Next Fest demo and it improved a lot in terms of performance and gameplay.”
    • “I feel like you oughta know if you're gonna be the type of person to jive with a Swery game or not, some roughness in the gameplay and performance aspect (which have actually been refined with the new management patch) but truly wonderful and singular writing and presentation.”
    • “I'd really want to revisit it after updates to address early combat fluidity, performance, and bugs... and with a major sale.”
    • “Performance was terrible which isn't unexpected for a Swery game; I was waiting for a patch to smooth things out and didn't hear about the GenAI included content until it was too late to refund the game.”
    • “Poor optimization: the mechanics of actually playing the game felt restrictive and punishing, and the amount of playable content was somewhat lackluster for a $30 price tag.”
    • “Performance issues are too plentiful to recommend this game, which would have been contentious in and of itself given the general jank.”
  • humor
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is consistently praised for being quirky, witty, and genuinely funny, often delivering laughs through clever dialogue, character interactions, and parody elements. Players appreciate the blend of humor with horror themes, noting it as a standout aspect that enhances the overall quirky and chaotic tone.

    • “The story's also really interesting, funny in a way that made me laugh harder than I had in a while.”
    • “The writing is a very solid outing for Swery, with humor, wit, and sincerity built into the characters and plot.”
    • “Story is neat, characters are neat, dialog is goofy, on-the-nose humor that you expect from a Swery x Suda51 game.”
  • music
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music effectively sets the mood with atmospheric, horror, and metal elements that match the game's theme, earning praise for enhancing the overall experience. However, some find the soundtrack repetitive or lacking during gameplay, leading to a less engaging experience. Overall, the music is generally well-received and considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The music and OST were really on point; the horror/metal really puts you in the spot and matches the vibe of the game theme in general.”
    • “The music is atmospheric and gives you the right mood for every level.”
    • “I rarely get games on release day anymore, but with this I’m happy I jumped in, and with the deal for the soundtrack, I had to grab that too!”
    • “A lot of it is hard high-tempo rock designed to sound like 'that song you know' but just tuned up enough to be different, like the end credits sound almost 1:1 to 'We're Not Gonna Take It', just with the lyrics filed off.”
    • “Music/sound: mediocre.”
    • “There isn't much music for the stages which makes the experience all the more dull.”
  • character development
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features strong and unique character designs that greatly enhance its appeal, showcasing a creative and playful aesthetic influenced by notable creators. While the character development and art direction receive praise for their distinctiveness and charm, some inconsistency arises due to unpolished elements and the inclusion of random AI-generated assets. Overall, character growth is tied to gameplay progression, providing a fun experience despite occasional rough edges.

    • “The character designs are fantastic, enough to make you want to meet the next character just to see what kind of wild aesthetic is coming up around the bend.”
    • “Fun experience, this game is popping with awesome character designs.”
    • “A bit janky and unpolished, but more than makes up for it with an intriguing premise and good character designs.”
    • “It's hard to understand how a game with such strong art direction and character design would undercut itself with random AI-generated assets.”
    • “In fact, if it were just all the boss intros back to back, maybe sprinkled in with some character designs splashed in, I could maybe recommend Hotel Barcelona as a kind of wacky, out there arthouse film.”
    • “Well to start I let it be known upfront that I'm a huge Swery fan, I consider him a favorite director and same with Suda 51, so a bit biased. What this game essentially breaks down into is a side-scrolling roguelike; the levels attempt to represent different types of horror. You will start off rather weak until you do the loop a few times. Every time you die and retry, your last few attempts will run alongside you and kick some butt with you, a very unique little idea. From what I understand the idea comes from Suda but he had little involvement as Swery asked if he could run with the idea. That being said, they both shine through in this game. My example for Swery is just the running animation Justine has in the hotel, and for Suda all the character designs. I feel Swery understands Suda enough to represent him well in the game. The game also carried the Dark Souls online mechanics of being able to summon friends to play with you or you can be raided by them and get killed. In the first few days of the game I was raided a few times and did a few raids, but I was never able to find a co-op game as it seems to be dead on arrival. Though if you can grab someone technically you can play the levels together. In closing Swery has thrown together another game I enjoy quite a bit, you start weak but you grow strong, there's a bunch of fun costumes to work towards, and some online mechanics for now if I can get anyone to play. If you like Swery and Suda you will probably have a decent time!”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is a mixed experience: while some players enjoy quickly farming levels for resources and easing the leveling process, others find the gameplay slow, repetitive, and excessively grind-heavy, especially due to locked upgrades and a lackluster multiplayer component. The grindy nature can both enhance and hinder engagement depending on player preference.

    • “The story is somewhat interesting but it isn't enough to keep me grinding through slow and repetitive gameplay.”
    • “Everything about the game is grindy and slow to make the combat more tolerable.”
    • “Also the upgrade tree that locks basic weapon moves behind grinding a couple runs is annoying.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its strong horror homage, retro style, and immersive storytelling, complemented by excellent music and charismatic characters. Reviewers highlight its unique and captivating ambiance as a standout feature, creating a compelling and memorable experience despite some gameplay concerns.

    • “The music, story, and atmosphere are great.”
    • “First and foremost: style, atmosphere, charismatic characters, and tons of references are present.”
    • “It has wonderfully strange and interesting characters, a great retro horror atmosphere, fun gameplay, and a motivating progression system.”
  • stability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is mixed, with some users experiencing no major bugs or glitches, while others report technical issues and occasional bugs affecting gameplay. Overall, it is not severely broken but could benefit from improved polish and bug fixes.

    • “And as usual you will die because of controls and glitches.”
    • “There may be technical glitches, but it's the visual design that needs more than bug fixes, and one specific element more than anything.”
    • “It's buggy.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is relatively short but offers high replayability through challenging 2D beat 'em up gameplay. Despite some performance issues and bugs, it provides a satisfying experience worth revisiting.

    • “This game is definitely short, but has a high replay value.”
    • “Super comfy 2D plane beat 'em up with a lot of difficulty and replayability; it's plagued with some performance issues and bugs, and it is expensive, but a very good game altogether.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users feel that the emotional impact is diminished due to a lack of clear communication or disclosure, which lessens the intended heartbreak.

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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 15 critic reviews
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Suda and Swery’s Hotel Barcelona has received a free ‘major overhaul’ with Under New Management update

March 5 on videogameschronicle.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

HOTEL BARCELONA is a hack and slash game with horror and comedy themes.

HOTEL BARCELONA is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing HOTEL BARCELONA.

HOTEL BARCELONA was released on September 26, 2025.

HOTEL BARCELONA was developed by White Owls Inc..

HOTEL BARCELONA has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its optimization.

HOTEL BARCELONA is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Bleak Faith: Forsaken, Hyper Light Breaker, Hellpoint, Trinity Fusion, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and others.