Hotel Renovator
- January 24, 2023
- Two Horizons
- 15h median play time
Hotel Renovator tries to convey the highs and lows of upscaling a hotel. However, anyone expecting it to be a luxury experience with chocolates left on their pillowcases will be sorely disappointed, as many minor issues lead to a subpar stay.
"Hotel Renovator" is a game that allows you to unleash your inner designer by renovating an old, neglected hotel. You can tear down and replace outdated features, customize the hotel with over 2000 different design options, and manage the hotel to achieve 5-star reviews. Share your creations with the community and find inspiration from other players.
Reviews
- The game offers a vast array of customization options for furniture, colors, and patterns, allowing for unique room designs.
- The graphics are visually appealing, providing a satisfying aesthetic experience while renovating the hotel.
- The game includes fun and quirky random events that add an entertaining element to the gameplay.
- The game is riddled with bugs and glitches, including issues with NPCs getting stuck, quests not updating, and textures failing to load properly.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to navigate through the extensive options for colors and furniture.
- The gameplay can become repetitive due to frequent interruptions from random events and the lack of meaningful management mechanics.
- story452 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story mode offers a whimsical and engaging narrative, though many players find it to be somewhat thin and predictable, often feeling more like a series of quests than a cohesive storyline. While the quests can be fun and provide motivation for room renovations, they are frequently criticized for being repetitive and plagued by bugs that hinder progression. Overall, the story adds a charming layer to the gameplay, but many players wish for more depth and variety in the narrative experience.
“The story line alongside it is funny and different than usual sim games.”
“The story is cute and the chicken is something special.”
“What really surprised me was the whimsical and great story behind the game.”
“The story mode is a flawed concept from the beginning.”
“The story does feel beyond tacked on, and doesn't do much to the gameplay.”
“I wish the story line was a lot more involved - I breezed through it and it felt too quick.”
- stability236 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users describe the experience as frustrating due to issues like freezing, disappearing objects, and game-breaking errors, leading some to recommend waiting for patches before purchasing. While a few players acknowledge the game's potential and express hope for future improvements, the overall consensus is that it currently feels unfinished and overly buggy.
“The game has a few bugs here and there like any new game, but for me, it has been almost totally bug-free with just a couple of little hiccups that were resolved either by me or the devs' patches.”
“The stability of the game is impressive; I encountered very few issues, and any minor bugs were quickly addressed by the developers.”
“Overall, the game runs smoothly with minimal disruptions, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“After spending too much time troubleshooting for a game I couldn’t even play, I decided to uninstall and request a refund.”
“It's full of bugs and glitches, especially if you're a completist; it really gets frustrating.”
“This game should be in early access and priced accordingly; it is full of bugs and glitches that the devs are struggling to fix.”
- graphics176 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their beauty, detail, and vibrant colors, while others report significant lag and graphical glitches that detract from the experience. Players appreciate the aesthetic appeal and customization options, but some have to lower settings to improve performance, indicating optimization issues. Overall, while the visuals are generally well-received, they are marred by technical problems that need addressing.
“The graphics are beautiful, the rooms are well laid out, and an amazing selection of decor and furniture.”
“This game is so beautiful, the graphics are stunning!”
“The graphics are colorful and detailed, and the sound effects and music are pleasant and immersive.”
“Graphics are very laggy.”
“In my opinion this game is shit; it's just really bad. The graphics are horrendous and the gameplay is mediocre at best. I've never had any problem with the other games I've had, so it's not a problem on my PC.”
“There are various graphics glitches that occur throughout the game, any one of which can completely bork your game with no way of recovery.”
- gameplay150 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over poorly designed mechanics, bugs, and a lack of polish. While some appreciate the core concept and find the gameplay addictive and enjoyable, others criticize the repetitive tasks and inconsistent controls, leading to an overall impression of a game that feels unfinished. Despite its potential, many players feel that significant improvements are needed to enhance the gameplay experience.
“The gameplay is incredibly satisfying, and the attention to detail is impressive.”
“The gameplay always keeps you busy between renovating rooms and other random challenges.”
“The gameplay was intuitive and easy to pick up, and I loved the challenge of staying within a budget while still creating beautiful spaces for guests.”
“The problem is that the mechanics and controls kind of suck; mouse wheel scrolling goes from single location scrolling to so much scrolling you think you're playing Wheel of Fortune. Controls are also inconsistent, where you think pressing the same button will do the same action across different contexts, but it doesn't always.”
“However, the fact that the developers have pushed out multiple DLCs without addressing these major gameplay bugs really sours me on the project and gives the impression that this is just a minimum effort cash grab.”
“I cannot emphasize how frustrating the game mechanics are.”
- grinding56 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious, with players expressing frustration over repetitive tasks such as painting, laying flooring, and selecting items from an overwhelming list of textures and colors. While some find enjoyment in the meticulous nature of the gameplay, many agree that the lack of variety in items and the cumbersome selection process detracts from the overall experience. Progressing through the game does introduce more efficient tools, but the initial grind remains a significant point of contention.
“Renovating the place is not tedious; you get a lot of tools to do the job efficiently.”
“It’s a nice balance of not being tedious like House Flipper, where you slowly painted each individual wall panel.”
“If I could sum it up with one word: tedious.”
“The problem is, there are so many choices that trying to make a room that has visual cohesion becomes quite tedious - yes, I can have the same pattern on my bedding, curtains, rugs etc., but if I actually want to do that I have to scroll through an exhaustively long list of textures with the mouse wheel, and then find the exact shade I used elsewhere in the even longer color list, every time.”
“It is tedious, laying carpet or painting a wall; well, settle in for a nice 45 minutes while you tediously place every square of flooring or paint on the wall.”
- optimization40 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting persistent performance issues, including frame rate drops and lag, particularly in multi-floor scenarios. Despite some users noting that the game runs smoothly at times and that developers are working on fixes, the overall sentiment is that significant improvements are needed to enhance the player experience. Many feel that the game, which has been out for over a year, should have received more consistent optimization updates.
“Bug fixes and optimizations make for a much more enjoyable game now.”
“The graphics are brilliant and it runs smoothly.”
“I'll admit I've run into my share of bugs and performance issues, but I can see that the developers are committed to fixing things.”
“This game has been out since 2023, and these optimizations should have been made throughout the lifespan of this game.”
“Since this has been out for over a year, I'm kind of surprised that there are still some performance and gameplay issues that are not game-breaking, but affect the player experience (clipping NPC characters, placement precision of objects is very limited, color picker tool unavailable).”
“At this point in time, this game is very un-optimized.”
- humor34 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and random events, with standout moments like a mischievous chicken that adds a layer of silliness. While many players find the humor entertaining and refreshing, some note that the repetitive nature of certain events can become annoying and disrupt gameplay. Overall, the game's comedic elements, including unexpected bugs and wacky scenarios, contribute to a lighthearted experience, though improvements in optimization and event variety are desired.
“Funnily enough, the most silly addition to pointless events is the chicken, and yet I find that one the most funny and somewhat makes sense—a spicy chicken that's out to ruin your stuff.”
“The random occurrences that happen throughout the gameplay are really funny and keep things fresh and entertaining.”
“There are moments when you'll walk into your elevator and just see your customers walking around each other in a circle, which is lowkey kinda weird but also funny.”
- music26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players find the sound effects and ambient music pleasant and immersive, others criticize the lack of a substantial soundtrack and the inability to turn off the UI music. Many players prefer to listen to their own music while playing, indicating that the game's music does not significantly enhance the experience. Additionally, there are reports of technical issues with the music, such as skipping during the intro.
“The graphics are colorful and detailed, and the sound effects and music are pleasant and immersive.”
“Just put on some music in the background, a podcast or just the radio and you'll be wondering if the sun even still exists outside of your game.”
“Music and sounds are fine, the voicing is nice.”
“No soundtrack, really the devs did not invest much into any music or sound for this game.”
“The UI music cannot be turned off.”
“I clicked on play game, the intro came up, music was playing (the music has even been jumping and skipping) and skip intro was displayed at the bottom; however, I was watching a black screen.”
- monetization18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with players feeling that the developers prioritize profit over quality by releasing multiple DLCs without addressing major gameplay bugs. Many reviewers describe the additional content as minimal effort cash grabs, particularly criticizing the labeling of furniture packs as DLCs and the lack of free updates. Overall, there is a strong sentiment that the game feels unfinished and that the developers are more focused on generating revenue than improving the player experience.
“However, the fact that the developers have pushed out multiple DLCs without addressing these major gameplay bugs really sours me on the project and gives the impression that this is just a minimum effort cash grab.”
“Very disappointing and a cash grab. For such a small concept game with little interaction with customers, I would have expected at least a few free updates of furniture before forcing us to buy DLC.”
“It's clear to me that the devs have rushed this game out and they even refused to bring it out as early access, which means getting a refund on this broken, buggy mess is going to be a lot harder. The devs know this as well, so it makes me think they don't care about gamers but only about cash grabs.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its diverse styles and themes for hotel customization, allowing players to unlock new items and continually redecorate. However, some users express concerns that a single substantial playthrough may cover most of the content, potentially limiting long-term replay value. Despite this, many find it a fun and relaxing experience that can easily consume many hours.
“:) There's loads of replay value because you can just keep redecorating things if you feel like it.”
“Easy time sink with replayability and just generally a fun and relaxing time.”
“This game is not worth it for replay value, and the dev team is seriously worse than EA.”
“I can certainly see myself sinking many hours into this; however, my slight concern is replayability, as although you can do what you wish with the rooms, I feel you can do it all in one substantial playthrough.”
“The game has a lot of replay value, as you can try different styles and themes for your hotel, and unlock new items and features as you progress.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is negatively impacted by the presence of NPCs that frequently obstruct movement and behave erratically, such as getting stuck in lifts and floating through objects. While these issues do not affect gameplay, they detract from the overall immersion and ambiance of the game.
“These lovely people swarm the lobby every time you enter it and get in the way if you are trying to decorate. They walk in tight little circles in the lift, get stuck in the lift walls (make sure which button you press if a hooker is stuck in there), float above the reception desk and chairs, walk through doors in the corridors, and just generally spoil the atmosphere.”
“It doesn't affect gameplay, but it does throw off the atmosphere.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wholesome story, contributing to an overall fun and emotionally uplifting experience for players.
“Other than that, it is a fun game with a wholesome story.”
Critic Reviews
Hotel Renovator review – The tackier the better
is more than just another addition to the simulator genre, elevating what it means to create a property renovation game. No matter how you play, there’s a lot of satisfaction that will come as a result of seeing a room you created fully come together. While it has occasional issues with textures and NPCs, anyone who enjoys a good home makeover will have a lot of fun in this game.
85%Hotel Renovator Review
Hotel Renovator tries to convey the highs and lows of upscaling a hotel. However, anyone expecting it to be a luxury experience with chocolates left on their pillowcases will be sorely disappointed, as many minor issues lead to a subpar stay.
60%Hotel Renovator [PC] | REVIEW
Hotel Renovator is an addictive experience that gives players a fun (and at times comical) take on the hotel business. Whilst renovating and decorating takes centre stage, tending to your guests’ needs and ensuring your hotel is a success feels equally rewarding. With plenty of different tasks to complete on the way, it’s easy to lose hours making your hotel the five-star talk of the town. It does have some technical issues that can hinder the experience, and I’d be lying if I said Hotel Renovator really did something with the genre that I hadn’t seen before. Fortunately, there’s way more good than bad here, with the game standing out as a pleasant surprise that I didn’t expect to get as hooked into as I did.
75%