Hotel Sowls
- December 31, 2019
- Studio Sott
- 2h median play time
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
Get on SteamIn "Hotel Sowls," players navigate a creepy hotel, solving puzzles and uncovering dark secrets. The game features a unique sketch-style assumption aesthetic and a range of supernatural elements. With a focus on exploration and discovery, players must survive each night in the hotel while piecing together the mystery of the hotel's haunted past.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Charming and unique art style that creates an engaging atmosphere.
- Fun and humorous dialogue with a mix of light creepiness, making it enjoyable to explore.
- Multiple endings and achievements provide replayability and keep players engaged.
- Gameplay can be obtuse, requiring a walkthrough to fully experience all endings.
- Technical issues such as low-resolution graphics and lack of customization options detract from the experience.
- Limited character development leads to little attachment to the story or characters.
- graphics44 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its unique and cute art style that enhances the overall atmosphere, while others criticize the low-resolution and amateurish quality reminiscent of retro pixel art. Many players appreciate the charming visuals and how they complement the gameplay and soundtrack, though some feel that the aesthetic choices can detract from the experience. Overall, the visual presentation is seen as a defining feature, appealing to certain tastes but potentially off-putting to others.
“The game mechanics are very easy to pick up and the visuals are super pleasant all throughout the experience.”
“Spooky and cute cosmic horror, wonderful visuals and charming characters with clever, and tricky puzzles.”
“The art style, soundtrack, and narrative work together to provide an atypical experience.”
“The artwork here is terrible; it's a blend of old retro pixel 'art' used as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics, and some of the most amateurish MS Paint style drawings I've ever hurt my eyes on.”
“It's unclear if this is due to a lack of budget to arrange someone who can do graphics properly, or a lack of talent; regardless, the overall visual quality of the game is extremely low as a result of these decisions.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- story42 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a blend of dark themes and magic realism, featuring a whimsical yet horrifying narrative that captivates players with its unique characters and immersive hotel setting. While some found the plot to be simple or disjointed, many appreciated its creativity and the emotional depth it offered, leading to multiple playthroughs for a fuller experience. However, the abundance of endings, some of which felt irrelevant, detracted from the overall impact for certain players.
“A dark but sweet ghost story with an alchemical twist.”
“I found the game's story very interesting and replayed the game 4 times to acquire all achievements.”
“The story manages to balance these two points without leaning too far to one side, creating an experience that feels cozy and charming yet also has stakes.”
“In the end, I didn't finish the game with enough interest in the characters or story to warrant playing through it again.”
“It didn't leave any big impact on me, though, and the story felt somewhat hamfisted (leftover notes at all places, magical wonder vaccine made from an alchemist's workbench, stuff like that ...).”
“I'd say one of the few downsides of the game is that there are too many endings, especially considering some of them aren't really relevant to the story.”
- music34 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a generally positive reception, with many players praising its catchy and unique qualities that complement the game's quirky art style and narrative. While some describe the soundtrack as simple or just "okay," others find it to be a standout feature that enhances the overall experience, evoking feelings reminiscent of other beloved indie titles like "Undertale" and "Yume Nikki." Overall, the combination of music and visuals creates an engaging atmosphere that draws players into the game's surreal world.
“Awesome music!”
“The art style, soundtrack, and narrative work together to provide an atypical experience.”
“Perfection all the way through, from its incredibly distinctive visual design to its silly, yet chilling soundtrack, this game is like an amalgam of some of my favorite weird games: kids + off + undertale + anodyne.”
“The low-res art style and mostly chiptune music make the soundtrack just 'ok'.”
“The game gives me some Undertale vibes in terms of the music and humor in it.”
“The heterogeneous graphics that match the dreamy music that flows out give a strange yet indulgent feeling.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics that are easy to grasp, primarily involving walking and clicking, which may not appeal to those who prefer more interactive experiences. While the visuals are praised for their beauty, some players find the gameplay somewhat obtuse and not intuitive, particularly in a plot-heavy context. Overall, the game offers about two hours of content to reach the true ending, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
“The game mechanics are very easy to pick up and the visuals are super pleasant all throughout the experience.”
“About 2 hours of gameplay to reach the true ending, but for the price this game is offered at, it's worth picking up to play through yourself.”
“Review pending as far as gameplay goes, but the devs are outstanding, and added fullscreen options, which I cannot stress enough how grateful I am for.”
“The only thing that I wouldn't recommend this game for is if you don't like plot-heavy games; this isn't worth your time, as the gameplay basically consists of walking and clicking stuff (unlike Danganronpa, which has class trials with minigames, this game doesn't have that).”
“But the actual gameplay is a bit obtuse.”
“It might seem silly hearing that complaint out of context, but it was not intuitive during gameplay.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of quirky, cartoonish elements and a mix of sad, creepy, and funny moments, reminiscent of titles like Undertale. Players appreciate the clever writing, which includes fun easter eggs and humorous interactions, all while maintaining an engaging mystery surrounding the hotel's past. Overall, it offers a lighthearted yet intriguing experience.
“Love the mix of sad, creepy, and funny this game brings!”
“The writing is pretty good too; comprised of fun easter eggs and humorous interactions, and paired with a sense of genuine intrigue towards the titular hotel's secret past.”
“The game gives me some Undertale vibes in terms of the music and humor in it.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its captivating atmosphere, blending charming doodle-like art with both unsettling and uplifting elements. Reviewers highlight its ability to evoke strong emotions without relying on graphic content, creating a unique and immersive experience that hooks players from the start. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both incredible and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“It manages to create such an incredible atmosphere in its happier sections and in its more sinister moments.”
“Really charming and atmospheric game.”
“Hotel Sowls proves you don't need a lot of blood and gore to create a horrifying story with an unsettling and shivering atmosphere.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a significant lack of character development, resulting in minimal emotional attachment to the characters and little motivation for players to replay the game for alternative endings.
“There is no character development, leading to little attachment to anyone and no incentive to play again for other endings.”
“The lack of character development makes it hard to feel connected to the story or its characters.”
“Without meaningful character development, the game fails to engage players emotionally.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers notable replayability through a variety of achievements and extensive inventory space, allowing players to explore different strategies and experiences in subsequent playthroughs. Many users report finishing their first run with significant inventory capacity still available, suggesting ample room for exploration and experimentation.
“There's also some replayability built into the game, as indicated by the numerous achievements and the massive amount of inventory space. I finished my first playthrough with half my spaces open.”
“There's also some replayability built into the game as indicated by the numerous achievements and the massive amount of inventory space; I finished my first playthrough with half my spaces open.”
“The game lacks significant replayability, as once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back.”
“After finishing the game, I found that the replayability was minimal; the choices I made didn't really change the outcome.”
