The Hotel
- November 16, 2022
- IL PALA
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"The Hotel" is a narrative-driven psychological horror game set in a mysterious hotel. You play as a detective tasked with solving a series of grisly murders while uncovering the hotel's dark past. With challenging puzzles, immersive environments, and a haunting atmosphere, "The Hotel" will keep you on the edge of your seat. Note: This summary is based on general information available about the game and may not fully reflect its content. Always do your own research before purchasing.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil, with great atmosphere and level design.
- Despite being developed by a single person, the game features enjoyable gameplay, fun puzzles, and a variety of unlockable content.
- The character dynamics and humorous cutscenes add charm, making the experience engaging for fans of the genre.
- Many puzzles are frustratingly vague and difficult to solve, leading to tedious backtracking and confusion.
- The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, with issues like bullets passing through enemies and awkward melee interactions.
- The game suffers from a lack of polish in areas such as graphics, sound design, and UI, which detracts from the overall experience.
- gameplay20 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is heavily inspired by the classic Resident Evil series, featuring engaging puzzles, fixed camera angles, and a retro aesthetic that appeals to fans of the genre. While some players note minor bugs, the core mechanics and overall design are solid, providing an enjoyable experience reminiscent of early survival horror games. The combination of impressive artwork, audio design, and a cheesy B-movie plot adds to the charm, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate indie horror titles.
“Lots of Resident Evil style puzzles and overall fun gameplay.”
“Player, what stands before you is a delicious feast of cheese and trash, wrapped in some seriously impressive artwork, audio design, gameplay balancing, and some halting, tentative, exciting exploration.”
“The same mechanics, puzzles, fixed cameras, isolated mansion (well, hotel) zombies, music, even FMV scenes, B-movie plot, etc. The gameplay, graphics, and animations are very solid for what the game is: purposely made by one developer as a Resident Evil 1 clone.”
“What it does offer is retro Resident Evil 1 style gameplay, weird indie vibes, zombies to run away from, and if you enjoy that sort of thing, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this.”
“The gameplay, graphics, and animations are very solid for what the game is: purposely made by one developer as a Resident Evil 1 clone.”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story is generally viewed as flawed and simplistic, with many reviewers noting its lack of coherence and engaging characters. However, it is presented with a humorous flair and a nostalgic homage to classic survival horror games, featuring different plot points and endings for each character. While the narrative may be janky and filled with awkward dialogue, it retains a certain charm that keeps players intrigued about the delivery rather than the outcome.
“The hotel is a modern old school survival horror game akin to Tormented Souls, full of hilariously awkward dialogue, a lovably incomprehensible yet simple story, fixed camera and tank controls, and a clear passion for the old ways of horror gaming.”
“Both characters have different plot points, cinematics, endings, and some different areas, so I would definitely suggest playing both.”
“There is a lot more cinematic storytelling than I would have expected.”
“But it has too many flaws: from sound design to music to graphics to models (especially characters and weapons, also weapon modifications are not shown) to UI/UX to level design (very difficult to find some keys and some interactions are not very intuitive) to story to characters to unreal acrobatics from the protagonist... everything just ruined the atmosphere and the experience for me.”
“This game is janky, it is purposefully old-fashioned, it has tank controls, the design is frustrating, it has a plot that doesn't make sense and the characters are anti-charismatic.”
“The overall story that emerges as you play is as tired and bland as they come, but it's told with a degree of humor and flair that kinda keeps you wondering... not 'what' comes next, but 'how' it is going to deliver it to you.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players find them impressive and suitable for creating an eerie atmosphere, others criticize them for lacking detail, particularly in character and weapon models. Overall, the visuals are described as good enough for the game's genre, but they are overshadowed by various flaws in other aspects of the game.
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly eerie and the graphics are impressive, making for a truly immersive experience.”
“The same mechanics, puzzles, fixed cameras, isolated mansion (well, hotel) zombies, music, even FMVs, B-movie plot, etc. gameplay, graphics, animations are very solid for what the game is: purposely made by the one developer RE1 clone.”
“The tank control is a plus; you need to pay attention to the details (even the small ones). Good graphics for horror, sounds are good, story is fair, I am really enjoying it (not finished yet).”
“The melee combat is a little boring and the graphics could be better.”
“But it has too many flaws: from sound design to music to graphics to models (especially characters and weapons, also weapon modifications are not shown) to UI/UX to level design (very difficult to find some keys and some interactions are not very intuitive) to story to characters to unreal acrobatics from the protagonist... everything just ruined the atmosphere and the experience for me.”
“The gameplay, graphics, and animations are very solid for what the game is: purposely made by the one developer RE1 clone.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is frequently praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics and thoughtful map design. However, many reviewers note that various flaws, including sound design and level navigation, detract from the overall experience, undermining the otherwise strong atmospheric elements.
“Il Pala is a talented artist, clearly very comfortable working with Unity, immersing their scenes in volumetrics and gloomy lighting that enhances the atmosphere.”
“The game's atmosphere is pretty good; it's a little creepy at times.”
“But it has too many flaws: from sound design to music to graphics to models (especially characters and weapons, also weapon modifications are not shown) to UI/UX to level design (very difficult to find some keys and some interactions are not very intuitive) to story to characters to unreal acrobatics from the protagonist... everything just ruined the atmosphere and the experience for me.”
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly eerie and the graphics are impressive, making for a truly immersive experience.”
“Il pala is a talented artist, clearly very comfortable working with Unity, immersing their scenes in volumetrics and gloomy lighting that enhances the atmosphere.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music and audio design in the game are highlighted as strong points, contributing significantly to the atmosphere and immersion. However, some reviewers noted that despite the solid audio elements, the overall experience is marred by various flaws in other aspects of the game, which detracts from the potential impact of the music.
“Similar life is brought to the environments by stellar audio design and music from @fullcode.”
“Tormented Souls, Signalis, Song of Horror, etc. are all very strong recent third-person survival horror games that have all the basics, but go beyond it with their own spin on the genre.”
“The same mechanics, puzzles, fixed cameras, isolated mansion (well, hotel) zombies, music, even FMV scenes, B-movie plot, etc. Gameplay, graphics, animations are very solid for what the game is: purposely made by the one developer RE1 clone.”
“But it has too many flaws: from sound design to music to graphics to models (especially characters and weapons, also weapon modifications are not shown) to UI/UX to level design (very difficult to find some keys and some interactions are not very intuitive) to story to characters to unreal acrobatics from the protagonist... everything just ruined the atmosphere and the experience for me.”
“The same mechanics, puzzles, fixed cameras, isolated mansion (well, hotel) zombies, music, even FMV scenes, B-movie plot, etc. gameplay, graphics, animations are very solid for what the game is: purposely made by the one developer RE1 clone.”
“But it has too many flaws: from sound design to music to graphics to models (especially characters and weapons, also weapon modifications are not shown) to UI/UX to level design (very difficult to find some keys and some interactions are not very intuitive) to story to characters to unreal acrobatics from the protagonist... everything just ruined the atmosphere and the experience for me.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by hilariously awkward dialogue and amusing cut scenes, contributing to a lighthearted tone amidst the survival horror elements. Players appreciate the comedic interactions with characters and find moments of humor in the combat, all while remaining focused on the game's primary objective of escaping the hotel. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the otherwise tense atmosphere of the game.
“The hotel is a modern old school survival horror game akin to Tormented Souls, full of hilariously awkward dialogue, a lovably incomprehensible yet simple story, fixed camera and tank controls, and a clear passion for the old ways of horror gaming.”
“The characters you meet later are also hilarious, but you never lose sight of the objective of the game: to get out of that hotel alive, with your partner.”
“The only positives to this game were that some cut scenes were funny, and the combat was funny as well from time to time.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lack of clear indicators for item collection, which leads to frustrating backtracking. Despite this, the game maintains a vibrant, chaotic energy that encourages exploration within its unsettling environment.
“Rooms should be color coded so the player can tell if there are still items to be collected to minimize tedious backtracking.”
“In conclusion... this game is not really horrifying or creepy, nor does it really manage any kind of gross-out moments - but this nostalgic survival throwback fairly hums with a manic, mad-cap energy, ever beckoning you deeper into the pulsing, grinding, twisted crevices of... the hotel.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported issues with enemy attack glitches, indicating a need for improvements in stability. Overall, there is a consensus that these glitches detract from the gameplay experience.
“Hopefully they fix the enemy attack glitches.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, primarily due to the variety of unlockable costumes, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate its unique charm and soul, likening it to "Countdown Vampires," making it a standout in the survivor horror genre.
“Very fun game, has lots of replayability with costumes to unlock. It reminds me more of Countdown Vampires than other survival horror games, and I love Countdown Vampires. It's made by a single developer and has a lot of soul in it. I recommend this nice little gem.”
