Elevating auteurs of any kind is odd to me. Not because a director was able to manage to steer the ship and make the right call at the right time, delivering a product that catapulted it into worldwide recognition. That much I can agree with. But there’s also the countless developers on the back of their leadership, which while I’m sure some of them are happy to be away from the spotlight, also deserve to be recognized. Then again, in SWERY & SUDA51’s case, I do tend to agree with their mythical status as their games are particular indie gems I appreciate for what they are. Hotel Barcelona is no different.
My experience with Deadly Premonition was indeed one of a cult-like gem, what with its heavy Twin Peaks influences, before it was cool. The Good Life, on the other hand, I felt thread new grounds in the cozy space with mixed results. No More Heroes, was, and excuse me for my language, an absolute balls to the wall videogame’s videogame that eccentrically accomplished what it started. So where does Hotel Barcelona stand? Among the top of the list, and rightfully so.
How to describe a videogame that is so committed to being the most insane idea it can be, on steroids and taken to the extreme? At the beginning, of course. Federal US Marshal Justine Bernstein is on the trail of her father’s killer, a powerful witch that cut his life short. After picking up weird hitchhikers off the road in an unnamed Pacific Northwest road, a grisly car accident leaves her briefly suffering from amnesia until she wakes up in the famous hotel. One where, apparently, serial killers from all over the US gather to continue causing havoc. The goal, it becomes evident, is to hunt each and every one of them until the witch makes herself known.
Technically a roguelike in its core, with the usual tropes that come with that genre, Hotel Barcelona feels so unique in its presentation you would be forgiven for being stumped by this multifaceted beast. It has that repetition, the constant deaths, and sometimes feeling that it is just a little bit too unfair, until you triumph. Each level is structured as a one-way start to multiple avenues, always culminating in a good old boss fight. But the narrative is what makes it stand out.
Justine has been possessed by a murderer called Dr. Carnival. This otherworldly being is the one who takes control of her as she hunts down the bosses in each of the levels. Decapitations, a blood splatter bar and plenty of horror-inspired levels await in Hotel Barcelona’s playground. This is strictly a game for adults, that isn’t coy about its inspirations and edgy humor. A murderer sniffing cocaine off of a prostitute’s breasts while talking about standing up to the government certainly reminds of classic 80s action movie scenes. The Shining, Friday The 13th, and Alien, among many others, are referenced subtly and heavy-handedly alike.
An old-school arcade game vibe permeates Hotel Barcelona. Its 2.5D movement paired with somewhat imprecise controls and scores to consider just give that impression. Justine is a nimble character, though, as she dodges, double jumps and parries her way through summer camps and other horror-themed areas. As is customary with games of the genre, you are dropped in the beginning without much fanfare, only to be immediately killed by the onslaught of bloodthirsty foes. The game does not ease you in or give any wins until a couple of runs after, which could deflate some players, but persistence is key to get to the fun bits.
With your hotel room serving as the base of operations, there are several amenities to choose from before embarking on a new journey. You can chat with the concierge in the foyer, an arms dealer, and a weird bartender with an affinity for ears. A pinball minigame to unwind after a tough session is welcome. Then, once ready to get back on the saddle, the levels can be accessed from a map, each taking you to bring all monsters to justice.
Hotel Barcelona encourages moving on to the next stage as soon as you finish a boss fight, instead of reconvening back at the inn. Healing your life bar, increasing your attack power and increasing the amount of collected items are among the rewards to consider keeping going. Blood splatter increases critical damage, defense and stamina use but can be easily lost by touching water, which there are many annoyingly placed water sources for you to be aware about while exploring. All of these are elements to be aware of to reach the boss at the end of each stage on a strong note.
As an avid roguelike player, I found the bosses a tad unfair with extremely unpredictable moves making very high damage, resulting in a Game Over more often than not. The fact that the damage they make is unbalanced compared to the rest of the enemies will only lead to being more wary of when there is a safe opening to attack. What can lead to frustration as well is that the enemies do not telegraph their attacks too clearly, very quickly making their moves for you to even try to dodge or parry.
That said, overpowering your enemy is rather easy once you have died enough times. A brilliant mechanic called Slasher Phantom has your ghosts from previous runs chipping away at the bosses’ health alongside you. On easy mode, you will also be gifted a “re-entry ticket” to retry a fight instantly after a try, avoiding running all the way to the boss again. For instance, if your previous unlucky ghosts triggered the Carnival Awakening move which does a high amount of damage, then you’ll be able to pulverize each boss in no time.
An unexpected mechanic when you enter a new mission is that the game can alter your size, due to a witch’s curse. Naturally, if it makes you smaller, you will be knocked back more easily and more susceptible to damage if made bigger. At the start of each level, the time of day and weather will influence the enemies that Justine will face, adding a bit of much-needed variety to entice players to grind or replay with friends.
Co-op, as most games played with company, is such a fun time that obliterating enemies with friends makes it all that much better. If they die, they’ll just easily respawn in a short period of time. Because weapons improve with each level completed, running through several stages at once can render the lower difficulties trivial, encouraging players to ramp up all the way to the Slasher difficulty. Ganging up on bosses and enemies alike never gets old in games like these, especially if you were struggling the first few times.
Just as there are increasingly wild cutscenes and gruesome character storylines, so is there an air of melancholy in Justine’s narrative. The art style itself is quite striking throughout, with scenes setting the stage, from Justine’s backstory to bosses’ setups. Featuring Saho Nanjo, animator on Chainsaw Man and Beastars, it is no wonder these moving images are a treat to watch.
With spooky season just around the corner by the time of writing, Hotel Barcelona is an easy recommend for those looking for an action-horror romp. Once more abilities are unlocked in the skill tree, the gameplay becomes more enjoyable overall, with the parry notably feeling extremely satisfying when pulled off. Sticking the landing with a riveting third act, and robust postgame content, I can see definitely see myself coming back for that coveted one more run with friends, as I did for this review.
Verdict
Powered by classic horror flicks, absurd anime cutscenes and a truly unhinged storyline full of murderers, this bloodfest is absolutely not for the faint of heart. It’s loud, it’s wacky, and it is not afraid to commit to the bit. Off-the-rails videogame concepts might not be new, but the way it is tied up here certainly feels like one of the unique video games to exist in the current gaming landscape, let alone 2025. SUDA51 has stated that this is one of his finest achievements, and you know what? I believe it.
Remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Bluesky to keep up to date on everything we have going on!
Reviewed for PC, also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series
A review code was provided by CULT Games for the purpose of this review.
Developer: White Owls Studio
Publisher: Cult Games
Release Date: September 26, 2025
Pros:
Wild and original horror setting,
Roguelike elements blend in well,
Macabre narrative is easy to follow,
Dazzling cutscenes and animations,
Cons:
The beginning can feel too punishing,
The controls take some getting used to
-
Hotel Barcelona
