Hotel Barcelona Review: An Artsy Conundrum

“Let’s make something punk.” That’s how Goichi “SUDA51” Suda might pitch a game. “Let’s make something weird.” That’s Hidetaka “Swery65” Suehiro’s likely reply. Hotel Barcelona is what happens when both ideas crash into each other at 200 km/h and somehow survive the wreckage.

This slasher-inspired, time-looping fever dream is the lovechild of two of gaming’s most eccentric auteurs. SUDA51 brings the blood-soaked ballet of combat; Swery65 injects the surreal charm of a world that feels like it was built by a caffeinated Lynch fan with a budget of $12 and a dream. The result? A gloriously messy, punk-rock B-movie nightmare that’s as unforgettable as it is unpolished.

Hotel Barcelona is a 2.5D side-scrolling action roguelite and a creative collaboration between two of Japan’s most eccentric game directors, Goichi “SUDA51” Suda (known for No More Heroes) and Hidetaka “Swery65” Suehiro (known for Deadly Premonition). It was released on September 26, 2025, and is currently available on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation 5.

Blood Ballet in a Punk-Rock Purgatory

You are Justine, a novice federal marshal with a deadly secret – your mind is shared with Dr. Carnival, a deranged murderer with a violent past. Together, you must eliminate every killer in the hotel… and try to survive long enough to escape. You’re trapped in a metaphysical hotel where serial killers from across time and space gather like twisted guests at a murder convention. Your job? Kill them all. Stylishly.

Combat is classic SUDA51: fast, brutal, and built around a parry-and-strike rhythm that rewards precision and punishes hesitation. The screen erupts with stylized gore, comic-book text splashes, and crunchy sound design. Boss fights are multi-phase spectacles—each killer a grotesque personality test wrapped in a skill check. One might fight with rhythmic precision, another with erratic chaos. It’s punk rock in motion: raw, repetitive, and dripping with attitude.

Where Killers Sip Coffee and Philosophy Flows

But the hotel itself? That’s pure Swery65. It’s not just a setting—it’s a character. The game runs on a time loop, forcing you to relive the same stretch of time, uncovering secrets and unraveling the bizarre lives of its inhabitants.

These killers aren’t faceless monsters. They’re eccentric, oddly endearing weirdos. One arranges coffee cups with obsessive precision. Another delivers monologues about shampoo quality. Between bouts of hyper-violence, you’re treated to surreal slices of life that feel like Deadly Premonition fan fiction written by a sentient vending machine.

The story weaves together science fiction, horror, and meta-commentary in a complex and intriguing way. It doesn’t always make sense, but that doesn’t mean it has to. It’s a tale that rewards curiosity while defying logic—though it’s definitely not for everyone.

A Janky Broken Loop

The real magic lies in how these two styles fuse. SUDA’s combat loop gives Swery’s narrative stakes. Swery’s world-building gives SUDA’s action context. You die, restart, remember a clue, exploit a weakness, and inch forward. It’s a grind, but a meaningful one.

That said, the fusion isn’t seamless. Combat purists may find the mechanics shallow over time. Narrative lovers might hit difficulty spikes that feel unfair. And yes, the game wears its “jank” proudly—sometimes charming, sometimes infuriating.

To some extent, it works, but in the long run, it falls flat and becomes quite frustrating. The jank undermines the essence of tight platforming and combat, making everything feel like a loose cannon.

Should You Check In?

Hotel Barcelona isn’t for everyone. It’s not a polished AAA experience. It’s a bold, uncompromising experiment from two creators who refuse to play by the rules.

This game is for players who value personality over polish, finding charm in cryptic narratives devoid of logic and eccentric characters. It’s an ideal choice if you can tolerate, or even celebrate, a few mechanical rough edges in the gameplay. However, you should probably skip this title if you need tight, refined combat systems or prefer streamlined storytelling instead of chaotic loops. Additionally, if the thought of dying repeatedly just to learn one boss’s weakness sounds frustrating, this game may not be the right fit for you.

Real Talk

Hotel Barcelona is a five-star stay in hell. It’s frustrating, abrasive, and occasionally incoherent. But it’s also unforgettable. Like the classic B-movies, it’s not about perfection—it’s about passion. And in that regard, SUDA51 and Swery65 have managed to strike some chords.

FINAL SCORE: 75/100