HOTEL BARCELONA Review – A Stylish Horror Misfire That Fails to Scare

HOTEL BARCELONA, released on September 4, 2025, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, is an ambitious indie horror-action game from developers Suda51 (No More Heroes) and Swery65 (Deadly Premonition), published by Devolver Digital. Promising a bloody, time-looping slasher inspired by 1980s horror flicks, this collaboration aims to blend Suda’s punk aesthetic with Swery’s quirky storytelling. However, with a disappointing 59/100 (Mixed or Average), HOTEL BARCELONA struggles to deliver on its bold premise, hampered by clunky gameplay, repetitive design, and technical issues. While its grindhouse vibe and eccentric charm appeal to fans of the developers’ cult classics, it falls short of the polish needed to compete in 2025’s crowded horror landscape.

A Time-Looping Slasher with Quirky Ambition Set in a cursed Los Angeles hotel, HOTEL BARCELONA casts players as Sarah, a detective trapped in a 1980s-inspired time loop, hunted by grotesque serial killers. Each loop unravels the hotel’s dark history, with a 10–12-hour campaign blending combat, exploration, and light puzzle-solving. The narrative leans into B-movie tropes—think neon-lit corridors and cheesy one-liners—with Suda51’s irreverent humor and Swery65’s oddball characters, like a talking vending machine that dispenses cryptic clues. While the premise is intriguing, the story falters with disjointed pacing and underdeveloped characters. Sarah’s motivations feel vague, and the time-loop mechanic, which resets progress with slight variations, grows repetitive. Compared to Suda’s No More Heroes 3 or Swery’s D4, the writing lacks the sharp wit fans expect. X posts capture the divide: “Love the vibe, but the story feels like it’s trying too hard to be weird.”

Clunky Combat in a Haunted Hotel Gameplay centers on hack-and-slash combat and exploration, with Sarah wielding weapons like machetes and chainsaws against monstrous foes. The combat aims for visceral chaos, with blood-soaked finishers and a “Rage Meter” for special attacks, but it feels clunky and imprecise. Hit detection is inconsistent, and enemy AI alternates between brain-dead and unfairly aggressive, making encounters frustrating. The time-loop mechanic forces players to replay sections with minor changes, like new enemy placements, but it often feels like padding rather than meaningful progression. Puzzles, such as decoding blood-scrawled messages, are a highlight but too sparse to redeem the grind. A co-op mode, allowing a second player to control a ghostly ally, adds some fun, but it’s local-only with no online support, a baffling omission in 2025. Accessibility options like adjustable difficulty and subtitles are present, but the lack of control remapping frustrates. X users lamented, “Combat feels like a PS2 game in a bad way.”

Stylish but Flawed Visuals Visually, HOTEL BARCELONA nails its grindhouse aesthetic, with neon-drenched hallways, flickering CRT monitors, and gore-soaked enemy designs that evoke 1980s slasher films. Running at 4K/60 FPS on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the game’s cel-shaded style pops, though textures lack detail in larger areas. PC performance is less stable, with reports of frame drops and crashes during intense combat, per early patch notes. The soundtrack, blending synthwave and lo-fi horror cues, is a standout, capturing the retro vibe, but repetitive tracks wear thin. PS5’s DualSense haptics add immersion, with distinct vibrations for weapon swings, though it can’t mask the gameplay’s shortcomings. Compared to 2025’s Silent Hill f, which balances style and substance, HOTEL BARCELONA’s visuals are a high point but not enough to carry the experience.

A Missed Opportunity for Cult Greatness HOTEL BARCELONA includes extras like a jukebox mode and concept art, but these feel tacked-on. Priced at $40, it’s a reasonable ask for fans of Suda51 and Swery65, but the lack of polish and repetitive design make it hard to recommend broadly. Compared to indie horror hits like Dead Space’s 2023 remake, it feels undercooked. X feedback sums it up: “Suda and Swery’s weirdness is here, but the game needed more time in the oven.” Technical patches have improved stability, but core issues like combat and pacing remain.

HOTEL BARCELONA is a bold but flawed experiment, earning its 59/100 for its stylish visuals and quirky charm but stumbling with clunky mechanics and a repetitive loop. Fans of the developers’ past work may find enough to enjoy, but for most, it’s a disappointing detour in a year packed with stronger horror titles. Suda51 and Swery65’s passion shines through, but here’s hoping their next collaboration delivers the polish this one lacks.