HOTEL BARCELONA REVIEW: (DON’T FEAR) THE ROGUELITE RNG

The collaboration between legendary Japanese creators SUDA51 (No More Heroes, Killer7) and SWERY (Deadly Premonition, D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die) has finally opened its doors, and the reservation is mandatory for fans of bizarre, blood-soaked action. Hotel Barcelona, a 2.5D side-scrolling roguelite, is less a relaxing getaway and more a fever dream soaked in ’80s and ’90s horror movie aesthetics. Players step into the blood-drenched shoes of rookie U.S. Marshal Justine, who finds herself possessed by the spirit of a serial killer, Dr. Carnival, and trapped in a hotel that serves as a hunting ground for seven of America’s deadliest murderers. The premise alone is pure, high-concept gold, promising a chaotic and unforgettable experience that only these two minds could conjure. The game launched recently on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, immediately captivating the niche market of players craving a high-octane, quirky horror fix.

H2: The Core Gameplay Loop: Embrace Death, Master the Bloodflow

At its heart, Hotel Barcelona is an action roguelite, where death is not a final curtain but a crucial stepping stone. The core gameplay loop sees Justine hacking and slashing her way through seven distinct, horror-themed zones of the cursed hotel, each culminating in a unique, monstrous boss battle inspired by classic horror subgenres. However, unlike some unforgiving entries in the genre, Hotel Barcelona introduces a mechanic that cleverly mitigates the fear of the Random Number Generation (RNG): the Slasher Phantom system.

• Slasher Phantoms: Every time Justine falls, a ghost or “Phantom” of her previous run is created. This spectral echo repeats her exact movements and attacks from the failed attempt, essentially allowing you to fight alongside a helpful, if unpredictable, version of your past self. This mechanic brilliantly turns past failures into tangible, strategic assets for the current run. You can lure enemies into a Phantom’s combo, or use it as a makeshift shield against high-damage attacks.
• The Blood is Power: Combat is fast-paced, visceral, and centered around aggression. The more blood you shed—your enemies’, primarily—the more you fill the Skull Gauge. Maxing out this gauge lets Justine unleash Carnival’s Awakening, a devastating special attack that embodies the brutal power of the serial killer residing in her mind. This system actively encourages an aggressive playstyle, a nice subversion of the often cautious combat in survival horror games.
• Roguelite Progression: While the game features roguelite elements, its structure is less a full-game run and more a series of focused, 15-20 minute stages. Between runs, a robust upgrade system allows for permanent character improvements, including health boosts, weapon unlocks, and new combat abilities. This persistent progression ensures that even failed runs contribute meaningfully to your overall strength, smoothing out the typically sharp learning curve of the roguelite genre. The monetization strategy is focused purely on the base game, with no in-game purchases for power, prioritizing a true player experience over microtransactions.

H2: A Janky Masterpiece: The Controversy of Feel and Flow

True to the nature of both SWERY and SUDA51’s previous works, Hotel Barcelona is not a perfectly polished experience. Early reviews and player feedback have highlighted a noticeable “jank” in the core combat. Critics note that the hit feedback can feel “weedy” and the movement “slippery and weightless,” creating a stiff, awkward flow that is initially jarring for a hack-and-slash game. This lack of precise, satisfying oomph in combat is the game’s most significant hurdle.

Strong emphasis on the game’s issues: Combat feels rigid and unresponsive, making high-level play frustrating for players accustomed to fluid action games. The strict timing for combos often feels unforgiving, leading to input drops and frustrating vulnerability. This technical roughness, however, is often framed by fans as part of the directors’ “signature style”—a deliberate embrace of the unpolished, which contributes to the surreal, unsettling atmosphere.

H2: RNG and Randomness: Less Fear, More Flair

The term RNG, or Random Number Generation, usually strikes fear into the hearts of players seeking consistency. In Hotel Barcelona, the randomness is more about flair than game-breaking difficulty. While the layout of a stage remains largely static, the game introduces random elements to keep each run fresh and unpredictable, a major selling point for replayability and high engagement.

• Weather and Day-Cycle Effects: Each run can begin with random weather (mist, rain) and time-of-day changes, which apply minor passive effects to gameplay.
• Door Power-Ups: Moving through different doors on a map grants temporary, random buffs, ranging from increased attack speed to higher critical rates, directly impacting your minute-to-minute tactical decisions.
• Scale Changes: In a truly bizarre twist, Justine can occasionally become randomly “tiny or gigantic” at the start of a level, a purely visual, yet completely on-brand, piece of chaotic content that embodies the game’s surreal horror roots.

These elements, combined with the Slasher Phantom system, mean that while the game is difficult, the randomness is often a tool to be exploited or a momentary, bizarre change of pace, rather than a crippling obstacle. It successfully achieves a balance that respects the roguelite genre’s core loop of “fight, die, repeat” without sacrificing player agency. This innovative mechanic is a key driver for long-tail user retention.

H2: Multiplayer: Co-op and PvP Invasion

The hotel is not just a solo nightmare. Hotel Barcelona features a surprising yet compelling online multiplayer component, designed to extend the game’s life and offer competitive gaming opportunities.

• Co-op Missions: Up to three players can team up in co-op mode to tackle the hotel’s challenges together, a welcome addition for those who prefer to face the horror with friends. This offers a change of pace from the solo experience, focusing on coordinated survival against overwhelming odds.
• PvP Invasion: For an unpredictable, high-stakes encounter, the PvP invasion mode allows a fourth player to enter your world as an adversarial doppelgänger. This competitive twist adds a layer of dread and forces players to be constantly on edge, creating a new source of in-game tension and user-generated content (via streaming and clips). Victory in an invasion nets the coveted “Bloody Marshal Badge” and valuable weapon tier upgrades, linking the PvP experience directly to the premium progression loop.

H2: Final Verdict: Book Your Stay, If You Dare to be Weird

Hotel Barcelona is an uncompromising experience, a love letter to the horror genre that is as messy and unpolished as it is endearing and inventive. It successfully blends the narrative weirdness of its creators with a compelling roguelite structure. The Slasher Phantom system is a genuine innovation that makes a compelling argument for the game as a fresh take on a crowded genre. While the stiff combat and technical jank are undeniable drawbacks that may deter some players, the game’s sheer creative energy, bizarre characters, and clever use of randomness make it a worthwhile stay. If you can embrace the jank and look past the initial awkwardness, Hotel Barcelona offers a truly unique, gore-filled trip that you’ll be compelled to repeat. For fans of horror action games, roguelites, and the signature chaos of SUDA51 and SWERY, checking in is highly recommended. The low price point makes the risk of a “janky” experience more palatable, providing a strong value proposition in the competitive gaming market.

Highly Recommended for: Players who enjoy the works of SWERY and SUDA51, challenging roguelite games, and those who appreciate unique art direction and experimental gameplay mechanics.

CPC Keywords: Action Roguelite, Horror Games, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 Games, Premium Gaming, Slasher Games, Co-op Multiplayer, Game Review, New Game Release, SWERY, SUDA51