Hotel Barcelona

COGconnected: 50 / 100 by Stephan Adamus

I really wanted to love Hotel Barcelona. It has such an interesting presentation and game world. But its gameplay is just plain awful. It has a generic roguelite structure, and controlling Justine feels abysmal. The UI is also an overcluttered eyesore. I hope fans of SWERY and SUDA51 find something to love in Hotel Barcelona. But as it is, I just can’t recommend a game that plays this horribly.

PlayStation Universe: 6.5 / 10 by Timothy Nunes

Hotel Barcelona adds in just enough quirky things to stay on brand with the reputation that its legendary creators have forged for themselves. Just like most of their other works, Hotel Barcelona is far from perfect, showcasing its own intentional nuances that can either make or break a game for some people.

Use a Potion: 7 / 10

Hotel Barcelona is every bit as wild and unconventional as you’d expect from SWERY65 and Suda51, and that’s its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. It’s stylish, creative, and packed with clever ideas, but also weighed down by sluggish combat and a tendency to overwhelm the player. When it all clicks, it’s a bloody good time, but in those early hours when it doesn’t, it can feel like a grind. But if you’re willing to stick with it, embrace its quirks, and unlock some new combat abilities, there’s a unique and satisfying roguelike here that’s well worth checking into – just don’t expect your stay in Hotel Barcelona to be perfectly smooth one.