Hotel Barcelona: Suda51 and SWERY’s Serial Killer Roguelite Looks Completely Unhinged

Let’s be real-when you see the names Suda51 and SWERY on the same project, you can’t help but perk up. Their games might be too weird for mainstream tastes, but that’s exactly why many of us love them. So when Hotel Barcelona finally got a release date during the Xbox @ gamescom broadcast, it instantly became one of my most-anticipated indies this fall.

• The twisted minds behind No More Heroes and Deadly Premonition are back, collaborating on a surreal, bloody roguelite.
• Expect fever-dream mayhem, chainsaw-wielding maniacs, and psychological horror in a hotel crawling with serial killers.
• A soundtrack featuring TECHNOuchi (Dark Souls, Metal Gear 2) gives the mayhem a memorable pulse.
• Launching September 26 for Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S-mark your calendars; this isn’t just another roguelite.

Suda51 x SWERY: Turning Weirdness Into a Selling Point

Let’s talk talent. Suda51 (Goichi Suda) has built his career on outrageous, stylish action games dripping with satire and madness-No More Heroes still stands out as one of the most joyously anarchic series around. SWERY, meanwhile, is the king of cult-worshipped awkwardness, with Deadly Premonition’s blend of Twin Peaks energy and janky mechanics turning it into a memeable legend. Their long-teased “collaboration” felt like vaporware for years, but Hotel Barcelona is real, and it’s exactly as bonkers as fans could have hoped.

On paper: You’re Justine, a rookie federal marshal possessed by a monster, fighting your way through a hotel infested by American serial killers. The character and story setup already screams cult classic potential, with shades of Persona’s surreal psychology, Chainsaw Man’s gonzo action, and the stylish brutality of classic Suda51. What’s more, the dev team features artists behind heavy hitters like Persona and Final Fantasy VII Remake, which explains the absolutely eye-popping visuals we’ve seen in the trailers.

Slasher Phantoms, Roguelite Reinvention, and the Deathloop Factor

If you’re rolling your eyes at “another roguelite,” I get it—this genre is crowded, to say the least. But Hotel Barcelona looks like it’s actually trying to do something different. The main twist is the Slasher Phantoms: on each run after you die, your past actions are mimicked by phantom versions of yourself. Think the time-loop echoes from games like Dead Cells or even PvP spirits in Souls, except here they actually fight alongside you.

The arsenal is just as over-the-top. The press info brags about nearly 100 weapons, which feels like a direct challenge to genre giants like Hades and Rogue Legacy. Mixing that with “game-changing upgrades” hints at a level of persistent progression that could finally do justice to all the failed roguelite experiments that get repetitive fast. As someone who’s been burned by shallow indie roguelites promising “endless replayability” but delivering boredom, I’m cautiously optimistic here—this team knows how to make wild ideas work, even if the execution is always a bit left-of-field.

Killer Soundtrack and a Sense of Indie Community

If the gameplay pitch wasn’t already stylish enough, the music lineup is nothing short of a flex. Legendary composer TECHNOuchi—whose work on Dark Souls and Metal Gear 2 is instantly recognizable to anyone who’s obsessed over game music—heads up the soundtrack, which is getting both digital and vinyl releases. In an age when game soundtracks can become cultural icons in their own right (looking at you, Hotline Miami), having a score this cred-heavy isn’t just a bonus; it’s a statement about Hotel Barcelona’s indie identity.

Equally, the publishing and music partners (CULT Games, Kid Katana Records) specialize in building community hype around weird, ambitious games. That’s important—Hotel Barcelona isn’t some mass-market push, but an indie game made by and for the kind of gamers who love niche, genre-mashing experiments. If you’re tired of AAA sameness or have a soft spot for the bizarre, this is one to watch.

Does Hotel Barcelona Live Up to the Hype?

Here’s where my gamer skepticism kicks in. There’s a ton of promise—a dream dev pairing, rad art direction, a fun-sounding twist on roguelites, and a killer soundtrack. But Suda51 and SWERY are hit-or-miss: for every moment of brilliance, there’s usually a rough edge, a half-baked mechanic, or just sheer weirdness that alienates more than it entertains. If you’re allergic to jank, this might not be for you. But honestly, that’s also what gives both creators’ games a soul—imperfection baked into something truly different from the usual churn of safe indie fare.

As someone who’s lost dozens of hours to Deadly Premonition, No More Heroes, and the like, I’m hyped for the messiness as much as the potential. There’s no guarantee Hotel Barcelona becomes the next Hades, but there’s also nothing else quite like it on the horizon. That’s reason enough to be excited—and just a bit apprehensive in the best possible way.

TL;DR

Hotel Barcelona launches September 26 across all major platforms sporting fever-dream horror, a wild roguelite twist, and a who’s-who of cult game talent. This one won’t be for everyone—but for those willing to embrace the weird, it could be 2024’s indie game to beat.