Interview with the Writer/Director of Hotel Barcelona
We were super stoked to have Hotel Barcelona be a part of May’s showcase because we are huge fans of not only horror but also metroidvanias. Hotel Barcelona looks like it is going to be such an incredible title and we can’t wait to play the full game.
A huge thank you to the team at White Owls for answering my questions.
Can you tell me more about the team behind Hotel Barcelona?
Hotel Barcelona is a collaboration with my esteemed fellow creator, SUDA51. He built the original concept and overarching world, after which I took the baton and finished the game at my studio, White Owls.
The core team is made up of trusted colleagues who have worked with me since The MISSING and other projects. We also brought in some really talented partners: Jun Kawasaki of Lord of Vermilion as art director, and TECHNOuchi, known for the Dark Souls series, as sound director.
Hand-drawn 2D animations that punch up key scenes were created by Saho Nanjō, while the amazing key art comes from HIROAKI, whose illustrations were also featured in D4 and DP2.
I honestly feel this may be the best team I’ve assembled in my entire career!
What made you decide to base the game near Pittsburgh?
While discussing the game’s setting with SUDA51, we both pictured a luxurious hotel nestled deep within a forest. As we researched dense North American woodlands, the Appalachian Mountains - setting of films like The Blair Witch Project, Wrong Turn, and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil - caught my eye.
On top of that, a friend of mine is from Pennsylvania, and I had just watched The Dead Don’t Die, so I became fascinated with portraying a region I had never depicted before.
What inspired the unique and eye-catching visuals for Hotel Barcelona?
The visuals of Hotel Barcelona started with art director Jun Kawasaki experimenting with how to elevate the bold shadows and clammy atmosphere of 1980s horror films into a sleek, contemporary style. Then SUDA51 added his trademark “wacky, crazy” touch, which I think has created a unique tone that blends classic dread with a pop-tinged sense of the bizarre.
The game is a 2.5-D side-scroller that deliberately fuses realistic backdrops with anime-style characters and color palettes. Even the blood splatters are designed to burst in a way so vibrant it almost makes you laugh! That striking contrast is, I think, the main reason the visuals stand out so much.
Justine has a serial killer named Dr. Carnival living inside of her, in what ways does this…affliction? (partnership? Curse?) effect gameplay? Is it beneficial or more of a hindrance to her?
As a U.S. Marshal, Justine always tries to resolve matters within the bounds of the law - but the brutal killers standing in her way don’t respond to straightforward tactics. That’s when Dr. Carnival takes center stage!
Bound to her by a pact, his soul dwells inside Justine, and when necessary he unleashes the latent power within her so she can go toe-to-toe - or better! - with those killers. Carnival himself insists, “By contract, I’m on your side,” though whether that’s the truth is anyone’s guess…
In gameplay terms, you control Marshal Justine while exploring the hotel, but once you launch a mission and combat begins, she merges with Dr. Carnival, becoming a transformed version of herself. Players need to balance the tightrope between “righteous law-woman” and “dangerous partner,” all while wondering where this uneasy alliance will ultimately lead!
If you die in Hotel Barcelona, you’ll start your mission over again. How can players upgrade/better equip themselves during their run to prep for the next?
As we describe it - a “parodic-horror roguelike slasher” - Hotel Barcelona lets you strengthen Justine much like any roguelike: spend the loot you collect during a run to unlock new skills or buy weapons before the next mission. The more loops you complete, the wider your tactical options become and the tougher foes you can face. But the game’s real standout feature is the Slasher Phantom system
When you die and restart a mission, your previous run reappears as a phantom ally that mirrors your exact past movements. It faithfully re-traces your last run - yet it has full attack power, and enemies mistake it for the real player, drawing their aggression and forcing combat to unfold within the phantom’s attack radius. It’s tricky to explain in words, but the system leaves you feeling a spark of hope even after death.
It’s a mechanic that “carries the very timeline you just played into the next loop.”
Can you give any more detail about what boss battles are like in the game?
The game features seven distinct worlds, each guarded by a unique - and vicious - serial killer. Every world is modeled after a sub-genre of horror cinema, so the boss you face perfectly embodies that niche. Think of a lake-side camp slasher for the summer-camp horror level, or a murderer lurking in a dilapidated eatery for the restaurant-horror stage.
Each boss comes with its own backstory, and defeating them unlocks a special cutscene that delves into their lore. Watching these scenes and imagining, “What if this boss starred in its own horror film?” is part of the fun!
Hotel Barcelona will feature online co-op and PvP, can you give more detail about any differences between taking on the game solo or with friends? What benefits are there to invading another player’s game?
Because Hotel Barcelona is intentionally challenging, you might hit a wall when playing solo. In that case, call in a friend for co-op play - you’ll stand a much better chance of clearing a stage by helping each other.
During online multiplayer, the Slasher Phantom system is disabled, but your friends effectively become highly competent phantoms in their own right.
If you choose to invade another player’s world (PvP), you and your target become doppelgängers to one another; neither of you can progress to the next area until one goes down. Win the duel and your current weapon is upgraded by one tier, plus you earn the defeated player’s “Bloody Marshal Badge.” It’s basically a trophy, but imagine bumping into SWERY online and nabbing his badge - that little thrill is part of the fun!
The 7 different locations in the game are inspired by different horror movies. What is your favorite horror movie of all time?
For the sake of accuracy, let me clarify: the game’s seven stages are not inspired by seven specific horror movies, but rather serve as homages to seven sub-genres of horror cinema. In other words, we set out to capture the overall atmosphere shared by many films within each sub-genre, rather than referencing a single title!
Now, as for my choice of the greatest horror film of all time - it has to be The Shining (1980). It’s also my personal favorite. I’ve read the novel, of course, and I’ve mimicked Jack’s lines more times than I can count over the years, so no other choice makes sense!
What does “indie” mean to you?
To me, “indie” means two things above all. It’s a space where I can turn any idea into reality without restraints, and it’s a chance for players to walk away with new insights and perspectives. Creative freedom lets me take risks and craft experimental experiences that can genuinely surprise people, and I believe that unique combination is what makes indie games so special.
Hotel Barcelona is available to wishlist on Steam now.
Answers by SWERY - Director/Writer of Hotel Barcelona