Back in 2019, Suda51 and Swery65 announced a horror game project under unusual circumstances during a livestream. They proposed creating an indie horror title named Hotel Barcelona, inspired by the PS2 game Siren, with plans for Devolver Digital to publish it.

Six years later, Hotel Barcelona is set to release on September 26, 2025, but it appears significantly different from its initial concept. The new publisher is Cult Games rather than Devolver, and the game now features a bizarre 2.5D sidescrolling action roguelite style instead of the anticipated horror theme.

As described in the game’s promotional material, it combines stunning anime aesthetics with gameplay that transports players into a surreal hotel filled with eccentric enemies and unpredictable dangers.

The trailer showcases an intriguing escalation of both style and substance, embodying Suda51’s love for the over-the-top stylistic elements reminiscent of the 1980s. Players will confront a variety of characters, such as brutal management figures and psychopaths, in a psychedelic escape from the chaos.

To provide context, the publisher describes the concept: “With trippy anime-style visuals designed by artists from renowned titles like Chainsaw Man, Persona, and Final Fantasy VII Remake, players must navigate this twisted hotel and face its terrifying new regime. It is a race against time, as survival until checkout seems highly unlikely.”