Swery65 and Suda51 are teaming up for a co-op, time-looping roguelike about serial killers

Goichi “Suda51” Suda and Hidetaka “Swery65” Suehiro are two of the most idiosyncratic creators working in the games industry today, renowned for making cult classics like No More Heroes and Deadly Premonition. Hotel Barcelona sees the two teaming up for new game, and unsurprisingly, their sensibilities blend together to create something distinctly strange: a time-looping, side-scrolling roguelike about hunting serial killers in a supernatural hotel.

First announced back in 2023, Hotel Barcelona centers on Justine, a rookie federal marshal possessed by the soul of a former serial killer named Dr. Carnival. After becoming trapped in the eponymous hotel, she’ll have to fight her way through the strange building, which is filled with some of the most vicious serial killers in U.S. history.

Inspired by ‘80s and ‘90s grindhouse cinema and slasher flicks, the new gameplay trailer for Hotel Barcelona unveiled on Monday wears those influences loud and proud, with cel-shaded visuals and artwork courtesy of artist Hiroaki Hashimoto of SNK and The King of Fighters fame.

Wielding an arsenal of weapons including axes, katanas, and glaive-like chainsaw blades, the player must battle their way through the seven floors of the hotel, each inhabited by seven of nefarious killers, and themed after a different classic horror film. After dying, the player is accompanied by an “echo” of their previous life, emulating their last run and aiding you in combat. You can either have up to four “echoes” assist you in a run, or enlist help through the game’s three-player co-op system. 

Hotel Barcelona is slated to be released later this year, though no official release date has been set. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Windows PC.