HOTEL BARCELONA Arrives on PlayStation This September

OK, so imagine this—HOTEL BARCELONA. It’s like someone took a slasher flick, tossed it into a blender with some dreams (or nightmares) from SWERY and SUDA51, and then smeared it all over your PlayStation 5 screen. Yeah, that’s a mouthful. Oh, by the way, it’s being served up by CULT Games and White Owls come September. So, mark that down somewhere unless you’re, like, allergic to horror games.

Why am I mentioning this? Well, picture this: there’s this hotel that’s stuck right on the line between Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Fancy on the outside, but, uh, inside? It’s a death trap for the worst of the worst killers the U.S. has lurking around. Pretty neat, huh? No idea why they’d do that, but it makes for an interesting setting.

Anyway, you’ve got Justine. She’s this newbie federal marshal with… a bit of a problem. Her mind is tangled up with Dr. Carnival, a maniac who’s not ashamed of his violent past. Together, they’re stuck in this messed-up plan to take down every killer roaming the hotel’s creepy halls. Fingers crossed they make it out alive.

And check out this feature list, which, trust me, needs a bit of digesting. It’s not just your typical side-scroller; it’s packed with action that demands tactical moves, timing (which I never get right, but anyway), and using your smarts. Oh, and the whole vibe screams 1980s horror — think VHS tapes and bad haircuts.

Here’s something funky: every time you, um, “snuff it,” something called “Slasher Phantoms” appear. Basically, echoes of your previous runs that can help you mess with the enemies. Like ghost meat-shields. Spooky, yet kind of brilliant.

As the battles rage on, you start getting, well, drenched in blood, fueling your powers. Stay aggressive, and you can unleash this wild move called Carnival Awakening when the “Skull Gauge” thingy maxes out. Sounds ominous, doesn’t it?

There are seven eerie zones in the game, each with a boss fight that’s apparently unforgettable — much like my failed attempts at bowling. Each zone seems to draw inspiration from different horror sub-genres, so expect some weird surprises.

And here’s a kicker, something for the fans of bizarre collaborations. This whole thing is a brainchild of SUDA51 (you might know him from No More Heroes) and SWERY (legend behind Deadly Premonition). Their creative chaos blends into hopefully an epic, or maybe just confusing, gaming experience.

So, there you go. That’s HOTEL BARCELONA in a nutshell: catch it if you dare or, well, if you just want to see how much of a mess they’ve made with two legendary minds in cahoots.