X
- M
- CFK
- M
- CFK
- M
- CFK
- M
- CFK
Hotel Sowls
Released On: Jul 30, 2020
67
User Score
Available after 4 ratings
tbd
All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 8 Critic Reviews
67
25% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
75% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 8 Critic Reviews
67
25% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
75% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Studio Sott has managed to create a short game filled with wonderful characters and atmosphere. This brilliantly realised story reminds me of The Shining but filled with Mr Men. While Hotel Sowls doesn’t innovate the basic point and click formula, it fills it with quality content and a surrealist vibe that really elevates itself. It’s just a bit short.
I had a lot of enjoyment with Hotel Sowls, which lasted for its entire run time and never overstayed its welcome. Its one of those games which cares about quality over quantity, and the control over tone and mood which Studio Sott exhibits is genuinely admirable. This game goes highly recommended to the inquisitive, the curious, and those for whom your standard video game characters and settings are proving just a tad predictable. You won’t have any idea what’s up ahead in this hotel.
Hotel Sowls is undeniably charming. The cast is easily lovable and the world as quirky as one could hope. Still, it’s also undeniably simple. I would suggest Hotel Sowls as a sleepy afternoon game to relax with if you are at all drawn to its art and atmosphere, but I would keep in mind the limitations of a two person team making their first game. If you aren’t bothered by a small soundtrack, occasional bugs, and a hotel with many rooms where there isn’t any room for questions, then you may just spend more than one span of five days in Hotel Sowls.
Hotel Sowls is a really interesting game if you see it as the side project of two college students that it really is, but as a full indie game, there are many flaws to allow it to become something more than just an enjoyable but mediocre game.
As one of the most visually unique indies out there, I recommend playing Hotel Sowls although its campaign isn't all that challenging.
Building an evident framework for a "good ending" without detailing a clear path to find the requirements, Hotel Sowls struggles between being a true mystery, and holding the player's hand with clues. Replayability, rather than a compelling journey, seems to be the main through line for this title. That being said, the impossibly cute art direction and interesting visual language will keep audiences charmed and engrossed, even if they are not usually fans of the mystery and thriller genre.
Beneath the veneer, there isn’t much that makes Hotel Sowls shine. The plot, the characters, and the gameplay are all wax-paper thin. The game ticks away mechanically under its inspired art style. I’m actually taken aback by how soulless Hotel Sowls really turned out to be. I guess it just goes to show that you can’t judge a hotel by its chandelier.
User Reviews
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Summary Hotel Sowls is a mysterious adventure game with unique and appealing 2D graphics. As an pharmacologist, you managed to get a valuable and mysterious stone after a hard journey and you decided to take a break at the Hotel Sowls. But the next morning, someone in the hotel stole the stone!
Rated M
for Mature
Platforms:
- PC
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Jul 30, 2020
Developer:
- Studio Sott
Publisher: CFK
Genres:
