[Steam] Hotel Sowls Review

Today, I’d like to write about a game I stumbled upon by chance, which I later learned was created by my seniors from university: Hotel Sowls, developed by Studio Sott.

✏ Hotel Sowls

You play as a pharmacist who, after obtaining a mysterious "stone" surrounded by strange rumors, seeks to rest your weary body at a peculiar "hotel." But soon after checking in, the stone is stolen.
You have only 5 days to stay at the hotel. During those 5 days, the protagonist — and you — must talk to hotel staff and guests to uncover the secrets and dangers of the place and retrieve the stolen stone.

oh, I played the game in English this time again

✏ A Simple RPG Maker-esque Game

Without any combat, Hotel Sowls is all about [moving] and [interacting], reminiscent of those old RPG Maker games you might’ve played as a kid. You move using the WASD keys and interact with characters and objects with your mouse to track down the missing stone.

WASD move, and Inventory

 

While the simple mechanics are intuitive, they could risk feeling dull or repetitive — but this game charms you with the same kind of quirky humor you’d find in Undertale.

 

For example, if you talk to a tomato (NPC?) lying on the floor, it sings lyrics from a children’s song about a “fancy tomato.” After getting a massage from the hotel’s masseuse, your character melts into a puddle, perhaps to show how relaxed they are. And if you keep telling certain NPCs to “make me a drink” over and over, they humorously speed up their actions as if to respect your time — which had me laughing.

the sight of a squashed tomato is kinda horrifying

 

✏ Creepy but Not Too Scary

At first glance, the game might seem slow-paced. And to see all the endings, you’ll need to replay it a few times. But surprisingly, the simple controls and goofy character designs actually enhance the fun rather than diminish it.

 

The art style, however… is creepy!

mini game and the ending scene is creepy

 

As the name “Sowls” suggests, all the characters, including the protagonist, look like ghosts. Most objects are in shades of gray with faded textures to heighten the mysterious atmosphere. Together, these elements create an eerie vibe throughout the game.

 

Fortunately, there are no cheap jump scares. Some scenes zoom in on characters’ faces to startle you a little, but none of the sudden shocks you might expect from a horror RPG Maker game.

That said, if you dislike “being chased,” you might want to think twice. Depending on your actions, certain endings trigger a chase sequence — though being caught doesn’t necessarily mean “game over,” it did remind me of the classic Ao Oni, which sent chills down my spine.

I'll freeze on the spot if such a big thing follows me

 

✏ If Only There Were More Sequence Logic…

While I enjoyed the game overall, there was one thing I wished for: better sequence flow.

 

Although you only have 5 days, the time within a day isn’t strictly limited. Even if you waste the whole day picking dust out of a vending machine or getting endless massages, time doesn’t move forward until you’ve completed the required story actions.

 

That means you’re encouraged to talk to every NPC and interact with all the objects you can find — which, amusingly, even lets you listen to a singing fish.

Like this

However, if your actions aren’t tied to the main story, the game simply repeats the same dialogue. While talking to the same NPC five times in a row might get you a funny response like “Don’t you have anything better to do?” (and even unlocks an achievement), you can’t use a clue from NPC A with NPCs B, C, or D.

 

This lack of interconnectivity makes it feel like you’re just hitting the required story beats, unlike Undertale, which is beloved for its deeply interconnected characters and hidden easter eggs.

 

As a result, once you’ve seen all the endings, there’s little incentive to go back and grind for hidden content (like collecting X gold) — which is a bit of a shame.

📋 Overall Review

For a story-driven game, the lack of sequence logic leaves something to be desired. But the quirky character design, witty humor, and mystery elements more than make up for it.

It feels less like a flaw and more like something fans might wistfully say: “It would’ve been even better if…”

Considering this was the first game made by just two students, the quality is truly impressive. If you enjoy old-school RPG Maker vibes, I highly recommend giving it a try.

 
* Steam URL : https://store.steampowered.com/app/968350/Hotel_Sowls/ 

* Kor version : https://gamers-tryto-it.tistory.com/115