Customer Reviews

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

The great thing about the Nintendo DS is that there is so much innovation to it. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is a game that has been done time and time again, but on the DS they can take it to a new level, and strangely it works really well. For any gamer looking for a sophisticated, engaging story, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is right up your alley. It's engaging, simple, but still manages to be a complex game full of heart. Those who really enjoy Film Noir will also really get a kick out of this.

Kyle Hyde is a former NYPD detective. His partner was Brian Bradley. Under circumstances unknown Kyle ended up having to shoot Brian and his body fell into the Hudson River. The body was never recovered, but Kyle still believes that Brian is alive. Three years later, in 1979, Kyle is working as a Private Investigator for those unwilling to go to the police for help. A client has asked him to locate certain items left at the Hotel Dusk. Kyle, of course, accepts. As the mystery unfolds, Kyle begins to learn what really happened to his former partner.

Part of makes Hotel Dusk work is that it is very stylistic. Kyle is a likeable guy, despite that he's stereotyped into being the alcoholic ex-cop. His character really comes alive. And it isn't just his character that comes to life, it's all the characters that you talk to throughout the game. Each and every one of them is unique and distinct. Along those lines the dialog is really crafty and humanistic, to a point where you feel less like you're playing a game, and more like you're reading an engrossing detective novel.

To compliment the game even more, the visual art style is nothing short of fantastic. The character designs are hand-drawn, but they're uniquely done. Each character is drawn in a way that it says something about them. You'll be captivated by it. The environments themselves also look pretty good. The 3D models are pretty good looking. There aren't that many DS games out there that actually have a lot of 3D animation, so any time you get to see some it's a good thing.

The most interesting aspect about the game is the style which it is played in. You hold the DS sideways, as if it were a book. The primary control of the game comes from the stylus. You'll use it to navigate Kyle through the Hotel Dusk, and you'll use it to observe items and talk to people. It's simple, and it feels very much like some PC games of the past where you used the mouse to point and click. You'll find items you need to use all over the place. Of course this brings about one of the games few shortcomings. It's fairly linear, and you'll often find items well before you need to use them. At least most of the puzzles aren't hard, and they're not presented in a "Resident Evil" style fashion. So you won't be asking yourself questions like, "Why do I have to do THIS to get THAT?" The puzzles are completely logical and grounded in reality.

The good news is Hotel Dusk isn't about the puzzle solving and item collecting nearly as much as it's about the characters that play into the overall storyline. This is a very heavily story driven game, much more so than even most mainstream RPGs. You'll meet characters who will lie to you, and those who don't want to tell you things or give you little snippets. When you engage in conversation you'll often be given the chance to ask questions. You are, after all, a PI. Be careful, though. As a PI you need to ask the RIGHT questions. Asking the wrong questions can cause the game to end. So ask the right questions and get the right information.

This brings about another of the games few shortcomings, except this is a rather big one. The game is EXTREMELY dialog heavy. When I say that I'm not kidding. Some conversations can last for very long stretches of time. Not all of them are necessary, and it's even worse when you figure out what's going on, yet you've still got to sit through all the dialog anyway. To put it more simple it's like when a novel drags on for pages upon pages and a lot of what you read is irrelevant to the plot. Hotel Dusk doesn't veer away from the plot often, but it does ramble on and on about basic plot elements quite often. It can be frustrating, especially when you just want to play the game. Likewise, there's not a snippet of voice acting. I'm not saying the entire game has to have it, but it seems like at some points they should have had some.

Another thing that may turn a few people away. The story, while fantastic, is also pretty slow, and as much as I love games like this, you have to admit that those who love fast paced action adventure games will have a hard time getting into this, especially because the "point and click" formula is pretty dated. To a point, those used to fast paced action might be bored through this. If, however, you enjoy reading (as I do) then this is quite a relaxing experience.

Hotel Dusk is a fascinating game. Showing that some old school elements will never die. It's engaging, captivating, and is a well told story, complete with all the elements of a good story. It's a little slow at times, and it can also ramble, but if you're patient and stick with it, you'll be well rewarded in the end.

On the Positive Side:

+Unique storyline that's well told and engaging
+Fantastic character development throughout the entire game
+Simple to play, yet hard to master
+A good soundtrack to get the mood straight
+The Puzzles are not over the top, but instead are pretty simple to grasp
+Crafty dialog makes the game perfect for those who love to read

On the Negative Side:

-It gets off to a slow start
-No voice acting to speak of
-Some of the games moments are very dialog heavy, which can be very frustrating if you figure things out faster than Kyle does, and can be especially frustrating when it rambles

I'll be honest, I didn't really have high hopes for Hotel Dusk: Room 215 from the time I had heard about the game making it's way over here, but thankfully I was pleasently surprised with the results. Taking the point and click genre to different levels on the DS, Hotel Dusk makes you turn your DS sideways to play it, making it look like you're playing an open book instead of a video game. And book is the word to describe this unique game, as Hotel Dusk pays numerous odes to the crime-noir fiction of yesteryear with it's engaging story, colorful characters, and dark and mysterious atmosphere. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 puts you in the shoes of Kyle: a disgraced and grizzled former detective trying to piece together a puzzle surrounding the people staying at Hotel Dusk. There is more to the story, but revealing any more would ruin the surprises that are abound throughout this game, and the intricacy of the game's story is probably the most surprising thing of all. The character designs are wonderfully drawn and utilized, almost looking like an interactive comic book. Also, Hotel Dusk is easy to pick up and play, even for gamers who have never played a point and click type game before. If there's any drawbacks to Hotel Dusk, it's that it's slow pace will be a major turn off for many gamers. While the game is easy to pick up and play, not everyone will stick with it due to it's pacing. Also, on occasion, the game's story does suffer from some typical puzzle and adventure trappings, and does feel linear to a point. Despite all that though, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is yet another unique and exclusive title for Nintendo's wonderous, dual screened handheld, and if you own a DS, you should definitely check this game out; you'll be pleasently surprised.

This game was one of the most engaging, enthralling games to come out in recent history. After making Trace Memory, and hearing the fans response that the game was too easy; this company went all-out. Deep and complex storyline, interesting and ever-changing cast of characters, and overall sense of being pulled into the game. The mysteies in the story go deeper and deeper.
Dont fool yourself. The game is long....and difficult. You wont be able to beat this right away. However, you will think about this game constantly until you beat it. Some parts are easy (talking to different people for long sets of time, mini-games and puzzles). Others are very tough (You must do specific things at specific set times to achieve complete success) and may require multiple tries.

Overall this game is a GREAT detective story that relies heavily on the gamer's ability to read people and situations.
Everything about this game worked. 5 Stars.

I just got Hotel Dusk yesterday and I must say that it is a great game. It is just like the old school mysteries. The game reminds me of something like Sherlock Holmes mixed with Sin City. Here are the pros and cons:

Pros
-the graphics are cool. they are like drawings and paintings.
-good story line that keeps you intrigued and wondering.
-you can look at and investigate almost every item in the game.
-you hold the DS like a book to play.
-the story goes by chapters.
-as you play you meet a lot of new characters.
-the tasks keep you thinking but are not overly difficult.

Cons
-the music in the background is often monotonous.
-there is a lot of reading to do (some people don't like that)

overall, i think this game is great so far and i highly recommend it.

*Note: I am on Chapter 8 as of 2/9/07 and these are my thoughts at this point*

I had been looking forward to this game since it was announced (at E3 I believe). I'm a huge fan of the Phoenix Wright series, so I thought this game was right up my alley. However one thing concerned me... it was made by the same folks who did Trace Memory.

I didn't like Trace Memory. I thought the story was uninteresting (and I was disappointed and annoyed by the ending) and the whole presentation was very blandly executed. Tap on a bookshelf and maybe there will be an item that you need and so on. The only redeeming quality was some clever DS-feature puzzles.

Hotel Dusk is very similar to Trace Memory, but improved in most ways. The story, although it starts out at an absolute crawl, is terrific. It's kind of like the show Lost. Every guest in the hotel has their own story that you go through (or pry outta them) and each story contributes to a greater underlying story. And just about all the stories are interesting. The mysteries will keep you tapping through. And there will be one or more occasions where the stories are even heartwarming. It's amazing how well you get to know these characters.

Your character starts out as a complete jerk (and in a way stays that way), but in order to advance through the game and not get kicked out of the hotel, you have to make him more likable by choosing what he says. Though it may seem at first that this game is tailored for young adult boys (it's got some mild profanity), I can see it being just as enjoyed by young girl casual gamers.

The puzzles in this game are not hard at all. Some may throw you off for a bit, but a small amount of thinking and notetaking solves everything. There are a few clever uses for the DS, but nothing really mindblowing. I'm glad that the puzzles are doable, but I kinda wish they were a little more challenging and rewarding. There are many moments where you have to choose the correct thing to say (between 2 possible responses) in a row, otherwise the game is over. This is pretty frustrating and the game overs happen often, so make sure to save a lot so you don't have to go through a lot of text dialogue again.

I'm not a big fan of the quiz at the end of each chapter. Trace Memory did the same and I find it really annoying that they need to reiterate the story.

But if you can stick through the first two chapters, you'll find a beautifully crafted game with excellent characters, stories and storytelling. It's been a real pleasure walking in the shoes of the main character, Kyle Hyde. And I'll be sad when it ends. Hoping this will be a franchise. 4 1/2 stars

Yes we do indeed, because this game is so great. It leaves you wanting more. Well, it did me anyway. It took me 4 days to complete so it's just about long enough without been too long. But I wouldn't of minded playing for longer. I won't go into the story, as you can read the other reviews for yourself. But it really should be owned by everyone who has a DS Lite. It reminds me a lot of 'Titanic - Adventure out of time. Which is an old PC game. Ive played the first 2 Phoenix Wright's also, and this game is on a level with those, as been my 3 favourite games that I own.

Walking around the hotel and getting to know people and their stories is great. And i agree with another reviewer, it is a bit like LOST where the characters lives and pasts all seem to have something to do with one another. Sometimes, when you question people, you can go for the nice questions (which you should do or it's game over)! or the harsh ones, and telling a little girl that it was her fault her mother left was so tempting! I know i'm evil, but I didnt. So the story is so clever, and the way the characters are drawn are so clever, definately reminds me of the video for Take on Me by A-HA.

I must also say that when I read the reviews in the uk before buying, I noticed the ones that said you would need to be near a computer to read walkthroughs, because you'd definately get stuck, and i was like 'oh no, i'm good at these game, i won't need no walkthrough.' Well, i did - 4 times!! :) So my big head is back to normal now. I recommend the same for you guys, be prepared to get stuck a few times and need help.

I don't understand the people who criticise this game for it's amount of dialogue. What do they expect? It's a detective game, detectives have to ask questions and learn about people's lives. So of course there would be a lot of stuff to read. But I loved learning about characters lives. I'm now awaiting the third Phoenix Wright installment, and I know I will love that too!!

Buy this game, immiediately!

Sure a noirish text adventure sounds like just the thing for DS owners who are sick of seeing every licensed pre-teen TV show property under the sun appearing on the handheld, but the truth (if you are honest about it) is that Hotel Dusk: Room 215 just doesn't end up cutting the mustard as a good game. Sure, it has great intentions, but so have plenty of games that turn out dull & boring.

Issues:
Difficulty - Not to unleash any spoilers, but who lifts an aluminum file cabinet with a crowbar?! And who identifies engraving on a pen with chalk (very tiny chalk in the corner of a chalkboard)? The game lulls you to sleep with conversations that are so pointless as to be inane (it even tells you in the book, just treat people nicely and they will tell you everything you need to know.) So it's ridiculously easy to pick the "right" conversations. But then on the rare occasions when you have to solve a puzzle, it's either pointlessly easy, or so obtuse as to make no sense even once you've figured it out. Those aren't 2 options i really look forward to: vacillating between pointlessly easy & pointlessly dumb.

Graphics - Yes, the A-ha video animation is cute & pleasant (for a bit) but let's face facts: that hotel must be a dump because it is wretched to look at. I mean, i can excuse the graphics if the story is good, but even i can't say too many kind words about these graphics. Blocky textures, muddy color palettes, jagged lines, it's pretty much a mess. Not exactly the lush graphics that lure you into a world, more like one that makes you walk really fast through it so you don't have to painfully ogle it.

Characters - Okay, Kyle Hyde is a pretty good main character, i'll give you that. But almost everyone else is an irritating caricature that makes me say, "Wow, i hate that guy...' or "Wow, is she annoying." A good game contains a hearty dose of likeable characters, otherwise it's like going to work at an office full of people you dislike. Heck, i can do that in real life!

So what you're left with, bottom line, is an occasionally interesting story that makes you put up with vapid commentary, muddy graphics, and a cast of folks who remind you of people you hate. You can decide whether or not Hotel Dusk is worth your time to slog through so many negatives to get to the limited amount of good stuff. Great idea, poor execution.

This is my second game review and I think that Hotel Dusk deserves it. I was very speculative when the game came out but now I find myself unable to put it down. My friends make fun of me because I have a PS3, 360 and a Wii and I would rather lay on my bed and play this game. The story is just fantastic. It reminds me of Crash where all the characters are intertwined and I like that. People complain of too much text driven gameplay but the text is so good that it never gets boring. Its like reading an interactive mystery novel. Graphics are OK. Sound effects are great, however, my main gripe is how sometimes you have no idea what to do and you find yourself knocking on doors that don't open or trying to find an obscure item. When playing this game--do not wander too far from an internet connection because once every two chapters I estimate you will get stuck. If this game were more streamlined and had slightly better visuals. It would have been a great game. A movie adaptation would be nice. I would like a voiceover but the actors would have to do a terrific job to make the game greater than what it already is.

Absolutely loved the game, so very interesting! The story was enticing and I loved all the characters and learning their individual stories. It was a relaxing sort of a game, too. I beat it twice and loved it each time. It's like an interactive novel. I've wanted this game since 2007 and was not disappointed one bit. It makes me want to buy the sequel that is coming out this year!

I think Nintendo needs to make more games like this. I've played comp games like this before like Myst& Phantasmagoria.I like the way these game make you think I mean really think to get the task at hand solved.I also like the way you get to use your DS sideways like a book.