Gameplay & Design
Helios Hotel: The Night Shift is the kind of game that will leave you thinking, “What the hell did I just play?” It’s an absolute fever dream. After playing the two available chapters, I found myself desperately trying to continue—like waking up in a cold sweat, disoriented and scrambling to make sense of what just happened.
This story-driven horror game puts you in the shoes of a night shift receptionist at a hotel that is, without a doubt, haunted. Along the way, you’ll encounter a cast of eccentric characters and some ghouly ghouls. Honestly, the only way to describe this game is wild. I have plenty of gripes with it, but despite that, it’s something I genuinely think is worth experiencing.
From awkward character interactions to absurd jump scares—and even an over-the-top action slide across a counter—there’s no predicting what’s coming next. One thing I can tell you? The dialogue is ridiculous. It’s so over-the-top that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and laugh during the conversations with the bizarre cast. There’s Jameson, the bartender; Jimothy, who exists solely for a daily debrief; and Juancho (plus 14 other names I can’t remember), the maintenance guy whose entire purpose seems to be jump-scaring you.
If you’re looking for a horror game that throws logic out the window and keeps you on your toes, Helios Hotel: The Night Shift is a hell of a ride
Feedback
Sigh… I know a lot of what I said sounded positive, but when I say you need to experience this for yourself, I mean it in the same way you instinctively want someone else to taste something truly disgusting, just to share the misery. The dialogue is funny, but only because it’s bad. The interactions are ridiculously cheesy, like something straight out of a B-list horror movie. And to be fair, that kind of charm has its appeal, I’ve enjoyed my fair share of B-list horror.
But for me, the biggest issue with this game is that it has no excuse to run as poorly as it does. My PC can handle most games on max settings without breaking a sweat, yet this game struggled. It was choppy, sluggish, and at times, straight up nauseating. Adjusting the settings only made things worse. If it weren’t for the terrible performance, I probably would’ve been able to enjoy the B-list cheesiness.
Verdict
Helios Hotel: The Night Shift is an absolute fever dream of a horror game—chaotic, unpredictable, and overflowing with cheesy charm. Its absurd dialogue, over-the-top jump scares, and bizarre characters make it feel like a B-list horror movie in the best (and worst) ways. I didn’t hate it; in fact, I think its ridiculousness has a certain appeal. But the game's performance issues are hard to ignore. Despite having a capable PC, I struggled with choppy visuals and sluggish gameplay, which took a serious toll on the experience. If it weren’t for that, I could have fully embraced the madness.
The first two chapters of Helios Hotel: The Night Shift are available now on PC via Steam.
