Death Howl

Set in forgotten lands shrouded in myth, Death Howl tells the story of Ro, a hunter from a small tribe, who is overcome by grief following the death of her beloved son. Guided by voices from another world, she enters the realm of spirits in the hope of bringing him back. This is a dark, atmospheric world inspired by Scandinavian folklore with pixel art and eerie sound design. Ro's journey takes her through four realms and thirteen distinct biomes, each filled with threats, craftable cards, materials and over thirty enemy types. She also encounters Spirits and can help them with quests and challenges that affect the card deck representing her skills and abilities. Although the world is open to exploration, progression is shaped by combat encounters that block the paths between Sacred Groves, this are rare places where Ro can heal and upgrade her abilities.

Players will confront over 30 enemy types and can harness the potential of more than 160 cards to create a multitude of unique decks with synergistic combinations that focus on poison, strength, sacrifice, retaliation, backstabbing, blocking, movement, and much more besides. Every encounter takes place on a turn-based, grid-based battlefield, similar to that in Into the Breach. Players begin by placing Ro on the grid and planning their first move. Each point of mana enables Ro to move one tile or play a card, prompting constant decisions regarding positioning, offence and survival. Enemies respond to Ro's actions. They all follow patterns that players must learn and adapt to. Failure is part of the learning process, and every defeat leads to smarter strategies — this is where the soulslike design comes in. Understanding and anticipating enemy behaviours will help players achieve victory.

Cards are crafted from world materials, such as rocks, sticks and flora, and the Death Howls earned from defeating enemies. Each card has a cost, an effect and synergy potential, many of which are tied to the biome in which they are found. The deck also reflects the consequences of Ro's journey: certain enemy attacks add Wound cards and quests may temporarily add items to the players' draw pools. Even modest cards can become powerful when combined properly. For instance, combining damage-increasing effects with discard-based attacks can transform a basic strike into a devastating chain.

Sacred Groves act as checkpoints in this hostile world. Here, Ro can restore her health, save her progress and exchange the Howls she has collected for Teardrops, the resource used to unlock or upgrade skills. In addition to cards and skills, Ro can equip Totems, which are powerful artefacts that can reshape the course of battle. As she gains experience, additional Totem slots will unlock, enabling further customisation of the play style. However, as in other soulslike games, resting revives enemies.

Death Howl is being developed by a three-person team at The Outer Zone from Copenhagen, Denmark, and published by 11 bit Studios from Poland. The game was released on PC on 9 December 2025. Console versions for PlayStation 5, Switch, and Xbox Series X|S are also in development and scheduled for release in 2026. On 20 February 2026, Silver Lining Interactive, an independent game publisher based in the north of England, will release a physical edition for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, which includes a digital copy of the soundtrack

Conclusion

Death Howl is a powerful and engaging blend of genres with an intense atmosphere, great synergies and rewarding combat. Like other soulslike games, however, it is quite challenging, and progress can sometimes feel too slow.

Features

• Excellent mix of soulslike and deckbuilder
• Challenging and gripping battles
• Great atmosphere