Death Howl

“Death Howl is a challenging and rewarding adventure with a solid deckbuilding experience for players brave enough to stick it out. Ro’s gripping story of grief shines despite being part of an oversaturated genre, and the game’s deep strategy and unforgiving Soulslike elements make it feel truly brand-new.”

“"A game with two distinct natures that don't always interact well, wrapped in a pace that's a bit too slow. Fortunately, the interesting use of deck‑building makes Death Howl a solid title for fans of the genre.”

“Death Howl is a tough, atmospheric, and surprisingly emotional experience. Its blend of deckbuilding and tactical combat is clever and demanding, its visuals are hauntingly beautiful, and its story hits harder than you might expect from a game built around cards and grids. It’s not for everyone – the difficulty alone will put some players off – but if you enjoy games that challenge both your strategy and your resilience, it’s absolutely worth your time.”

“Death Howl is cohesive and well-crafted. The game's dour tone complements its surreal art style and soundtrack. Its myriad genres coalesce into consistently engaging combat and tactics. But most of all, across story and gameplay, Ro's journey taught me to embrace obstacles to overcome them. Having reached its end, it's a journey I'm glad to have taken.”

“Death Howl offers an innovative blend of card-building strategy and grid-based combat with a soulslike system in a dark, polished pixel art world. The game focuses on resource management and developing your deck using enemy souls, in a perilous journey that demands careful planning to survive and advance. An exceptional experience that breaks repetition and delivers a real challenge for strategy game fans.”

“Death Howl is a demanding and uncompromising indie video game that stands out for its oppressive atmosphere and strong artistic identity. Its mix of deck building, turn-based strategy, and high difficulty fits well with the tone of the story, but it also results in a slow pace, a lot of repetition, and a steep learning curve. If you accept its rules, it's a great game.”

“I’m a bit of a sucker for games that tackle themes like grief and loss, and Death Howl is a prime example of how to not just use story beats to do that but include gameplay in that storytelling as well. There is beauty in the determination and grit that Ro shows, but it feels like there are things she still needs to learn about herself as well. Exploring that story and playing the wonderful grid-based and card-based combat is exquisite, if you’re up to dealing with dying over and over again.”

“Death Howl is an original, creative game about grief, sorrow, and depression. You’ll feel it both in the story and in the combat, sometimes entirely through no fault of your own. Despite its challenges and occasional technical issues, the game leaves a strong impression and is worth experiencing for anyone looking for something different.”

“Death Howl is a tough game that rewards your perseverance with more challenge, and for fans of iron-tough soulslikes and deceptively complex tactics games, it’s a definite gem”

“Death Howl stands out for its strategic depth and dark atmosphere, which are captivating, but the frustration that builds up during gameplay risks overshadowing much of its potential: despite the high-quality atmosphere and pixel art, the overall experience is often compromised by excessive difficulty and a lack of strategic variety, which turn the challenge into a test of endurance rather than a fun experience.”

“Death Howl is a bold combination of grief-driven storytelling, deckbuilding strategy, and soulslike challenge. It’s not an easy game to settle into, and the lack of a tutorial makes the first hour harder than it needs to be. But if you can push through the rough start, there’s a deep, soulful experience waiting for you. The atmosphere alone might keep players going even when the difficulty bites back.”

“Death Howl is different because it treats you like an intelligent person. It doesn't hold your hand, go into too much detail, or use clichés. It doesn't hold your hand; instead, it trusts you to make your way through its brutal, atmospheric world, giving you a deeply immersive, emotionally gripping experience.”

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“Death Howl has a strong central theme to it, the cards are well made, and there's a decent variety to build out decks. But it is also a game that can require a lot of repetitive grinding to make small amounts of progress, and the quests could have been better designed.”

“Death Howl is a complex, yet easy-to-get-into deck builder that utilizes a slick, stylish mix of Soulslike gameplay systems and card-based combat. The world and story are breathtaking, with outstanding pixel art and ominous, subtle sound design. Combat feels excellent, but if RNG and dying a lot in games isn't your idea of a good time, it may not win you over in that regard.”

“Overall, Death Howl is a game whose world I truly enjoyed exploring, following its delicate and distinctive story told through a uniquely styled pixel-art aesthetic. In terms of gameplay, although I had some issues with the design of certain enemies and the somewhat slow progression, the turn-based battles, experimenting with different card combinations, and the sweet taste of victory after a genuinely tough fight create a refreshingly unique experience among card-based games. So, if you’re a fan of this genre and aren’t afraid of a good challenge, Death Howl is absolutely a worthwhile title for you.”

“Can a Deck-Builder really be considered a Souls-like? The short answer is yes and Death Howl is all the proof you need. It exudes confidence with a dark, gripping thirty-hour narrative, infused with tactical gameplay that felt reminiscent of Into The Breach that it doesn’t need to rely on roguelike elements, as the deckbuilding genre often does. If Death Howl must be labeled as a deckbuilder, it’s one of the best there is and belongs alongside other genre titans like Slay The Spire, Balatro and Inscryption.”