Death Howl

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.

All these transgressions against convention add up to the most engrossing deck-builder of the past couple of years. [Issue#420, p.96]

Death Howl elegantly blends deckbuilding with soulslike elements all while telling an emotional tale of a mother’s guilt and her desperate attempt to save her son. This title, though not for the faint of heart, is an absolutely gorgeous experience with rewarding exploration, slow-drip storytelling, and punishing gameplay. If you're a fan of either deckbuilders or soulslikes, this game is a must-buy.

The deckbuilder and the soulslike accommodate each other well, even if Death Howl is initially too busy killing you to show its best hand.

Death Howl seems to have taken the heart of turn-based grid-based strategy games (think Into the Breach), and the deck building of modern indie classics (think Inscryption) and paired their gameplay strengths with a unique story. Strong recommend.

Death Howl has been a fantastic time for me, and it’s been a wonder to slowly piece together how The Outer Zone managed to fit two rather opposing genres in a way that feels tangible and engaging.

Though I felt the game’s progression system was somewhat flawed, Death Howl still managed to impress me thoroughly with its incredible storytelling, art, and unique blend of genres, creating something utterly unique and highly memorable.

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.

By combining elements from seemingly very different genres and focusing on narrative as the guiding thread for the journey, Death Howl proves to be a deckbuilder that is as original as it is captivating. Although its high difficulty may be daunting at first, it is worth embarking on this melancholic journey through the afterlife and the power of maternal love.

Death Howl is not a comfort game. It’s a quiet descent, a journey stitched together from grief. It demands patience, attention, and a willingness to inhabit sadness without rushing to cure it. But for those who embrace its darkness, it offers one of the most hauntingly poetic experiences in modern pixel-art gaming.

This successful, extremely stylish soulslike card game tells a magical story about mourning. It offers a fantastic system for creating cards from ingredients, engaging battles and exploration, and skillfully encourages the player to test different decks.

Death Howl takes deck building and tactical combat and adds soulslike mechanics, offering a solid, coherent, and atmospheric experience that stays with us long after we've played our last card.

I have a love/hate relationship with Death Howl. If I have a few bad combats, I’ll curse the game out and shut it off. When I come back a day later and have a better run, it’s easier to appreciate what the developers are doing. While I don’t exactly care for the progression and penalties tied to the cards, the symbolism and use of grief here is strong, and the sharp tactical combat is notable.

The struggle in Death Howl is real, both in terms of its story and challenge. It’s meaningful and haunting. While it can mean going through quite a bit of grinding and dealing with major foes and a bit of unfair RNG, it is a battle worth fighting.

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 does the unthinkable by delivering a deckbuilder that isn’t a roguelike, and mostly succeeds. Its atmospheric, fantasy-infused Neolithic setting and beautiful retro visuals are paired with a well-crafted, card-based combat system. Unfortunately, excessive grinding and uneven difficulty in tougher battles can make victory feel overly dependent on RNG.

Death Howl is a game that deserves attention, certainly for its story—while not particularly original, it is well told—and it offers partially satisfying gameplay. However, its shortcomings are somewhat the classic ones of the genre; if you fail to keep player interest high amid repetitive action, the risk of losing engagement is significant.

Does Death Howl successfully merge soulslike and deckbuilder mechanics? Absolutely. It’s a weird combo that somehow works. The game is challenging, original, and surprisingly fun once the loop clicks. RNG can frustrate, but if you're after something truly different, Death Howl delivers.

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 will undoubtedly attract more players in the future and retain its positive reviews It's a fun, unique and somewhat addictive deckbuilder with appealing artwork, multiple different card combinations, along with some vibrant locations. Whilst the difficulty and constant grinding put me off of it, I still think there's a great game to be found amongst the enemies you'll constantly have to overcome to progress further.