Death Howl is a self-proclaimed soulslike deck-builder from 11 Bit Studios where you wander the spirit realm in search of your recently deceased son. Read on to know what it did well, what it didn’t do well, and if its demo is worth wishlisting.

Death Howl Story Plot

Death Howl weaves the gripping story of Ro, a heartbroken mother who defies mortality to enter the spirit world and bring back her recently departed son. But the realm of the dead is no place for the living. To reunite with her child, Ro must battle relentless spirits, strike uneasy bargains with the great beings of the beyond, and prove the boundless strength of her love. Only then could she be reunited with her beloved son.

Death Howl Gameplay

Death Howl is a self-proclaimed turn-based soulslike deck-builder where players guide Ro, a determined mother braving the spirit world in search of her lost son. Along the way, Ro faces relentless spirits bent on sending her back to the living world, forcing her to rely on every resource at her disposal—manifested as powerful cards—to hold her ground and fight back.

Each turn revolves around a finite reserve of energy, which players must carefully allocate to play cards, each with its own cost and effect. Combat unfolds on a grid-based map, where even movement drains energy and attack ranges are important.

Defeated enemies unleash a Death Howl, a valuable resource used to unlock meta-game progression or craft new cards. This takes place within Sanctuaries, safe havens where players can heal, refine their deck, and teleport between discovered locations.

Death Howl Release Date

Death Howls release date and time are yet to be revealed, but the game can be wishlisted from its official Steam page alongside its demo build. We'll update this article as soon as that information is available. Stay tuned!

Digital Storefront
Steam
Wishlist Only

Death Howl Review [Demo]

Deathly Slow, But Promising Nonetheless

It’s impossible to overstate the impact Slay the Spire has had on the deck-building genre. While it’s neither the first of its kind nor the most innovative, it stands as one of the most iconic and endlessly replayable, earning its place as an indie juggernaut. Today, turn-based deck-builders are a familiar sight, each iterating on the foundation Slay the Spire laid, adding their own twists to stand out in this beloved niche.

With that in mind, I was intrigued to see 11 Bit Studios stepping into this space with the demo for Death Howl. Known for their mastery of strategy games like Frostpunk and the upcoming Frostpunk 2, 11 Bit Studios has a reputation for blending artistry, atmosphere, and storytelling into their designs. From the haunting narratives of This War of Mine to the vibrant charm of Moonlighter and Children of Morta, their catalog often delivers as much heart as it does gameplay depth.

Naturally, the promise of a soulslike deck-builder piqued my interest. So, I dove into the demo, curious to see how their distinct strengths would translate into such an ambitious concept. What did I get out of it? Let’s just say their expertise as a publisher is on full display—but so are their limitations.

A Tragedy You Can Min-Max

First things first: let’s unpack Death Howl as a concept before diving into the nuts and bolts of its gameplay and story. At its core, Death Howl is an immersive tragedy wrapped in a min-maxable strategy experience. It’s dark, dramatic, and carries the heavy emotional weight you’d expect from a story that begins with the unavoidable death of a child.

You play as Ro, a grieving mother who, in the depths of her sorrow, follows her child’s spirit to the forbidden realm of the dead. Though the living have no place there, Ro’s determination to find and save her son propels her forward—despite the countless spirits that rise against her.

Right away, we see 11 Bit Studios flexing their storytelling muscles, delivering an achingly specific and haunting premise within a genre that rarely treads into such territory. Deck-building your way through the underworld, driven by grief and love? That’s pure cinema, and it’s executed with the emotional resonance it demands.

The game’s developer, The Outer Zone, who collaborated with 11 Bit Studios for publishing, is no stranger to evocative storytelling. Their previous title, Mind Scanners, showcased their talent for thought-provoking narratives. But Death Howl takes things to another level, layering in even more drama and emotion.

Simply put, the story and atmosphere alone are enough to make Death Howl worth a look. But does the gameplay have what it takes to keep players hooked? The short answer is maybe. Let’s break down how the game plays to find out.

I’m Not Getting Much of the Promised Soulslike Flavor

Death Howl keeps its mechanics relatively straightforward for a deck-builder, but the way its core systems work together ensures that this simplicity never feels like a drawback. The game begins with you wandering through the spirit realm, scavenging rocks, sticks, petals, and berries scattered across the ethereal landscape. Sooner or later, though, you’ll encounter a restless spirit intent on stopping you, and that’s when combat kicks off.

Battles play out on a grid-based map where free movement is no longer an option. Before the encounter begins, you’ll choose your starting position on the row closest to you, and then the fight is on. Armed with a deck of cards, you’ll draw five at a time and have five energy pips to spend on playing them. Cards range in function, from dealing direct damage and granting armor to drawing additional cards or enhancing the effects of others. If you’ve played Slay the Spire, the system will feel instantly familiar.

However, Death Howl introduces a crucial tactical element: positioning. Simply playing cards isn’t enough; staying static will leave you vulnerable to being rushed down by melee enemies or picked off from range. Movement costs energy too, with each space on the grid requiring one pip, so careful planning is key.

Once a card is used, it’s discarded, and when your deck is empty, all discarded cards are reshuffled for a fresh draw. Unlike many deck-builders, there doesn’t seem to be a card upgrade system in Death Howl. Instead, players can use the materials they collect during exploration to craft new cards, maintaining a balanced and versatile deck of up to 20 cards.

There are also status effects and unique card mechanics to consider while strategizing, like poison, debuffs, or effects that only trigger if an enemy is killed by the card, or if the card is played first in each turn. Players can also accessorize using totems and passives unlocked by just playing the game.

For all intents and purposes, Death Howl is essentially Slay the Spire with a darker, more narrative-driven twist—and I mean that in the best way possible. It captures the same satisfying depth of strategy, offering players plenty of opportunities to optimize their approach, even if some of its bosses don’t quite hit the same level of challenge. On top of that, it layers in a far richer story and introduces metagame progression through Death Howls, a currency earned by defeating enemies that can be spent on unlocking new totems or crafting cards.

Unfortunately, the gameplay falters in two key areas: delivering on its promised “soulslike” flavor and offering strong replayability. Let’s start with the soulslike aspect. It’s not entirely absent, but it’s far less pronounced than I expected from a game billing itself as the “soulslike deck-builder.” I was initially skeptical of how this concept would translate, and now it’s clear that the soulslike elements are limited to the atmosphere, the cryptic storytelling, and the totem customization system. While these touches are appreciated, they don’t quite create the intense, punishing experience typically associated with the soulslike label.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not expecting a perfect translation of the soulslike genre into a deck-builder. However, what Death Howl offers just doesn’t feel substantial enough for those of us who relish punishing difficulty. The soulslike flavor is more garnish than substance, and while that might work for some, it leaves those craving a true challenge wanting more.

As for the game’s weak replayability, I think it’s heavily tied to its pacing—both in terms of narrative and gameplay. In a game like Slay the Spire, restarting to try a new strategy is a seamless process. You hit restart, pick a different character, and dive right into the action without slogging through cutscenes or wandering aimlessly before the next encounter.

With Death Howl, however, the early-game slog makes the idea of experimenting with new tactics feel like a chore. Of course, this isn’t a roguelike—it was never marketed as one—but that raises the question: why tie it to deck-building? The two niches are so intrinsically linked because roguelike structure amplifies the replay value of deck-builders. By separating the two, the game undermines its own potential, leaving the deck-building mechanics less impactful.

The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that the demo wasn’t designed with replayability in mind, and the full game will address this shortfall. I truly hope that’s the case, because the deck-building gameplay it offers is genuinely enjoyable, and I’m eager to see more of it.

Great Strategy Diversity with a Curious Progression System

When it comes to deck-building, Death Howl delivers an impressive level of depth that stands out from the sea of dime-a-dozen deck-builders populating Steam and itch.io. Its card design and overall gameplay loop are layered with strategic potential—even with just the starting cards—and dare I say, it gives Slay the Spire a run for its money.

For my playthrough, I leaned into a full melee strategy while buffing my own attacks. I packed my deck with cheap buff cards, kill-trigger bonuses, solid card draw, and energy cost reductions. This setup carried me comfortably through the demo, offering a satisfying power curve that felt strong yet balanced. But what’s exciting is that this was only one of many viable approaches.

Players could take a similar buff-heavy route but focus on ranged attacks instead. Alternatively, you could go full defense, stacking armor while leveraging Defensive Strike cards for maximum energy efficiency. And for those missing The Silent’s discard archetype from Slay the Spire, there’s a discard-centric strategy baked right into the starter deck.

I also appreciate the fact that cards are crafted, earned from exploration and battles, and decided wholly within the player's choice instead of randomly. If there's a build you're looking for, you can make it as soon as you have the parts for the card. If not, just keep fighting, you'll find the parts eventually.

If the demo already offers this much depth and variety, I can only imagine how much more intricate the strategies will become in the full release.

Full Marks for Visuals and Audio Style

Death Howl doesn’t just captivate with its gameplay—it’s a work of art brought to life through its hauntingly dark and intricate pixel art. Unlike Hyperlight Drifter’s vibrant details, Death Howl leans into shadows, deep darkness, and measured, deliberate movements to immerse players in its eerie, deathly world. Even the menu screen is a visual marvel, with firelight casting dancing shadows that feel alive.

The audio design is equally striking, delivering booming, heavy, and haunting sounds that pull you deep into this realm of decay, rot, and restless spirits. The atmosphere is so vivid, you can almost feel the weight of the world through sound alone. If only it included voice acting—just that final touch might elevate the experience into something truly extraordinary.

Not Fully Sold Yet, But I Can See the Potential

Overall, I can’t say I’m completely sold on Death Howl. At this point, it feels like a “take it or leave it” situation for me. Sure, the game boasts style and substance with its striking pixel art and intriguing story, but as someone who values replayability, I find myself disappointed. For all its competent deck-building mechanics, the lack of replayability keeps its allure just out of reach—much like my son’s spirit, forever a hair’s breadth away from returning to my embrace.

That said, Death Howl undeniably has potential, and it’s a potential I can’t ignore, no matter how hard I try. But potential alone doesn’t cut it. If the game can enhance its replayability and truly deliver on the soulslike elements it promises, I’d gladly pick it up at full release—and I imagine you might feel the same.

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Death Howl Product Information​

Title	DEATH HOWL
Release Date	Coming Soon
Developer	The Outer Zone
Publisher	11 bit Studios
Supported Platforms	PC (Steam)
Genre	Card, Strategy, Soulslike
Number of Players	1
ESRB Rating	RP
Official Website	Death Howl Website

Aaron Bruce Albert..

A massive fan of roguelikes, turn-based RPGs, and open world adventure games. His gold standard games include The Binding of Isaac, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and Dragon Quest Monsters Joker.