Death Howl

I never knew how badly I needed a game like this

Death Howl is a turn-based, grid-based Soulslike deckbuilder, but despite this dizzyingly long chain of subgenres, the game comes together well, with a tight, satisfying gameplay loop. Its themes of grief are well-handled, its sidequests are unique and challenging, and it continued to introduce fun new mechanics even dozens of hours into my 45-hour playthrough.

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.

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

One of last year's most difficult indie games comes to console in 2026. Death Howl presents players with a combination of different game genres, with tactical combat combined with deckbuilding against souls-like enemies and mechanics. It's a brutal experience that I had a few issues with.

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

One thing that we all have in common is death. Through our lives we inevitably lose people we love, and then one day it will be our turn. A morbid thought, but one that came to mind a few times while playing Death Howl. This a game about a mother, Ro, who is overcome with grief after the death of her son. She is not ready to let death claim him, so she travels to the spirit realm to find him and bring him back to her.

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.