by theygamesIt’s always pleasing when something comes across my desk that immediately catches the eye, and Death Howl is a perfect example. This new game from three-person developer The Outer Zone, published by Frostpunk’s 11 Bit Studios, brings together Nordic mythology, the deckbuilding of Slay the Spire, the positional tactics of Into the Breach, and the stunning world and monster design of soulslikes such as Elden Ring. The result is a gorgeous, highly stylized tale of grief where you face off against fearsome foes in strategic, grid-based battles, and you can try it very soon.
Death Howl follows the tale of Ro, “a grieving mother navigating an ethereal stone-age Nordic-inspired realm in a desperate quest to reunite with her departed son.” It takes us on her journey across spirit realms in an exploratory fashion inspired by the best soulslikes, pulling on everything from Nordic mythology to Lovecraftian horror in its creature design. Encounters are where the card game mechanics kick in, with battles taking place on a square grid and the cards in your deck utilizing energy to deal damage, heal your character, or apply various other buffs and effects.
The creature designs are sublime, ranging from floating crow heads to vast tree spirits. There might even be some that you can befriend and assist, in return for helping you on your journey. Every region you visit in the spirit world – from the Forest of Howling Shadows to the Meadows of Delusion – will introduce new cards that you can craft, to further hone your deck for the challenges ahead. You can then discover shamanic totems that enhance your loadout even more.
The areas you travel through also further Death Howl’s narrative, as Ro faces the grief of her loss head-on. “The loss of a loved one is universal, an inevitable part of the human experience,” director, artist, and writer Malte Burup explains. “We believe our narrative approach, enriched by compelling lore and a fresh-take on the deckbuilder genre through its fusion with soulslike inspiration, will resonate with players of all kinds.”
I’m already completely enraptured by what’s on show here. As someone who loves both the strategy of a great deckbuilder and the atmospheric exploration of soulslikes, I’m sold on what Death Howl is offering. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, albeit often in some tremendously unsettling ways, and I’m a real sucker for grid-based strategy games, so I’m eager to wrap my head around its positional combat.
Death Howl is set to be released on PC in 2025. You can try a free demo on Steam from Monday January 20 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST / 7pm CET. Head here to take a look for yourself and add it to your wishlist if you’re interested.
Alternatively, take a look through more of the best fantasy games in 2025, and keep an eye out for the latest hidden gems among the best indie games on PC.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or join our community Discord to stay in the know.