Death Howl Reviews
Death Howl provides healing to one of life’s most challenging experiences: the death of a close loved one. As Ro physically fights through this world, defeating monsters to save her son, many of her most important battles are emotional, as she wrestles with grief. While Death Howl leans heavily into its Soulslike difficulty, its chess-like tactics allow for countless possibilities. I logged about 56 hours completing quests and exploring the world, and I’m just short of that platinum trophy. You better believe I’ll be back to finish it and revel in the spirited strangeness of another world.
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 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.
A hallmark of excellence. There may be flaws, but they are negligible and won't cause massive damage.
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.
Quote not yet available
Quote not yet available
Parsing through its varying harsh systems, Death Howl's difficulty becomes a true reward. Satisfying deck building is the player's primary weapon against evolving oppression in this haunting spirit world about death and living.
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.
An outstanding Soulslike deckbuilder that is a must-play on Nintendo Switch
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.
Review in Persian | Read full review
"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.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Death Howl is not holding your hand. It gives you a deck, drops you in a scary forest, and tells you to stay alive. And when you finally beat a tough fight by positioning yourself well and planning ahead, the feeling of joy is real.
I respect Death Howl more than I enjoyed it. It has a clear creative identity, strong art direction, and a combat system that will click with players who enjoy hard, grind-forward strategy with heavy resource tension. For me, it was mostly frustration. I came in expecting a deckbuilder that would scratch a certain itch, and instead found a very demanding tactical game where RNG and attrition often drowned out the fun. I do not hate Death Howl, and I do not think it is a bad game. I think it is a very specific game that asks for a lot, very early, and gives back in ways that did not work for me.
Death Howl is a bold experiment—captivating in concept and often brilliant in its ideas—but it stumbles where balance matters most. The blend of deck‑building and soulslike mechanics works, yet a harsh difficulty curve turns strategy into sheer stubbornness. Players who enjoy punishing, abrasive challenges will feel right at home; everyone else may lose interest before the game truly opens up. It’s a shame, because beneath its rough exterior lies an experience that, with a bit more care, could have howled far louder.
Review in Italian | Read full review
An indie project bursting with personality, Death Howl is a unique folkloric experience that will consume your very soul.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Overall, I found Death Howl to be a fun and dark experience that created an exciting mix of challenging combat with an intriguing deckbuilding mechanic that provided me with the freedom to create my own decks, while also creating various challenges in which to try them out. The world of Death Howl was a mix of gloomy but beautiful landscapes that I just couldn’t help but enjoy as each new location felt like a breath of fresh air, while also feeling like there was a threat around each corner. In terms of the game’s story, I found it to be a very haunting experience that stuck with me long after I finished playing, while also being fun regarding the game’s side missions and characters I could meet along the journey.
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.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
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.