Death Howl Review – A Grim Deckbuilder with Tactical Grid Combat
I dove into Death Howl's spirit world: a pixel-dark deckbuilder that mixes Slay-the-Spire vibes with grid-based, movement-focused battles. Deep synergies, moody lore and tough bosses — with a few rough edges that kept me on my toes.
Death Howl hooks you with a sad tale — Ro, a grieving hunter, crosses into the Spirit World to bring her son back. If you like card-builders such as Slay the Spire but crave actual positioning and movement in fights, this one scratches that itch.
At its core Death Howl is a deckbuilder with a strong tactical twist: battles are grid-based so where you stand matters as much as which card you play. You collect over 160 cards that let you build archetypes around poison, sacrifice, retaliation, backstabs, blocking and movement. Add shamanic totems that change how your deck behaves and you suddenly have a lot of meaningful choices. The world is split into 4 realms and 13 regions, packed with 30+ enemy types, minibosses and grim bosses that demand adaptation rather than brute force. Environmental hazards and boons spice up fights — a corridor can make or break a strategy. Progression feels substantial (25+ hours including side quests) and encounters encourage experimentation: I constantly tweaked decks after a single nasty boss stomped me. Presentation leans on beautiful pixel art and haunting ambience; it’s moody without being pretentious. On Windows it ran well for me, though I noticed a couple of balance hiccups and some RNG swings that can tilt a run from brilliant to frustrating.
Death Howl is a thoughtful, sometimes brutal deckbuilder that rewards experimentation and smart positioning. It’s not perfect, but its atmosphere and tactical bite make it a must-try for fans of card strategy with a darker twist.
Pros
- Deep deckbuilding with 160+ cards and meaningful synergies
- Tactical grid combat gives positioning real weight
- Moody pixel art and a haunting, character-driven story
Cons
- Occasional balance/RNG spikes that can feel unfair
- Late-game pacing can drag and some mechanics need polish
Player Opinion
Players praise the deckbuilding depth and pixel-art presentation, often comparing it to Slay the Spire with a more tactical combat layer. The story and side quests also get nods for atmosphere. On the downside people mention RNG and difficulty spikes; some runs feel too swingy. If you like card-builders with a tactical twist, Death Howl will likely click.