In Death Howl, you play as Ro, a grieving mother navigating an ethereal, stone-age Nordic-inspired realm in a desperate quest to reunite with her departed son.

As Ro, you’ll face relentless spirits in grid-based, turn-driven battles that demand not only tactical precision but also the ability to adapt. To forge a path through despair and stand against formidable enemies and fearsome bosses, players must craft and refine their decks. Each realm visited offers unique deck types and mechanics, enriching and deepening the strategic layer. Players can further enhance their decks with shamanic totems, ensuring they are best prepared for the deadly encounters ahead.

In addition to the run-based gameplay, Death Howl inserts deck-building mechanics into an explorative open world, divided into grim biomes, like the Forest of Howling Shadows or Meadows of Delusion. Each region not only unlocks aforementioned new cards to craft, but also unveils fragments of Ro’s story, steeped in themes of love and loss, and uncovers the forgotten lore of this mysterious spiritual world.

Developer The Outer Zone and publisher 11 bit studios are launching a new demo for Death Howl, as part of Steam Next Fest next week (Jun 9-16).

While the first demo introduced players to the beginning of Death Howl, this new demo picks up right after and lets players explore a brand-new region: the Creek of the Spectral Falls. A fresh biome means new cards to craft, new synergies to discover, and new tactics to master. The demo culminates in a challenging boss fight, as Ro confronts one of the Great Spirits.

Key Features:

• Master Your Deck-Building Skills: Explore the realm of spirits and gather ingredients to craft cards from each region. Discover shamanic totems to enhance your deck and cast a variety of melee and ranged spells to balance your offensive and defensive skills. Each new card lets you tailor your tactical style while preparing for your next deadly encounter.
• Engage in Grid-Based Combat: Face a host of restless and eerie spirits in grid-based battles where each move is crucial. Test your wit by fighting unique enemy types and powerful bosses. Grow stronger, adapt your deck, and choose your battles as you explore grim lands like the Forest of Howling Shadows or Meadows of Delusion.
• A Mother’s Grief, A Spirit’s Journey: Take part in a mother’s spiritual journey through grief, where every step uncovers a new layer of her story, reflecting themes of love, loss, and the path of acceptance. Discover a mysterious world of forgotten lore, where darkness whispers secrets and invites you to unearth buried memories.

Death Howl is set to release on PC (Steam / GOG) later in 2025.