Step into a realm where sorrow meets strategy in Death Howl, the latest game from the Danish team The Outer Zone and 11 bit studios. Death Howl weaves a poignant tale of grief, healing, and resilience, crafted into an atmospheric soulslike deck-builder.

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.

While dropping 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.

“The loss of a loved one is universal—an inevitable part of the human experience. We believe our narrative approach will resonate with players of all kinds. We’ve introduced a fresh take on the deck-builder genre, combining it with soulslike exploration and adding compelling lore to leave a lasting impact on anyone who joins Ro on her journey,” reflects Malte Burup, the Director, Artist, and Writer for Death Howl at The Outer Zone, a three-person studio based in Copenhagen. Joining Burup are Rasmus Nilsson, Programmer and Designer, and Lasse Sommer, Animator, Artist, and Designer.

Prepare to step into Ro’s journey and explore a world shaped by hope and grief. Death Howl is set to release on PC later in 2025 and is supported by the Danish Film Institute – The Games Scheme.