Death Howl Review – A Pixelated Descent Into Grief and Horror

Review of Howl of Death

There's a certain silence that only retro worlds can endure. Creepiness stitched between pixels. Death howlfrom the publisher 11 bit studiosembraces it with open arms in this soul-inspired deck builder. It's a slow unfolding, a story told through symbolic sacrifice, grief and a tiny glimpse of a character you can understand better through her suffering and isolation.

In detail

Where most pixel games rely on charm, Death Howl opts for symbolic darkness. Or hope, depending on how you see it. In this country filled with the influence of Scandinavian folklore, death is everywhere. And also… No? Simply based on the rules that this Death Howl (and rest) supposedly brings everything dead around to life. Including the evil pig you just defeated a few steps ago.

The sound design reinforces this. The voice acting for the main character (even though most of it consists of crying and pain) is truly fantastic. The soundtrack is beautiful. Deep and dark. There are drums and blaring horns. However, I can't lie: trying to create and increase the amount of music in this menu was panic-inducing. When the music starts, it's no comfort. It's heavy, reminding us that beauty and sadness are often the same thing. Especially in this world.

The game's atmosphere is its strongest achievement: the world is not just sad, but symbolically wounded and tragic, inviting the player to explore the nature of that wound.

The narrative eschews traditional storytelling, favoring fragmented encounters, riddles and secrets hidden off the beaten path. You play as Ro's mother, trying to find her dead son Olvy in the harsh spirit world. “Howl of Death” loves its mysterious symbolic nature. Most things are cryptic riddles and half the time they never make sense. Maybe that's half the fun. Talking to spirits is a bit annoying. In a good way. After all, they are there to add to the mood. That whole “you’re a mere mortal among things you can never understand” thing.

You can talk to them, help them with quests that somehow affect your deck of cards. Themes of memory, guilt, and cyclical suffering emerge as you try to piece together what happened and, by extension, what's going on inside the protagonist.

If there's one downside to this story, it's that its commitment to ambiguity may frustrate players looking for concrete answers. But for those who want to immerse themselves in a symbolic narrative, Howl of Death offers an emotionally resonant experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

Pixel Soulslike

Mechanically the game is understated but thoughtful. You click on the ground to move. The Pokemon encounter style system is simple at first glance, but at the same time full of tension. Death Howl is a deck and also something of a chess game. You must consider your starting position on the grid. Moving along a specified grid comes at a cost. Maps will help you here. Like a sprint card. Of course, nothing comes for free here. There is always something to sacrifice. Your mana, your defense, etc. Depending on the cards you have. But you don't really die in this world. You restart the game just before the battle.

Some of my favorite moments involve boss battles. Despite the complexity of the Souls-like game, this game is not easy. This is a completely different level of strategy. Cards don't just do something; using each card versus the rest of your deck has consequences, effects, and sacrifices. A game that I found similar was Inscryption, in that manner of mystery and constant need for grueling sacrifices to advance.

What I liked most here were the graphics and animation. Death Howl's art direction is one of my favorites. One of the highlights is the crafting mechanic, a system that allows you to create new cards. Special or basic. Using Death's Howl or powerful artifacts that you find scattered throughout the world. From what I understand, Death's Howl is something like the death throes of your enemy. Because it seems like nothing really dies here. This is my best estimate.

It enhances the symbolic language of the world, linking gameplay and narrative in a way that feels organic rather than gimmicky.

Art to art

The pixel art deserves special praise. It's not pretty, at least not traditionally. Instead, it's intentional. Textures are glitchy, sprites are distorted, and the environment breathes in real time, as if reflecting the inner state of the protagonist. The visual storytelling reflects the classic pixel aesthetic but takes it into surreal territory. The character animation is truly expressive. This is all too good for a group of pixels. There are vast lands, none of which are linear, and the emptiness is more striking precisely because it is drawn in such detail.

Death Howl has an atmosphere that doesn't let go, seamlessly combining pixel art and storytelling. Sound design that deepens the feeling of isolation and fear. Narrative frameworks that encourage interpretation rather than dictation. A cohesive artistic vision that elevates minimalism to emotional weight. Ambiguous storytelling may turn off players who prefer straightforward clarity.

Some mechanics may seem deliberately restrictive, which may cause controversy. The pacing in the second half can feel slow if you're not caught up in its non-linear rhythm.

Death Howl is not a comfort game. It is a quiet descent, a journey stitched together by grief. It requires patience, attention, and a willingness to live with the sadness without rushing to heal it. But for those who embrace its darkness, it offers one of the most breathtakingly poetic experiences in modern pixel art gaming.

***PC code provided by publisher***