Death Howl is one of those unique strategic roguelikes that someone could play for 15 minutes for five hours straight, and it means the Switch version couldn’t come soon enough. I thoroughly enjoyed this brutal game when I played it on the PC. But there’s something about the nature of it that makes the gameplay loop and narrative beats feel highlighted so well here.

As a quick refresher, Death Howl is a strategic roguelike with a nearly monochromatic kinds of color palettes and melancholy story. Based on Scandinavian folklore, we follow a grieving mother named Ro searching the other side for her dead son Olvi who was stolen away from her. This means traversing different areas, facing all sorts of entities and beasts with abilities she gathers. 

The narrative is fantastic. There are so many themes running through it. Revenge is a critical one, since there’s a central stag figure associated with her son’s death and apparent abduction. Not to mention she’s angry with Death itself over the loss. Coming to terms with the situation is another, since this is a journey about grief and clearly she’s going through the bargaining and depression stages while also being angry about everything and denying that this is a situation that can’t be undone. But there’s also this veil of uncertainty over everything. Due to the use of symbolism and design choices, Ro is an unreliable narrator and there are gaps in our knowledge as players. Which means part of the motivation that keeps us going is to finally know the truth of it all. Having the game on the Switch makes it easy to keep going so we can absorb the information and take in what possible truths could be hinted at as we play.

The Switch also makes for a good way to appreciate the art direction in Death Howl in the same way that the Steam Deck and other handheld gaming PCs do. This is a strategy game with sprite-based designs, an isometric perspective of the board, and limited color palettes for each region. Actual spirit designs play with shading and color options to depict details that wouldn’t otherwise be possible with the limitations. When there are effects from actions and spell usage, we see intricate animations. While it is possible to view these and take away the excellence, I feel like having it in handheld mode where you could really take a moment to look closer at details.

It also helps that the Switch port is a great version of Death Howl. Given how text-heavy it is for cards and combat, the color and font choices make it clear even when the lettering is little. It’s almost always clear and legible. Pair that with the great controller-based scheme carried over from the PC release, and it is quite comfortable to play.

Handhelds are a good fit for roguelike games, and the artistic direction, narrative, and gameplay of Death Howl make it feel especially strong on the Switch. It’s a great port that plays well on the system. The nature of the storyline makes it a perfect game to play in a darkened room. Since the gameplay encourages deck experimentation and strategic decisions, you can really get cozy and experience it. It feels exceptionally at home here.

Death Howl is available on the Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Death Howl’s Gameplay and Narrative Help It Fit on Switch appeared first on Siliconera.

Death Howl is ambitious simply for the two genres it tries to fuse. Deckbuilders are almost always roguelikes, and Soulslikes are almost always action-heavy. The idea that you could blend these systems in a way that not only makes sense but actually feels good to play seems almost absurd. Yet Death Howl pulls it off, all while telling a moving, heart-wrenching story about grief.

You play as a mother who has lost her son and refuses to be consumed by the despair threatening to overwhelm her. Instead, she steps into the spirit world to search for him and bring him home. The writing is excellent, and the quieter, emotional moments between the violence are genuinely powerful. It hits especially hard if you’re a parent, but the struggle to push back against grief is something most of us understand in some way.

As for how it plays, you explore the world, interacting with objects to uncover new knowledge and gather items that can be turned into cards. You can refresh the spirit realm by resting at special stones, which restore your health but also revive the spirits, forcing you to push through them again.

Combat is turn-based and unfolds on a grid, with you and your enemies jockeying for position while you manage mana to play moves that attack, defend, or trigger entirely different effects. It’s a delicate balance and one that often feels stacked against you, but that only makes each victory more rewarding.

The challenge in every encounter reinforces the strength of the protagonist and her relentless fight to recover her son. Expect an uphill climb and a world that isn’t afraid to land emotional blows as you push forward.

The post Death Howl Mini-Review: A Genre-Bending Journey Through Grief appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog.

Returning to New London once again, 11 bit studios provides a sneak peek into the upcoming Frostpunk 1886 during the 11 bit studios Digital Showcase. 

As Frostpunk (2018) remain in the hearts of many players, fans were given a glimpse into the upcoming 2027 remake, Frostpunk 1886, during the 11 bit studios Digital Showcase. Stepping into New London, the brief Developer Update showcases the citizens’ improved physics, redesigned lighting system, revamped building textures, and more.

Set to launch in 2027, Frostpunk 1886 is a remake of the classic 2018 title. It is developed in Unreal Engine with new content, improved mechanics and visual upgrades. As players return to New London as the captain, the remake combines 70 per cent of the original experience with 30 per cent new content, including new events, laws and technologies. In addition to the Faith and Order path, Frostpunk 1886 introduces the new Purpose path. The upcoming title will also include mod support through Unreal Engine, which will allow for future downloadable content and community-driven additions.

With little known since its April 2025 announcement, game director Maciej Sułecki provides a behind-the-scenes look at Frostpunk 1886 during the developer update. The improvements and features highlighted during the update are:

• The citizens are smarter and expressive, with improved animations and motion capture. 
• Establish a deeper emotional connection to those who live in New London. 
• A redesigned lighting system to highlight the Frostland beauty. 
• Overhauled building texture to create a realistic and lived-in civilization.

Originally released in 2018, Frostpunk has melted the hearts of many critics and fans, selling over 5 million copies across platforms. Reviewed by CGMagazine, the title has received a positive score, with the reviewer sharing: “Frostpunk is a brutal city-builder that shines thanks to difficult choices, an original world, and engaging gameplay.”

With everything we know so far about Frostpunk 1886, new and veteran fans can wishlist the upcoming title on Steam and learn more on the 11 bit studios website. 

Squeezing itself in just before The Game Awards, 11 bit Studios has announced that it will host its first-ever digital showcase next week on December 8, 2025, at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET. It'll be livestreamed on the studio's YouTube channel and in partnership with IGN on its YouTube channel, featuring new looks at Frostpunk 2 DLC, new content coming to The Alters, and more. The publisher and developer will include information on games it worked on in both capacities, with its published titles like Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault and Death Howl making […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/11-bit-studios-first-ever-digital-showcase-frostpunk-2-the-alters-moonlighter-2/

Back in the decidedly murky days of May 2018, a game called Moonlighter arrived and delivered something no other title was attempting at the time. Blending shop management with classic fantasy roguelike dungeon-crawling, Moonlighter had players plundering dangerous dungeons for loot and glory before hauling those spoils home to stock and sell in their very own shop.

It was a genuinely fresh concept, and it’s easy to see how Moonlighter won over players around the world. Now, more than seven years later, Moonlighter 2 (or, to use its full name, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault) has finally arrived, and it fully realises the promise of the original in ways that already make it feel essential for PC gamers.

A Shift to 3D That Goes Far Beyond Visual Flair

A quick glance at the screenshots and footage from Moonlighter 2’s early access build reveals just how dramatically the game has changed visually. Abandoning the top-down, 2D sprite style of its predecessor, the sequel embraces an isometric 3D presentation complete with fully modelled characters and richly built environments.

This isn’t a simple graphical upgrade, though. The 3D perspective gives each biome a stronger sense of place, adds much more detail, and creates smoother, more responsive combat. Combined with a cleaner, more intuitive interface, Moonlighter 2 feels like a significant leap forward in both looks and usability.

No Longer a “Diet” Roguelike — The Sequel Goes All In

While the roguelike systems in the original Moonlighter were enjoyable, they weren’t especially deep. Dungeons were fairly straightforward, and the shop loop became easy to exploit once you learned the right prices to charge.

Moonlighter 2 tackles this head-on. The sequel leans much more heavily into run-based structure, adopting a broader roguelike framework that fans of Hades will recognise. Procedurally generated biomes now feature far more variety, and runs grant unique perks that influence both dungeon exploration and shopkeeping. As a result, choices during each run matter significantly more, replacing the slow, number-grinding progression that defined the first game.

Shopkeeping Has Been Rebuilt From the Ground Up

Shopkeeping has evolved into a full strategic system rather than the light management loop of the original game. As before, you’re not just slashing monsters – you’re slashing prices too – but developer Digital Sun has dramatically expanded the retail mechanics.

Instead of simply reading customer reactions to determine optimal prices, players now engage with tactical layers involving special events, stackable perks, boosts, charms, and decorations to improve profit margins. The depth of Moonlighter 2’s shopkeeping now stands firmly alongside its dungeon exploration as one of the game’s core pillars. Speaking of which…

Combat and Exploration Have Received the Depth the First Game Lacked

Where the original Moonlighter relied on fairly straightforward combat, Moonlighter 2 commits fully to expanding its action systems. The hero now has access to a wide set of upgradeable weapons: spears, maces, clubs, and more. This complements a redesigned perk, upgrade, and gadget system that ensures each room plays differently.

The sequel delivers a deeper ARPG-style experience by introducing a wider range of enemies, hazards, and room types. This forces players to adopt a more tactical approach rather than relying on the simple roll-and-strike rhythm of the first game. The result is twofold: dungeon runs feel like a fully fledged ARPG experience rather than just a means to collect stock, and the lure of diving deeper for greater rewards becomes far more tempting, often challenging players to resist their own greed.

You’re Fighting for More Than Profit Alone

Delving into dungeons in Moonlighter 2 still helps you stock your shop, fill your purse, and upgrade abilities, but the sequel also introduces a broader meta-progression system. Instead of funding a handful of individual vendors, players now invest their hard-earned resources into rebuilding an entire community known as Tresna.

Your profits still unlock new establishments, as in the first game, but the sequel expands this into a larger, interconnected NPC ecosystem. Helping one character can open new opportunities with others, creating a network of upgrades and bonuses. Whether you’re defeating monsters, adjusting prices, or revitalising your community, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault offers an experience that stands apart from everything else.

The post How Moonlighter 2 Is Emerging as a Top Roguelike and Shopkeeping Hybrid appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog.