HomeNews
Howl is a devious tactics game that channels Into The Breach and Inkle’s PendragonWot The Lion’s Song devs did next
Wot The Lion’s Song devs did next
I did not expect the next game fromThe Lion’s Songdevs Mi’pu’mi Games to be a turn-based tactical folktale, but cor,Howlsure does tick a heck of a lot of boxes for me. Due out later this year, you play a deaf hero in search of a cure to a sinister ‘howling plague’ that’s devastated the land around you and turned all its inhabitants into blood-thirsty beasts - and having played its first chapter last week, its combination of tight planning, grid-based shoving and limited ammo a laInto The Breachis very, very moreish indeed. Definitely one to watch forstrategy gamefans.
Howl - Announcement TeaserWatch on YouTube
Howl - Announcement Teaser
I must admit, when I first saw the trailer andwatched the devs playthrough a couple of levels last week, I was worried Howl would be a bit too demanding for me. While each move is indeed turn-based, you’re also planning up to six moves in advance all in one go, meaning you’ll need to keep track of enemy movements in your head as you move across the map.
In the first chapter at least, though, Howl does several smart things to help you along. Firstly, enemies will always take the horizontal path if that’s the fastest one available - reminding me of the wayPendragon’s beasties moved across its isometric grid boards - and their gorgeous, watercolour artwork will rear up and start gnashing their teeth once they become aware of you, giving you enough clues to work out when you need to start paying attention to them and where they’re likely to move. Best of all, though, there’s no punishment for a hasty restart, making it super easy to try again if you accidentally biff it on your first turn. Most levels in the first chapter are designed to be completed in just three or four turns, too, making them nice and digestible little puzzle boxes.
Indeed, despite my initial worries about not being able to hold all those moves in my head when I first started playing Howl, I found it became surprisingly second nature once I had a few levels under my belt. After half an hour, I was really getting into the swing of things, so I was quite sad when I checked off the final level just 20 minutes later. Developers Mi’pu’mi Games definitely have something special here, and I’m excited to see what else they’ve got prowling in its dark, winding forests.
There’s no firm release date other than 2023 right now, but you can find out more over onSteamand theEpic Games Storein the meantime.
