Howl

Play it on: Switch, Windows (Steam Deck OK)
Current goal: Find the cure

Imagine Into the Breach but simplified and presented like a medieval folktale. That’s essentially what Howl is, a “living ink” strategy puzzle game by Mi’pu’mi Games about navigating small, grid-based battlefields in search of a way to stop peasants across the countryside from turning into feral beasts. You have a bow with limited arrows and a couple of spells on cooldown with which to take down the enemies blocking your path.

Completing each fight as quickly and efficiently as possible nets you points you can use to upgrade abilities and unlock new ones. It’s not as complex or in-depth as Into the Breach, but that breeziness alongside the storybook presentation make it a nice game to play right before bed, turning the pages and navigating a few combat challenges while trying to reverse the plague overtaking the land. It’s not exactly a cozy game, but I still find myself comforted as the minutes tick by and I finish a whole chapter when I only meant to try a level or two. — Ethan Gach

On its way to the other consoles, soon

Howl has demos on the Switch eShop and Steam, and is also expected to arrive on PlayStation and Xbox on January 23, 2024.