Game: Hungry Horrors
Genre: Indie, Strategy.
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Clumsy Bear Studio
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Verified
Price: US $13.99 | UK £12.79 | EU € 13,99
Release Date: October 13th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to Clumsy Bear Studio.
Hungry Horrors – A Recipe For Success
Deckbuilding roguelites are hardly in short supply, but Hungry Horrors has found a way to stand out from the crowd. Instead of fighting monsters with swords, spells, or an alarming number of pointy objects, you defeat them with food. Yes, apparently even the creatures of British and Irish folklore have their culinary standards.
I was taken with Hungry Horrors when I first played it in Early Access, and now that the full version has arrived, my enthusiasm hasn’t wavered. The finished game builds on what was already an excellent idea, adding more reasons to return for another run. It’s a clever, funny and surprisingly strategic little adventure that deserves the praise it has received.
A Princess In A Pickle
You play as a rather spoilt princess who would much prefer to relax and wait for a prince to rescue her. Unfortunately, the kingdom has been struck by a ravenous curse, turning its mythological inhabitants into Hungry Horrors. With no heroic prince coming to the rescue, she must reluctantly take matters into her own hands. Her solution? Cook for the monsters until they’re satisfied.
The premise is wonderfully silly, and the game happily pokes fun at its own fairytale setup. The princess has plenty of personality, and the writing adds a welcome dose of wit to the proceedings. It’s all wrapped in a colourful fantasy world that balances playful humour with the darker side of folklore.
The Way To A Monster’s Heart
The gameplay revolves around building a deck of dishes using ingredients gathered during your travels. Before heading out on a run, you prepare your initial selection of meals, gradually expanding your options as you discover new ingredients and recipes. When you encounter a monster, you draw cards and start serving. Each creature has its own preferences, cravings and downright culinary dislikes. Some dishes will satisfy it, others might do very little, and serving something it absolutely despises can result in it spitting your meal straight back out. It’s funny to watch, although less amusing when your carefully planned run starts falling apart.
The aim is to fill the monster’s hunger meter before it reaches you. Each turn brings new cravings and potential complications, so you need to think carefully about which dishes to play and in what order. Chain compatible flavours together and you can build combos that satisfy hunger much more efficiently. There’s a lovely learning curve here. Initially, you’re making educated guesses about what each Horror enjoys, but the game remembers what you discover. Future encounters become less about blind experimentation and more about using your knowledge to construct effective combinations.
Of course, plans don’t always work out. You might draw the wrong cards, encounter an unexpected craving or take too much damage during a difficult boss fight. Fortunately, there’s enough strategy and room for recovery to make those tense moments exciting rather than simply frustrating. And if a monster does reach the princess, you’re treated to an amusing failure animation before heading back for another attempt. Don’t worry, though: she’ll be back to complain about her duties soon enough.
A Feast Of Folklore
One of the game’s biggest strengths remains its use of British and Irish mythology. You’ll encounter creatures inspired by regional legends, from familiar figures to some more obscure Horrors. Discovering what awaits you in the next area is a genuine highlight, and the folklore gives the adventure an identity beyond its deck-building mechanics. The food is equally important. Your cards feature dishes inspired by real British and Irish recipes, making the whole concept feel wonderfully cohesive. There’s something particularly amusing about facing a terrifying creature from ancient legend and realising your best chance of survival involves serving it dinner. The simple pixel-art visuals work well, with expressive character designs and colourful environments. The soundtrack adds to the fairytale atmosphere, becoming more intense during encounters while retaining its playful character.
Seconds, Please?
The full release adds more to enjoy, including an endless-style Banquet mode for those who want to keep testing their culinary skills beyond the main campaign. There are also additional accessibility options, including assistance with identifying monster preferences, which can help make the experience more approachable for players who would rather spend less time guessing. Between persistent progression, new dishes, cookware and other upgrades, there’s plenty to explore as you become more familiar with the mechanics. The ability to save your progress whenever you need to step away is another welcome touch. You can enjoy a quick run or gradually work through the campaign without having to commit an entire evening to it. There’s also a skill tree to dig away at so you’re always gradually upgrading over time.
Conclusion: Loves It
Hungry Horrors was one of my favourite Early Access games, and the full release has done nothing to change that opinion. It takes a familiar genre and gives it a distinctive identity through British and Irish folklore, traditional food and a wonderfully daft central idea. There’s real depth beneath the humour, with satisfying card combinations, monsters to discover and plenty of reasons to try another run. The additional content and Banquet mode give players more to enjoy, while the ability to save anywhere makes it easy to fit into a busy day.
Considering how many deckbuilding roguelites are available, it’s refreshing to find one that does something genuinely different. Hungry Horrors is clever, funny, strategic and consistently enjoyable. I’m delighted to see it reach full release, and I can happily recommend giving it a try. A free demo is also available.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up!
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