Dog Witch review: Dice-rolling whimsy

I must’ve played at least 20 roguelikes this year – and I’ll happily play 20 more if they’re like Dog Witch. This whimsical title combines elements of deck-builders and dice roguelikes, resulting in an engrossing, moreish style of play.

Below, you’ll find The Escapist’s full Dog Witch review, looking at everything from the core gameplay loop and potential replay value to the game modes on offer and the overall performance. 

The Escapist recaps

• Dog Witch is a fusion of dice roguelike and deck-builder mechanics, developed by Heckmouse and published by Mystic Forge. It’s one of the best roguelikes I’ve played in 2025.
• The full Dog Witch release date was November 5, 2025. At the time of writing, a demo is still available on Steam. 
• Dog Witch places you in the pointy shoes of – surprise – a dog witch, tasking you with battling your way through multiple levels and taking down bosses. Combat is dice-based, with rolls resulting in damage, resources, or other enemy effects.
• The highlight of Dog Witch is its replay value. You can create different builds with special wands, gear, and allies, with an upgrade accessible after you beat a stage. The battles are short and snappy, meaning progression is quick and engaging, similar to popular titles like Balatro.
• Other than one small quirk, Dog Witch was a delight to play through; it was fast-paced and fun, with a charming visual style. 

Bags of charm in a bite-sized format

In Dog Witch, you’ll need to roll your way through a multitude of levels, battling against all manner of creepy crawlies and strange beasts. To defeat them, you’ll need to use spells, attacks, and allies to your advantage, all while keeping your own health pool intact.

While you’ll start with a simple set of gear and weapons, you’ll be able to upgrade and pick up new items as you battle through each level – with options varying wildly, including a dead snake and a power ring that offers an instant wand charge.

Both wand charges and mana must be generated in battle, and health must be managed, too. There are status conditions that you can take on and inflict on enemies, adding a nice level of complexity to each battle.

I found combat to be pleasantly fast-paced and snappy, with a surprising level of challenge once the first realm is cleared. It took me a few runs to get the hang of stunning enemies and managing bosses with multiple mobs. Fellow fans of roguelike battlers will find plenty to get excited about with this title.

Something that stood out to me was the unique variety of enemies on offer. In one battle, I was facing off against a hive of angry, pouting bees, and in the next, a sentient tree that wanted to throw berries at me. My favorite was the nesting doll with a gun, though – delightful stuff. 

In all seriousness, the variety of enemies added even more replay value to Dog Witch. Every fight felt different, with some focusing more on status effects and others generating seemingly endless allies to fight against. 

A few quirks amongst the gems

Dog Witch’s aesthetic was charming, as was the sound design. I was pleasantly surprised by the range of unique items, weapons, and trinkets on offer, especially when the cursed items – damage-inducing trinkets that offered big rewards – popped up. 

For the most part, Dog Witch performed well during my review sessions, with no major issues, bugs, or crashes to note.

The only exception to this is a bug that popped up a few times during the first stage of the forest level – when I had a friend summoned and had just defeated an enemy, the game would sometimes extend for an extra enemy’s turn, despite no one being on the field.

The game seemed to think an enemy was there for a turn longer than it actually was, essentially; it wasn’t a major issue and didn’t interrupt the flow of the game, but it was a little odd, and I encountered it three times during my review sessions. 

Other than this quirk, there were no notable issues with Dog Witch. It offered bags of replay value with plenty of unique build options, and each enemy felt well-designed. If you’re a fan of titles with elements of dice games, roguelikes, and deck-builders, you’ll get a kick out of the speedy gameplay that Dog Witch offers. 

Ask The Escapist

References

1. Download DOG WITCH Demo (Steam)