Clumsy Bear Studio is bringing something truly different to Steam Early Access later this month with Hungry Horrors, launching on January 19, 2026. Blending card-based strategy with British and Irish folklore, the game flips traditional combat on its head—because in Hungry Horrors, you don’t fight monsters. You feed them.
Following a strong demo reception and months of community-driven iteration, the Early Access release marks a major milestone for the project. The new build expands on its systems, progression, and content while keeping players closely involved in shaping the game’s future.
A Card Game Where Every Move Is a Meal
Hungry Horrors is a turn-based, card-driven adventure with zero combat. Every card represents a traditional regional dish, and every turn is a race against hunger. Fail to keep a Horror fed, and it won’t hesitate to close the distance—often with grim consequences.
Players take on the role of a spoiled princess forced into action when a ravenous curse spreads across her kingdom and a dragon stirs at its center. Guided (and relentlessly mocked) by a sharp-tongued, sarcastic cat, she must learn the art of cooking to survive encounters with terrifying creatures drawn from folklore.
Each encounter revolves around balancing hunger levels, flavor cravings, and taste chains while upgrading dishes using seasonings, cookware, potions, and ancient artefacts. The tools you collect dramatically reshape each run, encouraging experimentation and adaptation.
Deeply Rooted in Folklore and Food
Every Horror, NPC, and artefact in Hungry Horrors is inspired by British and Irish myth, ranging from well-known legends to obscure regional tales. Creatures like Dullahan, Jenny Greenteeth, and Queen Mab all make appearances, each with unique behaviors and bespoke fatality animations.
Food plays just as big a role. Every playable dish is based on a real traditional recipe—many of which can still be found in pubs today—giving the game a strong sense of place and authenticity rarely seen in the genre.
What Early Access Includes at Launch
The Early Access version of Hungry Horrors launches with a substantial amount of content, including:
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Five playable biomes: Caves, Woods, Bogs, Meadows, and the Town, plus the Dungeon and the Kitchen
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20 folklore Horrors drawn from British and Irish myth
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42 playable dishes based on authentic regional recipes
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8 legendary characters to encounter, including Herne the Hunter and the Wulver
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Seasonings, cookware, potions, and artefacts that significantly alter gameplay
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Core progression via the Book of Taliesin, unlocking new mechanics and strengthening future runs
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Unique fatality animations for every Horror
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Five original music tracks composed by Henry Taylor
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Easter eggs, hidden interactions, unlockable mechanics, and Steam achievements
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Full controller support, plus mouse-only and keyboard-only play modes
Player feedback will continue to guide development throughout Early Access, with regular updates planned to introduce new areas, creatures, dishes, and narrative elements.
Wrapped in colorful ’90s-inspired pixel art and paired with a whimsical original score, Hungry Horrors blends cozy indie charm with dark folkloric horror in a way that feels both unsettling and oddly comforting.
Hungry Horrors launches in Steam Early Access on January 19, 2026, available on PC (Windows, Mac, Linux) and Steam Deck, with other platforms to be considered after the PC release.