Ghoul's Saloon Preview – Run a Wasteland Bar by Day, Fight Nightmares by Night

Ghoul's Saloon is an upcoming PC game (planned release in 2026. The game blends management simulation, crafting/scrap economy, defense mechanics, and dark-humor survival in a post-apocalyptic (or half-undead) bar/venue context. You run a saloon for ghouls (the walking-dead and weird types), craft strange dishes and cocktails, maintain the business by day, and by night fortify your bar, set traps and defend against threats.

What Makes It Unique

Dual-phase gameplay: Daytime is about running the saloon—serving customers, setting prices, crafting goods, cleaning up messes, and shaping your clientele. Nighttime flips the game into a defense/survival mode: you must protect your venue, stock and staff from rival factions or monster attacks.

Crafting & economy tied to the undead theme: The “ingredients” and “salvage” loop is morbidly creative—processing cadavers into slime or salvage, turning scrap into new cocktails or items, and eventually using these to keep the business afloat. The intertwining of bar-management with post-apocalyptic scavenging gives it a distinctive flavor.

Tone and setting: The game leans into dark comedy and quirky horror. Think dirty bar in a wasteland, ghouls as patrons, weird drinks and weird materials. That tone helps it stand out among standard simulation or survival games.

Optional co-op support: There is mention of optional co-op for the defense phase (and possibly management) so you can run the bar with friends or split roles.

What to Expect If You Play

You'll start by setting up your saloon: choosing which strange dishes/cocktails to craft, setting prices, handling customers (including difficult ones), and managing hygiene/clean-up—because neglected messes impact your reputation and income.

As you progress, you'll salvage “ingredients” from the wasteland (or undead remains) to unlock better recipes and items, expanding the business.

At night, the game shifts gears: you must plan your defense—lay traps, build barricades, place turrets or craft weapons. Your daytime decisions feed what you have to defend at night. If you mismanage the bar, the night may hit harder.

Over time you'll upgrade your bar, expand it, attract better customers (and more risks), and refine your business/defense loop.

Because release is still upcoming, some details may evolve—platforms, features, or co-op specifics might shift.

Why You Might Be Interested

If you like any of the following, Ghoul's Saloon is worth watching:

You enjoy management/tycoon-style games but want a twist (here: undead clientele and survival elements).

You like survival/defense mechanics in combos with other genres (bar management + defense).

You appreciate games with distinct tone—dark humour, post-apocalyptic setting, off-beat premises.

You enjoy playing with friends and want a co-op experience that is not just standard shooter but also shifts into management.

Things to Keep in Mind

Since the release is planned for 2026 (no exact date yet), a lot of the game remains “wishlist” territory—features, optimization and final polish are still forthcoming.

Because it blends genres, if you dislike one element (e.g., management micromanagement or sudden defense-action), you might find parts less appealing.

As with many indie titles (and PlayWay-published ones), visuals, polish and UI may not match the largest AAA effort—so expectations should be calibrated accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Ghoul's Saloon is shaping up to be a clever mash-up: a saloon management sim in a wasteland, serving ghouls by day and fighting off threats by night. If you're looking for something fresh—part business simulator, part survival/defense, with an off-kilter horror-comedy vibe—it's one to keep an eye on.
Add it to your wishlist now if you're on Steam, so you'll be alerted when it launches.