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Steam Deck, which got introduced earlier this year, is one of the most powerful hand-held gaming devices available today. However, it is important to keep in mind that Steam has a humongous library of games, and since the handheld console is a fairly new introduction, it cannot play all the titles that are present in the market.
Worry not though, as this article lists down some of the best games that are available out there that can be played on the Steam Deck. No matter how diverse your Steam library, you’ll be able to play these titles on the go.
Note: This article reflects the writer’s personal views.
From Elden Ring to GTA 5 - 10 best games you can play on the Steam Deck
1) Elden Ring
Whether sitting at home or on-the-go, Elden Ring, 2022's Game of the Year, can now be played on the Steam Deck. It performs really well on the console, but the HUD may feel a little small. However, the experience of diving into the best open-world title produced in recent years in the palm of your hands is totally worth it.
The Steam Deck is certainly one of the most comfortable ways to experience the open world rather than navigating through all the different menus with a clumsy mouse and a sticky keyboard.
For anyone who hasn’t heard about Elden Ring yet, the early 2022 launch of the open-world title won five awards across the categories of The Game of the Year, The Most Anticipated Games, The Best Role Playing Game, and The Best Game for Art Direction, and The Best Game Direction Award.
In terms of core gameplay, Elden Ring has a Soulslike combat system. Essentially, it offers a diverse variety of unique boss challenges, and the freedom to roam anywhere on the open-world map, at one’s own pace.
2) Stray
Stray is a dystopic adventure set in the far future where humans have been taken over by sentient AI beings. Players get to experience a cat’s eye perspective when exploring an open-world urban setup.
The game offers a sleek traversal system and a ton of interesting puzzles to solve as the lone cat tries to re-unite with its family. The context-sensitive traversal mechanics come off as a perfect fit for Steam Deck users, so if you are looking for an offbeat open-world adventure, do give Stay a try.
3) Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
If you are someone who likes to blow stuff up while seeking lost ancient treasures, then both the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves games should definitely be on your bucket list.
Uncharted 4: The Thief’s End is a cinematic adventure that fans of the Tomb Raider Series can immediately relate to. The title’s got everything from treasure hunting across mysterious locations to steadfast car chases.
The other title in the Legacy of Thieves Collection, The Lost Legacy, is a much shorter spin-off adventure about treasure hunting across ancient ruins.
Both games, which together make up the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, are Steam Deck verified. However, users have to tweak their settings a bit to get a consistent experience of 30 FPS.
4) Forza Horizon 5
Racing-simulation title Forza Horizon 5 comes off as a perfect fit for Steam Deck’s gamepad-themed controls. Since this particular game is the latest entrant in the series, consider lowering the graphics to medium for better performance on the Steam Deck.
Forza Horizon 5 is a formidable entrant to an already strong series with an overwhelming number of addictive race tracks and events to tests one’s mettle. If that’s not enough, simply cruising around in the gorgeous Mexican open-world setting, trying out and feeling the difference between each car brand is a pleasurable experience in and of itself.
5) Neon White
Featuring wonderful soundtracks, light-fast gameplay, and super satisfying FPS combat systems, Neon White has been a revelation this year. It's a fantastic game to have in one’s Steam Deck, since it has a simplified storyline about heaven, demons from hell, and shooting.
A perfect game to play on the go, Neon White has a pleasant and satisfying vibe about it, where abilities can be swapped by switching to what is available along the battlefield. So, this winter, giving this offbeat and fast-paced FPS adventure a try will be completely worthwhile.
6) No Man’s Sky
Launched back in 2016, and developed by British indie developers Hello Games, No Man’s Sky is a historic attempt to recreate an entire universe as a massively multiplayer open-world survivor. There are over 18 quintillion explorable worlds generated by AI that have their unique alien species and habitat.
The entire idea of No Man’s Sky is about endless exploration and survival, with a fair amount of spaceship combat and third-person shooting involved as well. There are plenty of base-building, spacecraft, and weapon-customization features. While the shooting elements may feel a little too simplistic at times, No Man’s Sky’s sheer magnanimity in terms of size will be appreciated.
As a MMO open-world game, No Man’s Sky is dynamic, and the developers are always coming up with fresh updates. So, do consider joining in on this alternate universe.
7) Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
When it comes to space-faring RPG titles, very few games come close to the Mass Effect trilogy in terms of how engaging the storyline is, whether through character development or voice acting.
The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition puts the trilogy into one comprehensive package, and this epic space-faring RPG adventure should be a must-have on your bucket list. However, it is important to note that players have to log in to EA Origin's profile every time they play Mass Effect, and pay a nominal fee to Steam in order to access it on the Steam Deck.
8) Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered
When it comes to PlayStation to PC ports, developers are usually left with a little room for improvement. But, Marvel’s Spider-Man released this year in the month of August, is an exception.
The game runs brilliantly on the PC and offers a stunning open-world recreation of Manhattan in New York. Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered has satisfying gliding and movement mechanics that can make it totally immersive to sit and take in the skyline of the city for hours.
The game runs pretty well on the Steam Deck as well, and you can expect framerates between 30 to 40 per second. The vivid depiction of Manhattan in Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered results in arguably one of the most well-made open-world titles of this year, which makes it totally worth having it on the Steam Deck.
9) Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 may have come under a lot of criticism in the last couple of years due to several errors and glitches, but recent updates have dramatically improved its performance.
In Cyberpunk 2077, players find themselves in a dystopic neon-lit open-world city known as Night City. The title manages to deliver a compelling storyline with a pretty quirky cast of characters in the form of drug-lords, fixers, and supporting side acts. The side quests are also fun to play, and truly make the players feel involved in the environment.
Although it released in 2020, consider giving Cyberpunk 2077 a go on the Steam Deck as it runs spectacularly well on the device. To get a more consistent gameplay experience, consider scaling down the shadows and dropping the resolution down to 720p as opposed to the in-built 1280x800 setting of the Steam Deck.
10) GTA 5
Almost everyone has played or at least heard of the Rockstar Games' offerings by now. The crime-thriller adventure franchise’s last edition, GTA 5, is perhaps the most played title in the franchise, and perhaps it is now time to immerse oneself in the streets of Los Santos one last time.
The Steam Deck’s sandbox layout is the perfect way to relive some of the heists undertaken by Franklin, Trevor, and Michael in their search to make it big in one go in this legendary crime-induced adventure.
There is something magical about a GTA title shrunk down into the palm of your hands. When it comes to performance, this title won’t disappoint at all on the Steam Deck and will run smoothly even at the highest performance settings.
This wraps up our recommended list of some of the best games that can be played on the Steam Deck. Also, remember to check out Steam’s official website to take advantage of the ongoing Steam Winter Sale by grabbing titles at heavily discounted prices.
