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We initially unwrapped a brand-new Steam Deck a few months ago, and since then, we have spent many hours tinkering with Valve's certainly imperfect but incredibly fascinating first-generation handheld gaming PC. The Steam Deck's release has been sluggish, and you may still be waiting for positive news about your pre-order as you read this.
Those who were fortunate enough to get the Steam Deck, however, might be unsure of what game to start with. You could be excused for feeling overwhelmed by the choice, given how absurdly big the Steam Store is, compared to other online storefronts.
Although it is intended that the Steam Deck will eventually be capable of running each title available on the Steam Store, this isn't the case right now, as Valve staff members are still evaluating titles to see how they run on the hardware.
Games that have earned the seal of approval - denoting that they operate without lag in the Steam Deck's desired framerate and feel natural to play with its controls - will be marked as "Verified" in your library and will have a green check mark next to them.
While it is not a guarantee, it does not mean that unverified games will not function flawlessly. For new Steam Deck owners, we recommend starting with validated titles for the greatest experience. So far, over 300 games have been added to the Verified Club, with more arriving all over time.
Best collection of video games for your Steam Deck
1) Rogue Legacy 2
A lot of new classes, skills, and content are included in Rogue Legacy 2, making it a worthwhile sequel that enhances practically every facet of the first game. Due to its one-more-go design, this excellent Rogue Legacy 2 is a perfect match for Steam Deck. Since it is currently only accessible on Xbox One and PC, it is the only portable system that lets you enjoy it directly.
When Rogue Legacy was launched in 2013, it instantly became one of the decade's biggest indie hits. Binding Isaac and other games were made possible by Cellar Door Games' roguelike. In light of this, many were eagerly awaiting news of a sequel. 2020 saw the Early Access release of Rogue Legacy 2, which has since had a full release on PC and Xbox.
In the first game, you control a character with arbitrary skills and qualities as they make their way through a changing dungeon. When you die, you have the option of selecting one of three new successors to embark on the journey, each with their own set of perks and cons. Every time you try to complete the game, it offers a completely unique experience, which keeps the gaming interesting.
It can be challenging to navigate the vibrant, hand-drawn dungeons of Rogue Legacy 2, but dying helps you earn money that you can use to upgrade your starting base and classes. It is astonishing how quickly 2am approaches, so be cautious while using the Steam Deck if you are slipping in a few laps before bed.
2) Tunic
Think of the original top-down Zelda games, but with Link as a small fox, and you will get a decent idea of what Tunic, one of 2022's finest independent games, will be like. Despite the obvious influence of vintage classics, Tunic never talks.
The majority of the game's dialogue is written in an unintelligible script, and there are hardly any objective markers, tips, or crumb trails to be found.
In fact, there is little to guide players through the game. Everything must be learned intuitively, which is accomplished mostly through reading the pages of the in-game user manual that are dispersed across the environment.
While we are not entirely smitten with challenging combat, you can turn yourself impenetrable if a specific enemy becomes too difficult. It is a great, shamelessly retro adventure that asks you to put in the work.
Tunic is currently best played handheld on the Steam Deck, though it will likely ultimately be available on the Switch.
3) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD PROJEKT RED's narrative has advanced to a fantastic level in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It is a wonderfully epic game with a keen eye for detail.
The story, mechanics, art, music, action, and lore all appear to blend together into one stunning hole in the game, which sees its hero, Geralt of Rivia, completely shift from the sword-swinging Mr. Loverman of the original game into a sophisticated, contemplative hero.
It raises the bar for the genre as the best fantasy role-playing game to date following The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Witcher 3's conversion to the Switch and Steam Deck was heralded as a technological marvel, despite the fact that it required numerous performance compromises.
The nicest thing we can say is that, with the game running smoothly in reasonable settings, you are not giving up that much at all when you start playing Geralt of Rivia's 100+ hour journey on the Steam Deck.
You may now play this enormous role-playing game on the go, but remember to take the charger with you.
4) Vampire Survivors
You can now play AAA games with breath-taking graphics wherever you are, thanks to the Steam Deck. The game Vampire Survivors is certainly not one of those, yet it is amongst the most intriguing titles we have played this year. It works flawlessly on a portable device.
At first glance, Vampire Survivors appears to be trash. NES-inspired graphics are used in this 2D bullet hell game.
The game's Castlevania-inspired aesthetic, with sprites that look like barely adjusted tracings, does not help. Due to its straightforward ideas and deceptively intricate gameplay, Vampire Survivors is a tremendously gratifying game that verges on the dangerously addicting.
In this Steam Deck gaming platform, you control an 8-bit sprite who battles enemies in vast, mostly empty terrain. Top-down gameplay is made up of short runs that place your avatar into a setting with a timer that lasts (typically) 30 minutes. Over time, you battle there against increasingly large and potent opponent waves.
Presently, there are four main levels and three additional difficulty stages that give unique takes on the gameplay, such as waves that are randomly generated or adversaries that spawn at twice the speed.
5) Portal 2
Portal 2 welcomes players into a much larger universe, where the plot has thickened and personal growth has become more startling. The facility's operator, GLaDOS, gets shaped into surprising forms, along with a slew of brutally humorous characters. However, its tempo lags when it occasionally adopts a more serious tone.
The origins of the Aperture Science laboratory are explained, the roots of the characters are covered, and the plot is given some background information.There are plenty of nasty jokes and joyfully sincere death threats to keep the story from losing its sardonic charm. Prepare to be amused when you are not looking at your monitor with a wrinkled, pained countenance trying to solve a puzzle.
Valve's own ageless puzzle classic plays incredibly well on Steam Deck, running at an unbreakable 60 FPS in nearly all settings. If you are trying to find a reason to rediscover the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, perhaps achieving this on its maker's hardware is a no-brainer.
If you have never played any Portal games, we recommend starting with the first, which is fantastic and Steam Deck-verified.
6) Elden Ring
The Steam Deck gaming title is set in a vast realm with a violent history. Explore the fictional realm known as the Lands Between to discover the secrets of the Elden Ring's power. Meet opponents with fascinating backstories, personalities who have their own personal objectives for assisting or impeding your journey, and terrifying animals.
Elden Ring has large imaginative vistas and gloomy, labyrinthine tunnels that are linked flawlessly. Explore the spectacular globe on foot or on horseback, by yourself or with other players online, and become totally immersed in the verdant plains, stifling marshes, twisting mountains, ominous castles, as well as other places of splendor on an unbelievable scale.
The Elden Ring can be seen traveling the way to the Lands in Between, which are located beyond the misty sea, and rise to the position of Elden Lord.
Elden Ring has well-documented performance issues across all platforms, but it performs fairly well on Steam Deck, which is amazing to see. But expect it to drain the battery of your Steam Deck quickly.
7) Half-Life 2
The sequel to Half-Life, perhaps one of the best action games ever created, is Half-Life 2. By emphasizing cinematic pacing and total immersion in the experience, the original Half-Life redefined the first-person shooter on its own. Almost all contemporary shooters owe a debt of gratitude to the first Half-Life.
Half-Life 2 is a technically outstanding, finely tuned first-person shooter that employs all the gimmicks that made the original Half-Life such a popular experience. In many ways, this high-budget sequel succeeds in doing what it sets out to do.
You assume the role of hypothetical scientist Gordon Freeman, and a dimensional soldier who defended Earth from an alien siege at the conclusion of Half-Life, once more in Half-Life 2.
Half-Life 2, perhaps the most well-known of all the Valve games, is another essential addition to your Steam Deck collection. The iconic FPS set the path for many shooters who came after it, and its effect can still be felt today. The game runs wonderfully on Steam Deck and makes use of all of the platform's control capabilities.
8) God of War
One of the many AAA titles you may have mistakenly assumed would struggle in the Steam Deck is God of War, but the PlayStation 4 original runs like a breeze in a very respectable setting and is a delight to explore in handheld form.
Kratos, a previously one-note character, evolved into a complicated father, warrior, and monster, torn both on the field and within his own heart over how to treat his son. The world expands and transforms, delivering prizes for both performance and understanding of the lore that players prized with each achievement.
The evident attention that went into creating their universe, characters, and gameplay resulted in the series' most evocative and unforgettable game. Because the sequel (hopefully) will not be too far off, this is the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with Krato's distinctive parenting style.
This title is one of the best games to ever be released on the Steam Deck.
9) Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Similar to God of War, we anticipate that the second PlayStation-exclusive game on our list will cause the Steam Deck to crumble like a sheet of paper.
While the long-awaited PC version of the still-great Marvel's Spider-Man makes Steam Deck fans scream and can zap their battery completely in under two hours, it works remarkably well on the portable PC in default medium settings.
You are getting pretty much the same relatively close stable 30 frames per second performance as the previous PS4 game (using the Deck's built-in FPS-limiter is recommended here).
While PC and PS5 gamers can get finer visuals and superior frame-rates, there is something absolutely phenomenal about swinging across Manhattan while sitting at home.
New York looks stunning on tiny display. We are seriously thinking about replaying the entire Steam Deck game - while seated near a plug socket, of course.
10) Fable Anniversary
Fable is a straightforward and recognizable heroic tale at heart - you progress from little lad to famous warrior, leaving your mark on the realm of Albion and finally redeeming your kin. However, the atmosphere and humorous tone make it far more charming than the typical po-faced computer fantasy.
Fable's love of the absurd results in chicken-kicking bonus features, such as Union Jack underwear, a legendary weapon shaped like a frying pan, fabulously varied accents and language, as well as a hilariously unpleasant selection of flatulence and burp emotes.
We will have to wait a long time for the revived Fable entry for Xbox Series X|S, but if you want to remind yourself why a return to the legendary Xbox RPG series has been so long in the works, the enhanced classic is a Steam Deck gem.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinion.
