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The Steam Deck has turned fortunes around for handheld gaming by bringing a cohesive handheld experience to the table. But with Nintendo Switch’s shadow still looming, will the Steam Deck find its way into people’s homes or will it succumb to ordinariness?
Well, only time will tell, but meanwhile, Steam Deck owners get to enjoy the massive Steam Library. Essentially, most games available on PC are available on Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck is powered by AMD Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 graphics. This is coupled with 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, out of which 8GB is accessible by the GPU. These specs make it the most powerful handheld console to have come out yet. In theory, you will be able to run any game you throw at it in medium settings, considering the screen isn’t pushing too many pixels.
A look at 5 best games to play on Steam Deck
1) God of War
Who would’ve thought that one day, you would be able to play a PlayStation exclusive on a handheld that behaves like a portable PC. God of War needs no introduction. It is, arguably, PlayStation’s biggest franchise.
The reboot tells the heart-wrenching tale of Kratos, who now finds himself in a Norse setting. After settling in Midgard, free from the shakles of the past, Kratos marries a woman and has a son with her, Atreus. The story picks up when Kratos’ wife - Faye, a mortal, dies. Kratos and Atreus embark on a journey to disperse Faye’s ashes at the highest peak across the realms.
It was released on PlayStation 4 to critical acclaim and swept through the Game Awards to win Game of the Year.
2) Death Stranding
People have called this game a “walking simulator” time and again, but in all honesty, the game takes time to establish itself. Hideo Kojima has brought an entirely new genre to the table. Death Stranding launched as a PlayStation exclusive but eventually made its way to PC.
The protagonist, Sam Porter Bridges, makes deliveries across post-apocalyptic America. A supernatural event called the Death Stranding has made most of humanity live in underground shelters to escape the BTs. The gameplay resolves around making your way across rivers, deserts, snow clad mountains and rocky terrain.
You should play this for an awe-inspiring storyline, stunning voice acting and technically sound gameplay.
3) The Witcher 3
When we talk about RPGs, the customary name associated with the genre is The Witcher 3. It was launched in 2015 to immense critical acclaim, with critics praising it for the sheer amount of content in-game, visuals and the impeccable storyline.
Despite having launched on the Nintendo Switch, The Witcher 3 failed to make strides in the handheld world. This was primarily due to subpar visuals and frame rate drops. Of course, everything has changed with the Steam Deck now. With more powerful hardware at your disposal, enjoying the game has never been easier on a handheld.
Slaying monsters and exploring the gorgeous world on the Steam Deck is quite an experience. We seriously can’t wait for The Witcher 4.
4) Eastward
Eastward is an indie action RPG that was first released for the Switch and Windows. The game is a beautiful adventure that has memorable characters, unique towns to explore, a well-thought story and gorgeous pixel-art style graphics to evoke the old school charm.
Sam and John, the protagonists, live in an underground world that relies on mining as a source of resources and livelihood. The story picks up steam when they are exiled to the outside world, something that Sam always wanted to explore.
An overall cute story, relaxing gameplay and a gorgeous pixel-art world to explore makes Eastward one of the best indie titles ever. It is a must-play on Steam Deck.
5) Horizon Zero Dawn
The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which machines have taken over. As you wander around, you will come across the world as it once was, the world of the old ones. With no knowledge at hand, several tribes rule the land with false ideologies. It is in Aloy’s hands to destroy the looming threat.
The game is made using the Decima engine, developed in-house by Guerilla Games. The foliage details, the horizons (no pun intended), and the character models look stunning.
To conclude, Horizon Zero Dawn is a beautifully made open-world RPG that blends the elements of science-fiction and fantasy genres to present gamers with an experience like any other. Happy hunting!
