In my experience, action games on a small handheld are inferior to playing on a desktop or big screen with controller. The Steam Deck is heavy and gives you far less dexterity than when playing with a console controller, and the extra energy spent holding the device detracts from ease of playing high action games as well.

So I’ve mostly given up on playing fast-paced and action games like Doom or Hades on Steam Deck, preferring to play those on my Desktop or from the couch with a console controller. Instead I’ve found turn-based and slower paced games like Darkest Dungeon and Stardew Valley to be much more conducive to the Deck.

Here’s some of my recommendations, but I’m very much looking for others, so please let me know your list:

  • Darkest Dungeon
  • Graveyard Keeper
  • Stardew Valley
  • Coromon
  • Monster Train
  • Pillars of Eternity
  • Disco Elysium
  • Into the Breach
  • gifredBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I just purchased the Disco Elysium / Wildermyth bundle for my future deck, I’m pretty sure Wildermyth will be great on the Deck. Darkest Dungeon is a good idea as well.

  • CaffinatorpotatoBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Tactics Ogre Reborn. Managed to be fast and chill paced at the same time. (If trying it, avoid the newbie trap of playing it as an RPG. Assume it’s like Into The Breach. Hit on weaknesses, use your debuffs, and it’s a friggin blast. A 500 hour+ blast. That’s a lot of blast. With a really well written adaptive story. )

  • ArsRegia23BEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    If you’re into emulation, there’s an awesome turn based card game called Culdcept that’s too good to miss. PS2. I still have my physical copy, some things you just don’t want to part with.

  • LinktankBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Haha Stardew Valley isn’t turn based, silly!

  • gifredBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Is Pillars readable on such a small screen?

  • Classic_Cantaloupe93BEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I don’t usually like this genre of game, but I tried a brand new one; Godzilla Voxel Wars… definitely worth a try and a really nice art style too

  • OvomatVonBuenzlineBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Check out Civ 6, plays on the SD with its touchpads really great. Some Worms 3D for the OGs. HoI 4 is pretty slow, but GUIs are too small for the SD, although you can try to tinker with it