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
  • MrPosket@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Never got around to playing Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance on GC back in the day, got it up and running on Dolphin and it is phenomenal if you like any other FE games. Upscailing the game to 4k with high antiantilasing at 60fps really helps modernize the look too.

  • Weekly_University446@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    This might not count? But, in terms of slower paced - the slowest I play on Steamdeck is Skyrim.

    Technically an action game but the combat is easy and not very reliant on reaction speed. Most of your time is just exploration and questing

  • Kavorka99@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’ve had Shadowrun Returns forever but just started playing it for real. I’m really enjoying it so far

  • troop89@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Jupiter Hell is basically doom as a roguelike. Turn based but very fluid gameplay.

  • Caffinatorpotato@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months 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. )

  • Stonewall30nyr@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    If you don’t mind turn-based games I’m suggest playing final fantasy x, incredible story and still in my opinion the best term based combat ever made. You could also try octopath traveler 2 which in my opinion is the second best term base game I’ve ever played. You don’t want turn-based but want to play something that you can play without fast movement in the hands, you can try Diablo 4, triangle strategy which is a game similar to fire emblem with units that traverse tiles on a map for the combat, or an action RPG that isn’t super super intensive on your hands and has a really good story is tales of arise.

  • ohyourgodz@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    If you like deck building… Cobalt Core is currently my favorite. It’s if Slay the Spire and FTL had a child.