Best Steam Deck games in 2023: Diablo IV, Dredge & more
Tech
Best Steam Deck games in 2023: Diablo IV, Dredge & more
❘ Published: 2023-07-05T03:24:04 ❘ Updated: 2023-07-05T14:24:28
Steam Deck has many games that run as smooth as butter and will give you a great experience in 2023 it’s actually hard to pick one and play, so we put together this list of suggestions for you. Here are our picks for the best games to play on Steam Deck in July 2023.
Since launching in March 2022, the Steam Deck has garnered an enormous list of supported games. Being connected to Steam, there’s also a bevy of titles that might not have that green “verified” tick but still work fantastically on the Deck.
Article continues after ad
From huge releases to quaint indie darlings, the Steam Deck is rife with stuff to play. While 2023 continues to look stacked for new games, let’s take a quick look back into the last few months and years to check out what titles are best played on the Steam Deck.
Steam Deck game of the month: Diablo IV
Blizzard EntertainmentWhile it might not be supposed to be here, Diablo IV is what has kept the Steam Deck firmly glued to our hands. The excellent controller support and the option to ditch the high-resolution graphics make this a superb choice.
Article continues after ad
Diablo IV might be getting some flak from its fans over recent nerfs, but the overall game is the ideal pick-up-and-play title for the handheld. Do a dungeon, log out, and repeat. Finish some quests off, go for dinner, and play at the table. Soon, Diablo IV will be following you into the bathroom.
The fast-paced action, excellent performance, and consistent slew of things to do make this our game of the month.
Best Steam Deck games in 2023
A great thing about the Steam Deck is the way it brings that massive backlog with you, wherever you go. Looming over you, like a dark storm cloud of fun. Why did you buy what you did back in 2010? You’re never going to play Chrome, a forgotten FPS that doesn’t like controllers.
Related:
The best graphics card in 2023: Nvidia, AMD & more
Article continues after ad
Maybe you will, maybe you’ll map everything to the trackpads and give it a whirl. Either way, here are some games you should absolutely check out on the Steam Deck.
DREDGE
It’s time for a cozy indie game! Dredge came out towards the end of March and it still continues to haunt us with its tales and journeys of the deep even after the first week of May.
Set in a rustic fishing village, and its conjoining islands, you’re a fisherman who has found themselves with a broken boat and no money to repair it. As you dash back and forth between searching the depths for treasure, or fish, the Eldritch curse that has taken the land leads into a small mystery.
Article continues after ad
Eventually, you go from fishing for oceanic life, to braving the dark abyss of night and dredging up old trinkets which a curious researcher wants. What for? Well, you’ll have to find out.
Get Dredge from Humble Bundle
Path of Exile
Grinding Gear GamesPath of Exile offers satisfying, horde-slaying combat.
Another is inspired heavily by the vibe and mechanics of Diablo 2. After Diablo 3 launched to a less than stellar reception by diehard fans of the second game, Grinding Gear Games began work on Path of Exile.
We’re nearly a year on from GGG launching controller support and running through the last couple of major updates has led to the Steam Deck being our go-to for the game. Path of Exile’s enormous breadth is perfect fodder for those TV catch-up sessions or podcast listening endeavors.
Article continues after ad
Path of Exile’s fresh runs through the early content work wonderfully well on the Steam Deck. Even when we’ve hit some of the endgame content, Path of Exile’s surprisingly well-thought-out controller mapping makes things a breeze.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
CapcomWhile performance isn’t incredible, nor is the fidelity of how it looks with AMD’s supersampling applied, the beast of a remake is certainly one of the best times we’ve had on the device.
Article continues after ad
Being stalked and mobbed by the unruly Spaniards, Resident Evil 4 Remake slots perfectly into the “pick up and play” motif the device has. Struggling against a boss while you aim for that S+ rank,or just getting the heeby-jeebies from a late night romp through Dr. Salvador’s backyard? Set it and forget it… for five minutes.
CapcomThe expanded exploration and huge replayability make Resident Evil 4 Remake a joy on the Steam Deck. Our extended hunts for treasure around the castle and village were done in pure comfort as we lay in bed until 2 AM.
Article continues after ad
Despite having to settle for 720p/30fps at all Low settings, it stops mattering once you’re in the game. Resident Evil 4: Remake’s art style, while more realistic, isn’t lost once you start ticking down the settings. There are a few spotty shadows, and hair can look strange, but the performance is solid throughout.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Besides, who else is going to save the president’s daughter?
Get Resident Evil 4 Remake from GameBillet
Vampire Survivors
PoncleA bizarre crossover between the visuals of old Castlevania games, bullet hell shooters, and rogue-likes, Vampire Survivors is fabulous. With each round being maxed out (at the start) to 30 minutes, it makes for an excellent time waster.
Article continues after ad
However, the deeper you go, the more you try to complete the various challenges, and the game starts to break wide open.
Soon, those 30-minute stints killing monsters – and surprisingly very few vampires – can blossom into these extravagant and elaborate rounds where the timer can be busted, power-ups are taken advantage of and so, so much more.
It’s the perfect “one more round” game, but much like everything else on this list, is an excellent pick-up-and-play title too.
Article continues after ad
Final Fantasy XIV
Square EnixFFXIV is, without a doubt, one of the best MMORPGs to grace us in the last decade. A wicked combination of some of the best storytelling from Square Enix and wonderful moment-to-moment action.
It also plays superbly on the Steam Deck, offering intuitive controls for a gamepad. Designed originally to support the PS3, a lot of care has gone into making sure the heavy MMO gameplay isn’t lost on those who just want to explore the world around them.
Article continues after ad
On Steam Deck, there’s nothing better than finishing work, grabbing that black slab, and going to town on leveling up your botanist skills. Or finishing a dungeon.
There are also great improvements to solo play, with strictly multiplayer affairs like dungeons and key quests in the game now offering AI companions so you’re not sitting around waiting too long.
Get FFXIV from Amazon
Crysis: Remastered
CrytekCrysis Remastered looks good, and the gameplay still feels modern
The basis for practically every modern open-world game. Crysis: Remastered masterfully crafts its quite linear progression into these different “zones”. This means that you can take out a small enclave, save your game and pop it down until the next time you’re ready to take it on the island.
Article continues after ad
Crysis: Remastered runs wonderfully on the Steam Deck. The updated controls match the sequels console focus and the game is incredibly well-optimized. So yes, the Steam Deck can run Crysis.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
CapcomAre you starting to notice the pattern of our recommendations for the “best Steam Deck games”? They’re all things that won’t ultimately detract from your day if you have to quickly put them down. So what game is a better example than Monster Hunter?
Article continues after ad
Monster Hunter Rise takes the game back a step in terms of graphical prowess but makes up for it in the sheer quantity of things to do. Seriously, the game is a non-stop barrage of upgrading, and fighting and that’s before you even hit Sunbreak.
Sunbreak is the expansion DLC that offers a deadly deluge of things to do, and monsters that need their heads bashing in.
Monster Hunter is always best played when portable, and the Steam Deck lets you run the title without a hitch, and play in co-op with your friends on PC.
Article continues after adGet Monster Hunter Rise from GamebilletGet Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak from Gamebillet