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Cairn combines strategy and survival to create a unique experience that I want to keep coming back to. The combination of strategy and survival in climbing a treacherous mountain is well-balanced, keeping gameplay engaging and fun throughout. It can be brutal and unforgiving with how quickly you can fall, and save points are a little too scattered in some areas, but it was hard to find any moment that didn’t make me want to try climbing again. I do wish it ran better on the Steam Deck, but I would still consider it playable since it doesn’t need high framerates to be fully enjoyed. Still, I had a great time playing it in bed, and I can happily recommend it.
In the end, Arknights: Endfield feels like a game made with quiet confidence. It’s dense, occasionally stubborn, and absolutely uninterested in chasing mass appeal. That won’t work for everyone, and it doesn’t try to. But for players willing to meet it on its own terms, Endfield offers a richly atmospheric, mechanically engaging experience that feels rare in the free-to-play space. It’s flawed, sometimes frustrating, and often brilliant, a game that knows exactly what it wants to be, even if it makes you work a little to appreciate it. As with every GaaS, however, especially the Gacha-based ones, its survival is contingent on future content and on whether the systems implemented, both present and future, feel fair to the burgeoning playerbase.
MIO: Memories in Orbit is a gorgeous, fluid, and intriguing metroidvania that succeeds on almost all fronts. The intriguing story hooked me in, while the fantastic traversal and platforming mixed well with the simplistic combat to create an engaging experience. The fast travel and respawns could be a little unforgiving, and I wish there were more parts to further upgrade MIO to continue experimenting, but it was still fun nonetheless. And MIO is wonderful on the Steam Deck. Just changing the graphics quality to Medium gives us a perfect 60 FPS with lower battery drain, and it still looks great, especially on the OLED screen. So, I am pleased to say that not only is this a great metroidvania, but it’s a fantastic title to take on the go, and I highly recommend it.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon is a great next game in the series and sets the bar high for future entries in the series. The implications of the finale are worth playing through, and the buildup was exciting and filled with twists and turns I didn't expect. The great gameplay is back as well, adding new elements to real-time and turn-based battles that keep the action going and give more options for strategic opportunities. Bringing all the characters into conversations sometimes feels forced, and combat can be very unfair with one wrong move, but this is ultimately a fantastic experience that has made me extremely excited for the next Trails game. On top of that, it's a joy to play on the Steam Deck. A combination of settings can get a great balance for smooth gameplay with solid visuals, which is perfect for the long, grindy experience that the game specializes in. Ultimately, it's well worth experiencing on the Steam Deck, and it keeps the Trails series as one that's great to take on the go.
Big Hops did something interesting today: it charmed a player who is terrible at platformers into liking it. The gameplay offers plenty of variety with its different mechanics, and I’ve found the story and characters charming. If you fancy a new platformer game with both charm and depth, this is a great way to kick off 2026! It isn’t perfect, of course, with some irritating camera bugs, a general lack of customization for game settings, and some very frustrating moments at times. None of these are dealbreakers, however, and I can heartily recommend Big Hops both as a solid game in its genre and a great addition to the Steam Deck library.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a solid game, if a little rough around the edges in places. I would classify this as a "Bethesda-lite" game. It has less content and a smaller world than, say, the Fallout games, but if you're after a more structured, story-based game, then The Outer Worlds 2 does a good job of being a first-person shooter RPG. As for Steam Deck performance, it's a bit disappointing; holding 30 FPS just isn't realistic. On the plus side, most areas where you drop below 30 FPS are not combat ones, so I would still call the game playable.
FANTASY LIFE i definitely has its good points. It has a decent storyline, albeit a short one, and it has plenty of side content in the form of levelling up your "lives" and enhancing your island, but it definitely caters towards players who enjoy that grind. If that doesn't describe you, then this game might not be for you. As for Steam Deck support, you can't really fault FANTASY LIFE i. Great controller support and a graphics preset already in place for the device mean that you can't really ask for more in terms of how well it runs on the Steam Deck.
Kirby Air Riders is the kind of sequel that feels impossible: a game that completely respects the original’s spirit while expanding it into something bigger, bolder, and more polished. It’s accessible without being shallow, chaotic without being frustrating, and packed with enough content to keep fans playing for months. Whether you love the silliness, the speed, the competition, or the sheer unpredictability, this is easily one of the Switch 2’s standout titles.
Skate Story has some very interesting ideas and gorgeous visuals, but some missteps stop it from being a must-have game in my book. I love the aesthetic, the general gameplay mechanics with skating and how easy it is to do tricks, and the wacky story. But the difficulty in controlling our skater, the lack of ways to go back and play through the levels, and the overall feeling of uselessness for the combo system during boss fights keep it from greatness. It’s still a fun game, and I had a good time with it, but there was just too much stopping me from fully immersing myself in it. It is a good time on the Steam Deck, and if you’re going to be getting the game anyway, it is a lot of fun to play on the go. It isn’t as stable as I would’ve liked, but you can still play it with a solid battery life and a smoother feel than 30 FPS. Ultimately, this is a game. I would recommend playing on the go if you’re going to be getting it anyway.
Of Ash and Steel has some technical issues that can exacerbate the difficulty, but once these are fixed, we should have a very challenging, if not brutal, Action RPG on our hands that is likely to be enjoyed by a certain crowd. You can't really argue with the price for the amount of content you're getting, either. And while it isn't great on the Steam Deck, it's still an enjoyable game and one worth checking out if you are a fan of old-style RPGs.
Despite some smaller issues here and there, Octopath Traveler 0 is a fantastic JRPG that is a worthy entry in this series. It is missing some of the charm and character development that were present in the previous two games, but it's still a fantastic experience with great combat, a compelling story, a solid town-management system, and a continuation of the wonderful HD-2D visual style that I have fallen in love with. As a JRPG fan, this is going to be a wonderful addition to your ever-growing library. And with how great the game runs on the Steam Deck, this is definitely a worthy title to add to your portable library as well. A solid 60 FPS on High settings with around 3.5-4 hours of battery is a treat, and I can't recommend this game enough.
SLEEP AWAKE is by far one of my favorite horror games I have played this year. The story is creative and intriguing, hooking me until the end, so I could see what would happen next. The gameplay has a nice balance that I would expect a horror game like this to have, even though a couple of the puzzles are a little hard to solve, and dying takes way too long to come back. Still, this is one of the more creative horror games I have played, and it is one of my favorites that I have played this year. While it isn't completely solid throughout, the game is still very playable on the Steam Deck. It runs decently in most areas, though there are some unavoidable drops that could go below 20 FPS. Still, it doesn't happen often, and I still recommend playing it on the Steam Deck.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a joyful, confident, and beautifully crafted beat-’em-up that knows precisely what it wants to be. It celebrates the genre’s roots while adding just enough innovation to stand out, and its reverence for Marvel’s cosmic side gives it personality to spare. On Steam Deck, it’s close to perfect — smooth, stable, responsive, and wonderfully suited to handheld play. While repetition, limited progression, and occasional visual overload keep it from reaching genre-defining heights, the overall package remains highly entertaining, especially for fans of co-op play, classic arcade brawlers, or Marvel’s colourful roster of heroes. It’s easy to pick up, exciting to master, and hard not to enjoy.
A.I.L.A is a solid horror game that shines thanks to its gorgeous visuals and interesting story. Despite it being a bit predictable, I was entertained and enjoyed seeing everything play out, and the variety of locations made the experience overall feel very unique and kept me interested. Combat parts of gameplay weren't that enjoyable, but I had a great time figuring out the puzzles, and it strikes a nice balance with its difficulty. Still, it's an overall unique and enjoyable time that fans of horror will enjoy. And even though it isn't the greatest experience out of the box, it's playable on the Steam Deck. It doesn't save the changed settings on a new boot, but the visuals look significantly better set to Medium over Low for the most part. Still, either way, it's playable and enjoyable on the go.
Demonschool has been a delight to play, and while it launched later than I would have liked, the game has been worth the wait. I wish there were more exploration in the world outside of missions, and the pre-launch bugs I encountered with the review build were a bit frustrating at times. However, the vibrant visual design, combined with solid gameplay, makes Demonschool a stylish turn-based RPG that ticks nearly all my boxes.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is a good platformer. It has some solid mechanics that keep it fun to play and are utilized in a variety of ways, which helps them not outstay their welcome. While the story backing it up isn't too interesting, the familiar characters definitely help boost it for any SpongeBob fans out there. It's also a fair price for an adventure that will last most players close to the 10-hour mark, if you take some time out to do some of the side quests. Performance on the Steam Deck isn't as good as I'd hoped for a game like this, but most areas will run at 60 FPS. However, expect some dips in a couple of environments, particularly during cutscenes. The game remains fully playable and enjoyable, despite these dips, and I have no problem recommending it for players to enjoy primarily on a Steam Deck.
Escape Simulator 2 is the evolution of Escape Simulator that I was hoping for. The levels are bigger, puzzles are more creative and fit very well within the level, and the new, darker, higher-fidelity aesthetic is just a joy to walk around in. There are some smaller issues here and there with controllers, and some of the reasons to get back into the game after beating the levels will be based on the community, but it's overall a fantastic sequel that is well worth your time, especially if you have someone to play with. It also runs quite well on the Steam Deck and should be no issue to play on the go. There are a couple of changes I would make for optimal play, and performance is a little weird at times, but it's ultimately fantastic, and I can't wait to play some new puzzles that the community can make.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is all about quality over quantity, and the quality is just incredible. The combat is fast-paced, brutal, flashy, and engaging, while still feeling accessible enough to use the diverse moveset and still require some skill to utilize to their fullest. With the gorgeous world, head-bopping soundtrack, and side content, I found many reasons to keep coming back for more even after finishing the campaign. There are some minor issues here and there, but nothing that stopped me from enjoying every moment. It also plays quite nicely on the Steam Deck. It does have a specific Steam Deck Mode that can play at 30 FPS, and while it can handle higher framerates, there are a multitude of issues that keep it from being an amazing experience. Still, it's playable, looks decent, and a solid way to enjoy the game.
Keeper is one of those experiences that grew on me the more I played. While the visuals blew me away immediately, I didn't start enjoying the story and experience until I let go and just stopped trying to make sense of what was going on. From there, I could just let myself get sucked into the beauty of rebirth and companionship that I fell in love with. The puzzles we will encounter are interesting and have some cool mechanics, but some overstayed their welcome more than I would have liked. Still, the good heavily outweighs the bad, and I highly recommend playing through this magical experience. However, I would not play it on the Steam Deck just yet. While it is possible, there will be lots of drops below 30 FPS, and with the sacrifices needed, the beauty of the world can't be enjoyed to the extent it should. A patch is coming, which is great, but it isn't there just yet.
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles is a rare re-release that understands exactly why the original is revered, and carefully builds upon that legacy without suffocating the original's clear vision. The additions, be it a smoother UI, flexible difficulty modes, or the welcome sheen of voice acting, serve to make the game more approachable while still respecting the uncompromising heart that made it truly iconic. A rugged, respectful restoration ensures one of Square Enix’s most celebrated tactical RPGs can stand proudly in the modern era, and I can only hope that a revival of such a cult classic is a sign of what the future may hold for us. Whether you’re a newcomer like me or a battle-hardened Ivalician veteran, this is the definitive way to experience a classic that has managed to stand the test of time. It's also essentially flawless on the Steam Deck, feeling perfect to play on the go, whether you choose the remastered or classic version of the game. This is a fantastic purchase, and one we can wholly recommend.