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Bionic Bay is one of the best platformers I have played in a long time, and quite possibly one of the best I have ever played. The combination of precision and chaos, mixed with a gorgeous sci-fi aesthetic and vibrant atmosphere, makes this one of the best experiences. The powers you can use to manipulate the physics-based world to solve puzzles are exciting, while the speedrunning focus and online mode give more of a reason to come back and try to get through the levels as fast as possible and find shortcuts. It's an addictive, enjoyable time all the way through, with no complaints I could think of. It also runs brilliantly on the Steam Deck, and while there are some minor drops here and there, that doesn't change just how perfect it fits for portable play. This is an essential to add to your Steam Deck library.
The Lunar Remastered Collection finally gave me the chance to experience two of the best JRPGs from the SEGA CD, and I was not disappointed. The story and characters carry the experience, and both Lunar 1 and 2 hold up in this regard. I was taken by the world, and while the gameplay feels a bit generic and UI clunky compared to today's standards, it isn't aggravating and has its charms. It's a good idea to keep the fact that this is a remaster of a 25+ year old game in mind, and if you can, you will not be let down. The game also runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, easily hitting 60 FPS with under 8W of battery drain for over 8 hours of battery life. There aren't many settings to change, but there isn't much that needs to! This is a Best on Deck game, and one worth playing on the go.
Promise Mascot Agency is a great game with loads of charm that can feel repetitive the longer you play. The story and characters are fantastic, making the gorgeous town of Kaso-Machi more enjoyable to travel around and discover. The gameplay is enjoyable, and I like the open-world collecting mixed with business management, but it gets a little too repetitive as your agency grows, discouraging me from sending mascots on more jobs. Still, I had a blast playing the game, and it's definitely worth experiencing. It also runs really well on the Steam Deck, which is a nice touch. It definitely has some wiggle room to enhance the experience, but once done, it's the best way to enjoy the game!
South of Midnight is a game of two halves. The platforming and story aspects hold up pretty well, being, for the most part, interesting and engaging. Sadly, the combat feels like something the developers felt they had to put in but didn't really want to. I'm not sure how the game would have felt without combat, but it is a shame that this portion of the game feels pretty weak. Steam Deck performance is completely within the realms of being playable. We're stuck at 30 FPS, but the game feels good to play, and you shouldn't worry about buying South of Midnight to play on your Steam Deck.
Blue Prince is an outstanding game that feels like a fantastic mesh of roguelikes and puzzle games. The layers of strategy piled on each other, coupled with the puzzles and the way each room has information for another, make this an addictive experience. I found it hard not to come back to. It could get a little obnoxious having to backtrack, and some puzzles are a bit too difficult, but once you get the hang of things, it's an experience like no other. It's absolutely worthwhile to experience this for yourself, and I really recommend having a notebook to jot down notes on. It's also a blast to play on the Steam Deck. There are no settings to change, but with a framerate limit of 45, we can curb minor drops and save on battery. This is a great game to play on the go, and I can't recommend it enough!
Koira is a beautiful game wrapped in a simple package. It tells an emotional tale about bonding with a dog and how they can affect us as we go through hardship. It's heartwarming to see how the friendship develops, and is highlighted by the gorgeous world and soundtrack. The gameplay is on the simple side, and it isn't perfect, but it does the job and keeps the story front and center. It runs extremely well on the Steam Deck, getting to 90 FPS with ease and sticking around a 10W battery drain. This is definitely a perfect game to play in bed when you want to relax, and I can happily recommend it.
Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of the best games in the series in a long time, and is one of my favorites. The Japanese setting fits perfectly within the context of the game, and the world feels more alive thanks to the physics and changing seasons. The combat is very engaging, both in close quarters and when assassinating, and I looked forward to each fight. The story is a bit predictable, but the dual protagonists have very interesting character arcs that make them feel more compelling. Shadows isn't perfect, and it feels like more of what we have seen in previous entries, but the good outweighs the bad. As for playing Shadows on the Steam Deck, I am truly amazed that it is playable at all. I wouldn't expect anything above 30 FPS with a high battery drain, but the fact that it is playable and mostly stable is quite amazing. It won't be 100% stable, but if you have no other way to play, it will be enjoyable on the go.
Mudborne is a fairly complex puzzle game. If you're after a game that requires plenty of logical thinking and some planning, then you'll probably enjoy your time with this one. But if you're after a relaxing game that lets you settle down on an evening and enjoy some downtime, this probably isn't a game for you. It does, however, run beautifully on the Steam Deck, requiring no configuration to get working. With a low TDP Limit required for 60 FPS, you can't ask for much more.
The First Berserker: Khazan is an enjoyable title for a specific group of people. The combat is tight and responsive, just what you want for a skill-based game such as a Souls-like. The story is decent, although I would have liked to have a bit more background information about the empire that Khazan served and any actual information on what kind of person Khazan is, but maybe that's for another time. The game's presentation is unique with the cel-shading, but it works well. To top it all off, The First Berserker: Khazan runs great on the Steam Deck. We can't push the visuals too hard, but we do get a decent-looking game at 60 FPS, and we can lower the frame rate to gain some battery life if we choose.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land is a fantastic experience with engaging mechanics and a solid story. Synthesizing items is addicting, the story is interesting, and the activities around the open world are fulfilling. Combat gets enjoyable later on, but it can feel a little floaty in general with basic attacks. Apart from some minor issues traversing the landscape, I didn't find much I disliked about the game, and I would recommend checking it out if you enjoy the series or just like JRPGs in general. Playing on the Steam Deck is almost completely solid, with a fluctuating framerate. But outside of some areas in the first region and some very flashy combat, we can get a stable 30 FPS with the game looking quite solid. It needs some compromises, but in the end, it is playable and enjoyable.
Wanderstop is delightfully relaxing. The story about Alta and her life contains some serious notes, but that doesn't change the fact that this is one of the most enjoyable "cozy" games I've played in a while. The intricacies of making tea and interacting with your customers are interesting and engaging, and I'm glad I got the chance to have this experience. To top it all off, the game runs great on the Steam Deck. You can adjust the graphics to aim for visual quality or battery life, the controls work perfectly well, and the Deck's native resolution is supported.
Knights in Tight Spaces does pretty much everything right for a tactical deck-builder. It has many cards, presents information clearly to the player, and has various difficulty options to make the game balanced for everyone. The RNG of drawing cards can be a little frustrating, but it's all part of the game and is a small issue compared to the fun that can be had here. Performance on Steam Deck isn't the best considering how the game is presented, but it's still perfectly playable, and if you can overlook some small text, you can have a great time playing Knights in Tight Spaces on your Steam Deck.
Grimoire Groves is a refreshing take on the standard roguelike genre, and I genuinely enjoy the core gameplay loop. The visuals are nice, and while the game is simple, it plays to its strengths. I also really enjoy building up the little encyclopedia that catalogs what you find in the Grove. The lack of accessibility options and problems I had with performance was disappointing in the release build, but these can be fixed with time. Despite these issues, Grimoire Groves is still a good performer on the Steam Deck.
Two Point Museum is brave in that it takes aim at an industry that is usually not regarded as all that interesting and tries to make a fun game out of it. Unfortunately, this was attempted by injecting a lot of "humor," which just didn't pay off for me. I'd have much preferred a more authentic museum experience with real fish and exhibits rather than being hit with a joke-a-minute, which rarely pays off. If you can tolerate the comedy, the gameplay works well and there's still an enjoyable experience to be found here. That being said, Two Point Museum does run great on the Steam Deck, so if you have had your eye on this one and a bit of silliness doesn't put you off, you shouldn't hesitate to get it to play on your handheld.
Monster Hunter Wilds may have had a bit of a slow start, but it became one of my favorite experiences afterward. The game retains what made it a sensation after World and adds some great new mechanics to keep the long, arduous hunts engaging and exciting. The world and quests feel dynamic with one of Monster Hunter's best stories. While I don't play this series for the story, some parts were quite intriguing. It's an addictive gameplay loop with fantastic progression that only gets better the more you play, and it's truly a joy when playing with others. Even with some of its low points, Monster Hunter Wilds has become one of my favorite games that I have ever played, which had me addicted to grinding and getting more and better materials to master what it took to hunt monsters and make myself more powerful. If you have a more powerful PC or console like a PS5, this is a must-have game.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is a fantastic entry in the series, and while it doesn't reach the heights of Infinite Wealth, it's still a joy to play. The story is filled with great moments and a cast of memorable characters, along with solid gameplay mechanics and a ton of activities to partake in. The progression systems were okay, with ship navigation and crew formation feeling a little underwhelming, but the choices you have and activities to do make up for it. For a spin-off entry in this franchise, RGG Studio succeeded in creating an engaging, gripping experience that paid off in the end. And while there are some compromises needed, Pirate Yakuza is a fantastic time on the Steam Deck. It is optimized enough to be very versatile, whether you want a high framerate for smooth gameplay or the highest quality settings with upscaling, all while retaining its visuals. I am so glad it runs as well as it does, and I can happily recommend it to anyone who would mainly play this on the go.
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage has a lot of great moments with just a few outliers that keep it from being an amazing experience. The story is great, which is elevated thanks to a wonderful cast and an interesting way of telling it. The basic gameplay for these kinds of games is here again, but with an intriguing Memoir feature to record different objects to create your own mini-videos. I wish the magical elements and finale were a bit more impactful, but I feel the narrative had enough to keep me interested in how they would continue the tale. It is also playable on the Steam Deck, albeit with some compromises. I wish I could get it to a fully stable 30 FPS without major visual downgrades, but with a game like this, the short drops down below weren't the end of the world. This is still going to be an enjoyable portable experience, and I had a blast playing it on the go.
Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered is a fantastic remaster of some of the classic Tomb Raider titles that makes them as playable as possible. Aspyr's enhancements have made these titles much better looking and easier to enjoy, with great new features like the wonderful photo mode and fly-by camera for cinematic shots. The original games do have some quality-of-life features to make them more playable, but there are still some issues with controls and speed that still keep them feeling more like a slog for newcomers. Still, this is easily the best way to enjoy the games currently, and they can be a ton of fun if you have the patience. They all run especially well on the Steam Deck too. The Last Revelation and Chronicles run better than The Angel of Darkness, but they're all a joy to play on the go with solid battery life and an easy 60 or 90 FPS.
Hello Kitty Island Adventure isn't just a quick cash-in on the popular IP. The game feels like it was made by a team that knew how beloved the IP was and has been careful to retain its charm while also offering a complete and competent game that's perfect for kids and that adults will likely enjoy, too. It also runs great on the Steam Deck, with fully working controls and easy-going system requirements that mean you get plenty of battery life to explore your tropical island. It's a great way to relax at the end of the day.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. could have been a great game. The core mechanics are solid, the fighting feels good, and there's plenty of depth to the combat system with all the combos you can learn, but all of this is marred by the fact that it's a primarily online game with a pretty terrible online system in place right now. Performance on the Steam Deck is good, holding 60 FPS throughout, and it has a great control scheme as well. The battery life is a bit disappointing, but Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. likely isn't a game you'll play for a long time in one sitting.