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Metaphor: ReFantazio is a step forward for ATLUS, of which I am a huge fan. The story and characters are both fantastic and engaging, while the combat and the new changes from them are wonderful. I love the entire archetype system and the new fantasy world that they built. It still has the deep story and meaning behind it that we have come to know from the Persona series, but with a new fantasy angle that I dig. There are a couple of areas that feel a bit monochrome or textures that don't look amazing, and I do wish getting around was a bit easier, but these criticisms are far few compared to just how enjoyable the game is.
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.
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.
2024 has seen many fantastic indie titles, and Arco is among them. If you like tactical games with deep world-building, or if you want a challenge, it will sate those taste buds. I like both, and although Arco pushed me to hell and back on the difficulty front, it deserves its Overwhelmingly Positive score on Steam with every juicy mouthful of berries, and it is a great Steam Deck performer.
Neva is an outstanding short experience that wows on so many fronts. The visuals are extremely appealing and vibrant, while the story tells an emotional, wholesome tale that feels elevated thanks to telling it in a more unique way through actions versus dialogue. The gameplay is a bit simple, but it does the job for the scope of the game. And while I had some stopping points with the environment, it was ultimately worthwhile and didn't take too long to figure out. It is also perfect to play on the Steam Deck, and I can't say that enough! This is an essential for your portable library, especially if you have an OLED screen.
Had this game debuted in 2024, this would likely win my Game Of The Year award. Even when not on sale, its base price of $17.99 is a steal for the quality of what’s on offer. There have been a few minor bugs, but these were so infrequent that they were barely worth mentioning. Chilling, brilliant, and disturbing, Slay The Princess is in its best condition yet with the arrival of the Pristine Cut.
Organic and honest is how I would describe Drova: Forsaken Kin. It combines the best parts of what made me fall in love with RPGs into a brilliant package. Great worldbuilding and lore, challenging combat without feeling like it's mocking the player for trying, and surprisingly gorgeous visuals blend in wonderfully. This is an absolute bargain for the quality, even at full price.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is one of the best adventure games of recent memory because it truly captures that sense of "adventure." Minor niggles concerning inventory management and story pacing don't deter from the solid gameplay, the intriguing story as a whole, and the immersive environments making you feel like you are playing an Indiana Jones movie. The solid voice acting is a cherry on top. As for how the game runs on the Steam Deck, well it's up to you whether it is "playable" or not. I did find it playable and enjoyable. The image is quite blurry, but I didn't find that it hindered playing the game; having said that, it's understandable if those visuals offend your eyes. But if you want to play Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and a Steam Deck is all you have, it is an option to play it. I would just recommend you use a desktop instead if possible.
Tales of Graces f has become one of my favorite games in the series. The combat feels amazing and addicting thanks to the fast-paced action and great progression depth with the Titles and Dualize system. The story isn't the most surprising, but the cast of characters is fantastic and carries the plot as it continues. The visuals hold up nicely, too, thanks to the cel-shaded aesthetic. It can be a little obnoxious to run from place to place, and the story is predictable at times, but it's still an incredible way to experience one of the best Tales games in existence. It also runs wonderfully on the Steam Deck, with only some minor issues here and there that are inconsistent. Since the issues don't always pop up, I would say this is a safe bet to play on your Deck without problems, and I recommend setting the TDP limit a little lower to save on battery without compromises.
Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter is a brutal tale that feels like it came straight out of a storybook. From its visual style to its excellent narration, right down to its cast of characters, the developers didn't hold back from certain actions if they thought it served the story well to take them, and that's a great thing. I can wholeheartedly recommend that you try Tails of Iron 2 when you can. Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter also runs great on the Steam Deck, with excellent controls, a smooth 60 FPS experience, and great battery life. There isn't much you can say against it, so don't worry about playing this one on the go.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is quite possibly one of the best non-linear RPGs I have ever played. No game has ever made me feel like anything could actually happen based on my choices to the degree this game has. The story and side content are both varied and enticing, making me want to stop and just go experience all the side quests I could. The combat and progression mechanics are also solid, and I even loved the more realistic mini-games like smithing or alchemy, which give a nice break from the fighting and running around. There are some minor issues here and there, like getting stuck on terrain and the pre-rendered cutscenes taking out a little of the immersion, but these are small in the grand scheme. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a fantastic game through and through, and it would be a shame not to have this one in your library.
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.
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!
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a fantastic next step for the franchise and a nice return to its roots. The horizontal-movement focus is easier to wrap my head around, and with a great assortment of weapons and the new shield, there were so many chaotic and destructive moments that I always found myself having a great time in the beautiful world. There were some moments when the shield would disrupt the flow of my movement, and there wasn't much to do outside of completing the campaign and collecting the secrets, but it's hard not to recommend the game just based on its addictive and refined gunplay.
Elden Ring Nightreign feels like a near-perfect blend of From Software's souls-like formula and addictive roguelikes that make this experience feel like a step above the rest. The combat still feels just like Elden Ring and other souls-like games we have come to love, but the faster exploration and bite-sized expeditions kept my attention longer than most other souls-like games have. I adore the new roguelike mechanics, which make each run feel distinct and impactful, while also maintaining the quality that further elevates the experience. The Relic system can feel a little underwhelming, and the story for the characters feels significantly less complex and meaningful compared to the original game, but it's still a great, high-quality roguelike that should satisfy both fans of each genre Nightreign encompasses. It also runs quite well on the Steam Deck, even if there are some fluctuations with framerate and visuals. A lot of the issues come from an underwhelming PC port that lacks some essential settings, like V-Sync and in-game framerate limiters. However, it's still very playable, both online and offline, and is still a solid way to play this wonderful experience.
The Alters is an amazing game, and one of the few that I could actually see myself replaying for the story. The combination of survival, gathering, and base building, mixed with a winding, sci-fi story where your choices matter, is a treat and so intriguing that it only gets better the longer you play. Even with some little nuisances later and a slight overwhelming feeling, nothing ever detracted from the gameplay or story, and I was loving it. I was also surprised that it plays as well as it does on the Steam Deck. It isn't perfect, and does have some hitches and slowdowns, but it sticks above 30 FPS for the most part and looks great. It does need a lot of power, but in the end, it will be worthwhile to play on the go.
Ys X: Nordics is one of the best entries in the Ys series thanks to great on-foot combat, an engaging cast of characters, and beautiful visuals, even though the general story, variety of locations, and naval combat could have been improved. It is also wonderfully optimized, making it near perfect for the Steam Deck.
[REDACTED] is a game the developers should be proud of. The combat is fast-paced and smooth, and the variety of upgrades keeps the gameplay fresh, even though the world is quite repetitive. While I wish the game had more content so it lasted longer, it is a budget title and priced accordingly. I wouldn't say no to some DLC that added a set of biomes to play through, though that might be difficult with the game closely following The Callisto Protocol's world. As far as how [REDACTED] plays on the Steam Deck, I can't offer any criticisms here. The game is basically flawless. The controls work well, the graphics can be run on their highest settings, and we can keep a modest TDP limit, all of which make [REDACTED] a great game to play on your Steam Deck.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure starts off with a strange story, which quickly turns into a perplexing one and ends up being slightly bizarre and worrying. If you wanted to continue Max's story from the original Life is Strange, this should satisfy that desire. The original game is referenced quite heavily throughout, so if you haven't played the original Life is Strange, I recommend you do so before playing Double Exposure to get a full grasp of everything mentioned. If you don't fancy playing the first game, then Double Exposure does explain some of the events that take place so you can get by. You just might not fully appreciate everything mentioned. The gameplay is pretty middling. There's nothing particularly interesting going on here, and Max's powers of going between timelines, while novel, are on the basic side, and you use them for the same thing over and over again. The story more than makes up for this, though, and as the game progresses, it takes over more and more from the gameplay. As for Steam Deck performance, it isn't quite as performant as I'd like. You will have to accept some frame rate drops from 30 FPS to make the game look "OK," but I played the entire game through on my Steam Deck, so while I would recommend you use a more powerful device to play this if you have one available, don't hold off on buying Life is Strange: Double Exposure if all you have to it play on is a Steam Deck.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is one of my favorite JRPGs I have played in recent years. The wonderful gameplay mechanics and storytelling that feel unconventional and non-linear succeed in creating a distinctive experience that can't be easily found anywhere else. I love that the decisions you make impact each aspect of the game, and the Inheritance mechanic is a cool way to change up your playstyle throughout the game and progress the narrative. It won't appeal to everybody, and I didn't feel that invested in the characters, but the pros heavily outweighed the cons. I am also so pleased that playing on the Steam Deck works so well. It's a ton of fun, runs extremely well, and is such a joy. This is easily the best way to play, and I can't recommend it enough!