“Looking for more games to play? Look no further-Here’s our top 5 Games for the Steam Deck in May”
Handheld gaming devices are making a killing right now. From retro emulation powerhouses by Anbernic and Retroid to premium handheld like the various AYN and GDP Win models to novel attempts like the Playdate have taken the market like a storm. It feels as if there’s a new handheld coming out every other week. Heck, even ASUS is all set to join the fun with their ROG ALLY. But it is Valve’s Steam Deck that’s the talk of the town. What it may lack in raw power, the Steam Deck makes up for with its unbeatable price, versatility and official/unofficial software support.
If you’re like me and are away from your primary gaming system of choice, then there’s no companion device like the Steam Deck. With this nifty device, accessing your PC gaming library on the go- whether it’s during commuting, in public places, during vacation or while you’re diving 20,000 feet in the sky has become an affordable option. If you’re busy clearing backlogs (they should call this thing the Backlog Burner), trying out some new games or emulating childhood classics, there’s no such thing as “too many games”. So, here are our top 5 games for the Steam Deck for the month of May 2023.
#1 DREDGE
An ominous lighthouse, an amnesiac fisherman, the vast blue of the ocean and things that go bump in the night-Dredge by Black Salt Games is a Thalassophobic Lovecraftian nightmare disguised as a chill fishing game. Explore the dangerous waters, catch hundreds of “totally normal” aquatic creatures, meet shady characters and uncover the mystery surrounding your past in this indie adventure. Quoting our review, “each aspect of Dredge is gamified just right, and sandwiched effectively to keep you coming back for more.” Dredge is the first game in our Top 5 Games for the Steam Deck article and runs as if it was tailor-made for the Steam Deck. Moreover, the game is very power-efficient, and you’ll be able to squeeze 3–4 hours of gameplay before the battery runs out.
#2 SIFU
Sifu did come out last year on EGS and consoles. However, it’s Sifu’s launch on Steam that makes it an essential purchase for the Steam Deck. Not only you get to play the excellent martial arts roguelite out of the box, you also get to try out the new Arenas expansion. Besides the excellent and replayable campaign, you now get to test your mettle against overwhelming odds across 40 or so handcrafted challenges. Scoring a whopping 90 in our review, Sifu runs at a locked 60 fps on the Steam Deck, making it an essential purchase.
#3 LORETTA
As much as I love mechanically-rich experiences, sometimes, you just need to kick back and relax. Visual Novels are a way for to do that. Steam has an over-abundance of good Visual Novels, but Loretta is truly something else. Inspired by the works of King, Hitchcock, Ridley and more, Loretta is a morbid fever dream about a small town gal’s fall into a spiral of violence, delusion and deceit. Using creative camera cuts and striking audio design, the psychological thriller provides a short but replayable experience. This one, too, runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck.
#4 RESIDENT EVIL 4 REMAKE
Now, everyone and their mothers already must have told you how amazing the Resident Evil 4 remake is. It’s a title that is worthy of a big-screen experience. But, not everyone can afford that luxury. Thankfully, Resident Evil 4 runs pretty well on the Steam Deck, all things considered. With some tweaks and FSR set to Quality, the game will run at around 40 fps on the little device, with some drops to 30s here and there. At a time when the AAA sector is dropping one stinker after another, Resident Evil 4 is one title that is fully worth the asking price.
#5 DARKEST DUNGEON
Darkest Dungeon is a few years old at this point. But with, Darkest Dungeon 2 1.0 is releasing on Steam in a week, it’s the perfect time to jump back in and familiarize yourself with the tight tactical turn-based gameplay of the original. The intricately crafted risk vs reward gameplay loop that makes you come back for more, the awesome narrator, the deep combat and desolate tone of Darkest Dungeon is seldom unmatched. The Crimson Court and Colors of Madness DLCs add even more value to the already content-rich game. On the Steam Deck, the controls might need a little getting used to, but there are a bazillion community controller presets available to suit your needs. You can even fine tune them to your liking. Once again, this is a power-efficient title that can be played for more than 4 hours in a single charge.
So, that’s our Top 5 Games for the Steam Deck for this month. This is in no ways a definitive list, as there are hundreds of amazing games that play great on the Deck. So, we’ll be back next month with more great games for the Steam Deck. Happy gaming!