Despite having not been available for even a full year, the Steam Deck has become one of my most used gaming systems. I played many ports and new releases on it over the last few months, but was impressed by how it made me try out PC-only games that might never see console ports. With 2022 now done, there are many games I’m looking forward to playing on Steam Deck in the coming months. This list, in no particular order, features the 10 games I want to play on Steam Deck in 2023.
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 looks and feels incredible as of the two betas I played. Despite Street Fighter V having a rocky launch, I’ve enjoyed it way more than Street Fighter IV, but Street Fighter 6 is special. I played both betas on PS5, but can’t wait to dig into it on Steam Deck. I like playing fighting games on the Deck quite a bit, and even have a dedicated 512GB SD card just for fighting games. All reports point to Street Fighter 6 running well on Steam Deck. I’m definitely looking forward to playing as Juri again from June when Street Fighter 6 releases on PC.
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order is one of the few recent Star Wars games that managed to impress me beyond just visually. I enjoyed playing it on console, and have been replaying it on Steam Deck recently. This got me excited for a proper new generation game from the team. I don’t know how Star Wars: Jedi Survivor will look and run on Steam Deck considering it is only releasing on PS5 and Xbox Series X, but I’m confident in the team, and will be trying it on Steam Deck for sure in addition to one of the console platforms. The original Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order is available heavily discounted right now, and I’d recommend it if you want an interesting and challenging Star Wars action game.
The Last of Us Part I
Sony and Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us is one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as most people when I played it on PS4. The Last of Us Part I on PS5 is a shockingly good looking game, and it is one of Sony’s few PS5-only games coming to PC soon. I’m curious about this one because I want to see how the engine scales down from the PS5 version to Steam Deck, and to also see what PC-specific features are added. Signs point to The Last of Us Part I working out of the box on Steam Deck as well.
Like a Dragon: Ishin
Sega’s Ryu Ga Gotoku or Yakuza series has seen a lot of success outside Japan ever since Yakuza 0 released on PS4 back in 2017. The games have gone from not releasing outside Japan to getting worldwide simultaneous multi platform launches in recent years. Yakuza Ishin is the only PS4 entry in the series to not see an English release, and that is changing with Like a Dragon: Ishin, a remake of Yakuza Ishin, for PC and console platforms. This is a completely standalone story, but it features characters from across the series with brawler style gameplay. I played a few hours of the Japanese original, but can’t wait to finally experience the story with the remake on PS5 and Steam Deck this February.
Resident Evil 4
The original Resident Evil 4 is one of the most beloved games of all time, and Capcom is remaking it for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and PC this March. Resident Evil 4 remake, titled simply Resident Evil 4, looks incredible, and I can’t wait to see the improvements Capcom brings to the original. Resident Evil 2 remake is one of the developer’s best games ever, and I hope that is the case with Resident Evil 4 remake as well. So far, the engine used for Resident Evil 4 remake works brilliantly on Steam Deck giving me confidence in playing this on Deck right from day one.
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars is a retro style turn-based RPG that harkens back to the SNES era with its gorgeous art and music featuring Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 fame as a guest composer. Sea of Stars looks like the perfect game to play on a portable system, and I’ll be definitely checking it out on Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch next year. Every bit of gameplay showcased looks very polished, and after The Messenger, I’m confident in the studio.
Returnal
Returnal is another one of Sony’s PS5-only games making its way to PC. Housemarque’s action roguelike blends in bullet hell with shooters to deliver an amazing experience that also has co-op support. I adored this on PS5, but am very curious to see how it runs and looks on Steam Deck given how reliant it was on the PS5’s SSD. This is one of the best Sony games in years, and I’m glad to see it come to PC in 2023. Hopefully the wait isn’t too long.
Octopath Traveler II
While Octopath Traveler was a Switch exclusive for many months before it hit PC, Octopath Traveler II is launching on Switch, PC, and PlayStation platforms from day one. The HD 2D aesthetic of the original game is gorgeous on more powerful systems, and it shines on Steam Deck. Octopath Traveler II is more ambitious in its scope, and the turn-based JRPG will almost certainly be a joy to play on Steam Deck from day one. I already pre-ordered this one so I will be playing it as soon as possible.
Wild Hearts
Koei Tecmo’s Toukiden series is one I adored on PS Vita years ago. With Capcom’s Monster Hunter series finally exploding in success worldwide thanks to Monster Hunter World, more developers and publishers want to try and capitalize on the audience. EA’s Originals label is working with Koei Tecmo for Wild Hearts that aims to be a modern hunting game with some building mechanics. I love the work this team does, so this is one game I’m looking forward to playing. I enjoy these kinds of games on a portable as well so the Steam Deck is how I hope to experience Wild Hearts.
Company of Heroes III
I was already excited to see where Relic would take Company of Heroes for a new entry, but the fact that it has been announced for consoles already gives me hope that it will control really well on Steam Deck. The legendary series with real-time strategy gameplay looks like it will finally deliver a modern take on the genre, and I can’t wait to check it out in February. Hopefully the delay allows for a more polished experience at launch.
I can’t wait to see what Valve brings to the Steam Deck with software updates next year, and also for how developers start bringing more optimizations to their games for the handheld system. In its first year, the Steam Deck dramatically improved since launch and 2023 will likely be even better. What are you looking forward to playing on Steam Deck in 2023?
