With the Steam Deck’s second year behind it, the system has only gotten better when it comes to game performance, software, features, and even hardware thanks to the Steam Deck OLED. Regardless of if you have a Steam Deck LCD or OLED mode, these are our picks for the best 10 games to play on Steam Deck from 2023. This list is in no particular order, and it has been very difficult narrowing down this to just 10 games with so many fantastic releases on Steam this past year.
The best Steam Deck games of 2023
Octopath Traveler II
While I know some didn’t enjoy Octopath Traveler as much as I did, it has stuck with me ever since I beat it on Switch a few years ago. For Octopath Traveler II, I was all in, and bought it on PS5, Switch, and Steam. I ended up adoring it all the way, and it is best on Steam Deck. This is Square Enix’s best JRPG since the PS2 days, and it might be one of my all-time favorites with its superb gameplay, stunning visuals, brilliant soundtrack, and amazing characters.
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush went from being a game shadow dropped by Tango Gameworks and Bethesda to one of the best action games of all-time in the span of a few hours when I just started playing it in January. It perfectly blends amazing visuals, superb music, excellent gameplay, and memorable characters together to be a game I keep going back to months later on Steam Deck and Xbox. This is Xbox’s best game alongside Pentiment for sure.
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 is my most-played game of 2023 across PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam Deck. It is the complete package from Capcom with no compromises. I can’t recommend it enough with its superb online, amazing single player content, brilliant training modes, and beast mode baby. It is the best fighting game in years.
Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society
NIS’ dungeon crawler Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk ended up being one of the best in the genre when it launched a few years ago, but the team exceeded it in spades with Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society. This one is special, and it overtook even Etrian Odyssey for me as the pinnacle of the genre with its story, twists, gameplay, and more.
LIVE A LIVE
Seriously? Am I really including a game from last year that only saw a port on PC and PS5 this year? Yes, LIVE A LIVE from Square Enix is one of the best games of the year, and it is at its best on Steam Deck delivering a handheld experience with no compromises. LIVE A LIVE is the second HD 2D game in this top 10 if you’ve been paying attention as well. LIVE A LIVE is a brilliant remake that brings a SFC classic to the West for the first time in the best possible way. This one has a demo so give it a shot. There’s nothing else like it. GO GO STEEL TITAN.
Dave the Diver
When I kept hearing about Dave the Diver, I thought it would be another one of those Steam games that people hype up for a month and then forget. I was wrong. Very wrong. Dave the Diver successfully blends a few interesting gameplay ideas and delivers a charming package with an addictive gameplay loop. I haven’t had time to play the DLC yet, but Dave the Diver is special, and a must play for every Steam Deck owner.
Lies of P
Lies of P is another game that I wrote off for being yet another soulslike. It turns out Lies of P is everything every other soulslike failed to do, but more. It is the closest any game has been to a FromSoftware level release, and it managed to do a bit more on its own with its superb music, polished gameplay, and amazing package on every platform. If you ever wanted more games like Dark Souls and Dark Souls III, Lies of P is absolutely worth your time.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
FromSoftware’s Armored Core VI is not only one of my favorite games from the developer already, but a damn fine action game with superb mech customization, great music, and a surprisingly good story. The boss fights are spectacular, and it is the rare FromSoftware game that actually has an amazing PC release that plays perfectly on Steam Deck both online and offline.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie
If you’re new to Falcom’s Trails series, do not get The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie. That might sound like a weird way to begin writing about one of the best games of 2023, but I don’t want you to make the mistake of starting here. If you’ve played prior games or even have played them all including this one, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is fantastic, and the PC version is the best port we’ve seen a JRPG get on the platform without a doubt. I adore this series and The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie with its stellar PC version earn a spot on this list.
Baldur’s Gate 3
I bet you were wondering where Baldur’s Gate 3 was weren’t you? I’ve been slowly playing through it with cross save on Steam Deck, macOS, and PS5 since those versions all released, and the game is spectacular. I think it needs a bit more polish in the later areas when it comes to optimization, but Baldur’s Gate 3 is a Larian masterpiece with its writing, characters, music, freedom, and more. I think I’m going to be playing it for a very long time.
Bonus
Diablo IV
I wasn’t sure if I’d be featuring Diablo IV in any end of year list after the first update hit for it, but the team has fixed all my issues with the game. With its Steam release and it being so good on Steam Deck, I think this is a fantastic action RPG with a great campaign, amazing music, and its superb atmosphere. I just wish it wasn’t an online-only game, and yes, I will not let that one go. That is why it isn’t in the top 10 and included as a bonus or as number 11 if you may. I can’t wait to see how much it evolves in 2024.
I know 2023 was a special year for game releases, and I hope you find something you like out of our picks for the best 10 Steam Deck games of the year. If you loved something I haven’t featured, let us know in the comments below so we can check it out. Thanks for reading!
