New on Steam Deck: Basketball, JRPG, Action

This week's Steam Deck Weekly dives into recent gameplay experiences, reviews, and noteworthy sales. Missed my Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review? Catch it here!

Steam Deck Game Reviews & Impressions

NBA 2K25 Steam Deck Review

NBA 2K25 marks a significant milestone: the PC version finally mirrors the next-gen console experience. Officially optimized for Steam Deck (though not yet officially rated by Valve), it delivers a satisfying portable basketball experience, albeit with some familiar 2K quirks.

Key improvements for PC players include ProPLAY technology (previously exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series X) and the WNBA debut alongside MyNBA mode. If you've held off on recent PC 2K titles, this is the one to get. Let's hope its success ensures continued next-gen PC releases and ongoing Steam Deck support.

The Steam Deck and PC versions boast 16:10 and 800p support, plus AMD FSR 2, DLSS, and XeSS (though I disabled these for better clarity). Extensive graphical settings allow for customization, from texture detail and shader options to advanced features like volumetric effects and ambient occlusion. I recommend caching shaders on initial boot and capping the framerate at 60fps for optimal stability and visual fidelity. The default Steam Deck preset felt overly blurry.

Offline play is limited; MyCAREER and MyTEAM require an online connection, though quick play and eras work offline. Load times are noticeably slower than on PS5/Xbox Series X, even with an SSD. Cross-play with consoles is absent. Microtransactions remain a persistent issue, impacting certain modes.

Despite technical limitations compared to consoles, the portability factor makes the Steam Deck experience highly enjoyable.

NBA 2K25 Steam Deck review score: 4/5

Gimmick! 2 Steam Deck Impressions

(See Shaun's Switch review here). Gimmick! 2 runs flawlessly on Steam Deck, even boasting Steam Deck and Linux fixes in its latest patch. Capped at 60fps (forcing 60hz on OLED screens is recommended), it offers native 16:10 menu support (gameplay remains 16:9). No graphical options are present, but its smooth performance suggests imminent Steam Deck Verified status.

Arco Steam Deck Mini Review

Arco, a dynamic turn-based RPG, shines on Steam Deck with its recent update (not yet on Switch). It's officially Verified, running smoothly at 60fps with 16:9 support. An assist mode (beta) offers combat skipping and other conveniences.

Arco Steam Deck review score: 5/5

Skull and Bones Steam Deck Mini Review

Recently added to Steam, Skull and Bones is rated "Playable" on Steam Deck. While the Ubisoft Connect login process is slow, gameplay is smooth at 30fps (16:10, 800p) with FSR 2 quality upscaling. Lowering settings further improves performance. Online-only.

Skull and Bones Steam Deck review score: TBA

ODDADA Steam Deck Review

ODDADA, a music-making experience, runs perfectly at 90fps with touch controls (no controller support yet). Minimal graphical settings are available. Menu text is small.

ODDADA Steam Deck review score: 4.5/5

Star Trucker Steam Deck Mini Review

Star Trucker blends automobile simulation and space exploration. Runs well on Proton Experimental with customizable graphics settings (including 16:10 support). Controls require adjustment.

Star Trucker Steam Deck review score: 4/5

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia Steam Deck Mini Review

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia runs flawlessly on Steam Deck at 720p (16:9). Check system settings for button configuration.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia Steam Deck Review Score: 4/5

Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES Steam Deck Review Impressions

Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES is a significant upgrade to the original. Playable on Steam Deck using trackpad and touch controls (no controller support).

Pinball FX Steam Deck Impressions

Pinball FX offers excellent PC features and HDR support on Steam Deck. A solid pinball experience with many DLC tables. Try the free-to-play version.

New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week

Notable additions include Hookah Haze and OneShot: World Machine Edition (Verified). Black Myth: Wukong remains Unsupported, surprisingly.

Steam Deck Game Sales, Discounts, and Specials

Check out the Games from Croatia sale!

That's this week's Steam Deck Weekly! Feedback is welcome!