Welcome to in the present day’s version of the Steam Deck Weekly. I didn’t suppose there can be a lot information this week, however the Nintendo Direct proved me flawed on many fronts as anticipated. A lot of the third occasion video games included are additionally coming to PC, and I might be enjoying all of them on Steam Deck. Apart from the Nintendo Direct third occasion information, there are a number of notable sport releases this week together with my early Steam Deck impressions of Elden Ring’s huge growth. Let’s get into the critiques and impressions first.
Steam Deck Sport Evaluations & Impressions
ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Steam Deck impressions
Having performed ELDEN RING on Xbox Collection X, PC, Steam Deck, and PS5 the yr it was launched, I’ve since moved to specializing in the sport on Steam Deck primarily. Whereas it doesn’t run in addition to it does on Xbox Collection X with VRR or enjoying the PS4 model on PS5, I loved how good it regarded and performed natively on Steam Deck. When ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree was introduced, I used to be most to see how the brand new areas felt on Valve’s handheld, and whether or not there have been any enhancements to the PC port that was fairly missing at launch. I now have a Steam Deck OLED, and enjoying ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree’s opening hours with HDR on it have been fairly superb.
The unique ELDEN RING on Steam Deck was really a extra constant expertise than enjoying on a desktop PC with Valve having fastened the shader subject. I nonetheless hear buddies who’ve prime of the road PCs with 4090s complain about random stuttering even in the present day. On Steam Deck, I wasn’t capable of get ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree to run at a locked 40fps in any respect with out dropping the picture high quality or options an excessive amount of. I opted to goal for a locked 30fps which I capped utilizing the Steam Deck’s fast entry menu. I additionally enabled HDR for enjoying on my Steam Deck OLED. Based mostly on the few hours I’ve put into ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree on Steam Deck in the present day together with on my Steam Deck LCD, other than one half that triggered efficiency to drop beneath 30 with too many results for a number of seconds, it’s holding its 30fps goal effectively, and appears glorious on the small display screen. I left most settings on the auto-detect preset, however turned shadows and volumetric lighting down a bit.
Apart from what I’ve skilled of the brand new visuals and content material of the growth, I like to recommend turning on the brand new stock options instantly. They assist loads. For those who haven’t overwhelmed the principle sport but, the change to the ultimate boss makes an unfun struggle a lot better. I say unfun, however that solely actually is an issue for melee targeted builds. I nonetheless suppose the change is sweet. I received’t say extra to keep away from spoilers.
For those who’re new to ELDEN RING and haven’t purchased it but, however wish to play it on Steam Deck, I like to recommend getting the ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Version which incorporates the bottom sport and the growth. Shopping for it that manner will work out cheaper than shopping for the growth individually afterward how FromSoftware sport costs have been beneath Bandai Namco with DLC. You can also’t entry the DLC till fairly a bit later as effectively.
I would like extra time to do a full evaluate of ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree on Steam Deck, however it is rather promising thus far once I play it offline, and I can’t wait to see how extra of the growth seems on Valve’s handheld. I haven’t examined it on-line but, however I can safely say that ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree is attractive on Steam Deck OLED thus far, and I look ahead to being equal elements shocked at how good it seems and annoyed by the inevitable boss partitions I run into.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes Steam Deck Port Overview
Some time in the past I reviewed Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes on the Nintendo Swap and located an enthralling non secular successor to the basic Suikoden sequence introduced down by important technical points. Nicely, I’ve had the prospect to play the sport on Steam Deck now, and whereas I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s fully freed from points, it’s evening and day. I dare say one can correctly benefit from the sport right here. And meaning I can communicate to the sport a bit extra, so I’ll do this.
This sport is in fact the crowd-funded, long-awaited Suikoden follow-up put collectively by a number of the folks behind the unique sport, together with the sequence creator Yoshitaka Murayama, who sadly handed away scant months earlier than this sport’s launch. One can solely think about the stress the workforce will need to have been beneath to ship on the hopes and desires of a devoted fanbase on such a restricted finances, and in a whole lot of methods you may really feel all of that ultimately consequence. That is as near a brand new Suikoden sport as we’re doubtless going to get, and it was clearly put along with a whole lot of ardour and never fairly sufficient assets.
Nonetheless, in the event you’re seeking to scratch the itch and might settle for that this was by no means going to stay as much as a full-sized manufacturing from a serious online game writer on the peak of its powers, I believe you’ll discover loads to like on this sport. Accumulating the entire characters is simply as pleasant right here because it was within the Suikoden video games, even when most of them are missing the appeal and utility you may hope for. There’s a very fascinating battle system at play right here, one that you just’ll must correctly interact with. The general story isn’t significantly nice, and it has some bother escaping the shadow of what got here earlier than, however it’s partaking sufficient to maintain you going. The sport is typically loyal to these twenty-five yr previous video games to its personal detriment, but when that’s the flavour you’re after I believe you’re more likely to forgive that.
For those who’re in search of a sequel to the basic Suikoden video games that may hold comfortably with the perfect entries in that franchise, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes won’t be as much as your expectations. However in the event you’re simply attempting to get a little bit of that previous magic again, there’s sufficient pixie mud on this sport to hold you many of the approach to Neverland. It’s a sport brimming with ardour, struggling towards its limitations, however in the end a real expression, and it’s all the time good for one thing like that to come back into this world. -Shaun Musgrave
Information and Trailers
The information highlights of the week are largely from the Nintendo Direct. I’ve included my favorites beneath.
Marvel Vs. Capcom Combating Assortment could be the largest shock of 2024 for me by way of announcement. I stored listening to a lot about these video games however by no means acquired to play them. With this assortment on Steam, Swap, and PS4, I’m going to ensure I play it. The video games even have rollback netcode fortunately. Watch the announcement trailer from Capcom beneath:
Capcom additionally introduced the Ace Legal professional Investigations Assortment for Steam and consoles. It launches on September sixth worldwide with pre-orders now stay. Whereas the primary sport is on the market on cellular and DS, the second sport was by no means launched in English. That adjustments with this assortment. As an enormous fan of the sequence, I’m excited to revisit Ace Legal professional Investigations and play the second sport for the primary time.
Farmagia from Xseed Video games and Marvelous USA launches on November 1st alongside an anime. The monster farming sport with character designs from Fairy Tail’s Hiro Mashima may also see a bodily launch on consoles. I’m wanting ahead to this one. Watch the trailer for it beneath:
Talking of Hiro Mashima, Fairy Tail 2 from Gust and Koei Tecmo can also be due this yr in Winter on Steam, PS5, PS4, and Swap worldwide. It’s the follow-up sport to 2020’s Fairy Tail for PS4, Swap, and Steam. Watch the announcement trailer beneath:
Spike Chunsoft is localizing Natsu-Mon twentieth Century Summer season Trip for PC this August on Steam. The journey sport from Toybox and Millennium Kitchen can also be getting DLC when it arrives on PC in Japanese later this month. I by no means performed the Japanese Swap model, however might be checking this one out on Steam. Watch the Japanese trailer beneath:
NIS America introduced Phantom Courageous: The Misplaced Hero for Steam, PS5, PS4, and Swap set for 2025 launch. That is the primary new Phantom Courageous sport in a really very long time, and it options greater than 50 characters with 300 expertise. It’s a turn-based technique sport and not using a grid, and I can’t wait to see how a contemporary sport on this sequence seems like.
As a shock to everybody, Bandai Namco launched Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster on Steam this week. It debuted on Swap final yr, and I believed it wouldn’t be ported given Nintendo and Monolith Gentle’s involvement. It has a month 1 version together with a digital artbook. Learn my Swap evaluate right here. I’ll be masking the Steam model on Steam Deck as effectively.
PowerWash Simulator’s Alice’s Adventures Particular Pack DLC launches on July 2nd including Alice in Wonderland to PowerWash Simulator for Steam and consoles. It contains 5 areas, a brand new outfit, and way more. Watch the discharge date trailer for it beneath:
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is ready to launch its Orpheus DLC for $9.99 on June twenty seventh for Steam and consoles. I loved the bottom sport and might be checking this one out to see the place it takes the story.
Degree-5 is releasing the primary main content material replace for Megaton Musashi W: Wired quickly with a 50% off sale on Swap and Steam. This content material replace arrives in 3.1.0 bringing in UFO Robotic Grendizer and way more. Watch the replace trailer beneath:
The superb Destiny/Samurai Remnant has gotten its third main DLC pack this week in Document’s Fragment: Bailong and the Crimson Demon. Take a look at the launch trailer for the DLC beneath:
Past Good & Evil – twentieth Anniversary Version launches on June twenty fifth for Steam and consoles providing 4K 60fps with improved graphics, management enhancements, and extra. Watch the trailer beneath:
I saved the perfect for final with Sq. Enix’s bulletins from the Nintendo Direct together with Fantasian Neo Dimension bringing an enhanced model of the superb Apple Arcade sport to Steam and consoles main the information. It’s due later this yr, and it features a new problem possibility as effectively.
Sq. Enix is remaking Romancing SaGa 2 as Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, and it seems unbelievable. Set to launch on October twenty fourth, this 3D remake is coming to Steam, PS5, and Swap. It feels bizarre that this remake is such an even bigger manufacturing than the latest mainline sport however right here we’re. Watch the trailer beneath:
The ultimate announcement is Dragon Quest III HD 2D Remake coming November 14th for Steam, PS5, Xbox Collection X, and Swap worldwide. It seems gorgeous, and remakes of Dragon Quest I and II might be following in 2025.
New Steam Deck Verified & Playable video games for the week
Only some notable video games this week in comparison with the previous few weeks, however some heavy hitters like No Relaxation for the Depraved (I’m nonetheless enjoying this), Kingdom Hearts, and extra are within the latest batch of video games examined by Valve.
- Anomaly Collapse – Playable
- FOUNDRY – Playable
- KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX – Verified (through TouchArcade reader Mor)
- KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Closing Chapter Prologue – Verified (through TouchArcade reader Mor)
- Mullet Mad Jack – Verified
- No Relaxation for the Depraved – Verified
- Profitable Put up 10 2024 – Verified
Steam Deck Sport Gross sales, Reductions, and Specials
Subsequent week, the large Steam sale begins. Forward of that, you may seize Dragon Age video games within the new Dragon Age franchise sale right here or seize Everspace 2 and extra within the Video games Made in Germany 2024 sale right here.
That’s all for this version of the Steam Deck Weekly. As typical, you may learn all our previous and future Steam Deck protection right here. When you’ve got any suggestions for this characteristic or what else you’d prefer to see us do across the Steam Deck, tell us within the feedback beneath. I hope you all have an important day, and thanks for studying.
