The Best Turn-Based Games to play on Steam Deck – Part 1

Written by Marcello TBL

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Steam Deck Certified Turn Based RPGs 2022

Released this year, the handheld Valve’s Steam Deck is going to revolutionize the videogames world with its vast library of games available. The portable hardware from Steam is receiving a lot of love, and devs are trying to offer 100% compatibility in their game.

The steam catalog is endless, but not every game is Deck-ready, so i decided to put together a list of some of the best indie and AAA turn-based RPGs and Strategy Games with certified compatibility, declared by Steam itself. There are a lot of them, so I’m going to split the article into 3 pieces. Let’s start with part 1 – more to come in the next few days.

Divinity: Original Sin II

Divinity Original Sin II Steam Deck

Divinity: Original Sin II is widely considered one of the greatest CRPGs of all time, and thanks to the Steam Deck you can now take this epic adventure with you wherever you go! Its completely open world and multiple character origins give the game hundreds of hours’ worth of replay value, and you can even play co-op campaigns online with friends.

If you’ve been sleeping on Larian Studios’ masterpiece, the Definitive Edition is a great opportunity to take the plunge. If you’ve got a Steam Deck, that’s all the more reason to start your journey toward godhood.

Get Divinity: Original Sin II Definitive Edition on Steam

Slay the Spire

Slay The Spire

Every once in a while, a game will come along that spawns its own subgenre. Often imitated but never matched, Slay The Spire is one such game. The original deck-building roguelike remains the best of the bunch, and each playthrough is completely different.

Slay The Spire‘s card-based mechanics and replayability make it a natural fit for the Steam Deck. If you’re feeling competitive, you can master the Daily Climb and ascend the leaderboards wherever you go!

Get Slay The Spire on Steam

Disco Elysium

Steam Deck Certified RPG

Lots of games like to brag that they let you go anywhere and do anything you want within the game world. Disco Elysium is one of the few games to make good on that lofty promise. The legendary 2019 RPG bills itself as “the most faithful representation of desktop role playing ever attempted in video games” and honestly, that’s an accurate assessment.

Your character’s diverse set of skills will determine the outcome of every game, and the city of Revachol is yours to explore. You can even develop your character’s thoughts, adding a level of internal roleplaying. Disco Elysium is one of the most unique RPGs ever created, and now that it’s Steam Deck Verified, you can do whatever you want, wherever you want.

Get Disco Elysium on Steam

TemTem

TemTem

Monster-catching games are practically made for portable consoles, and they have been since the beginning. TemTem may be an MMO, but with a Steam Deck you can continue the grand tradition of building your collection of creatures via a handheld.

TemTem just left early access, so now is a great time to return to the game or try its multiplayer monster mayhem for the first time. The game has a bright, richly-imagined world to explore and a solid multiplayer battle system that shakes up the old Pokemon formula.

Get TemTem on Steam

Monster Sanctuary

Steam Deck RPG

If you prefer to take your creature-training journey solo, Monster Sanctuary offers all the fun of battling and catching in a Metroidvania-style side scroller! Not only will your monsters be used to face off against the ferocious denizens of the dungeon, but you’ll also need their skills and movement abilities to traverse the Sanctuary’s biomes.

With skill trees and combo-driven combat, even longtime trainers will have plenty of new challenges in Monster Sanctuary. If you’re feeling brave, you can even try the game’s built-in Randomizer or Permadeath options.

Get Monster Sanctuary on Steam

Persona 4

Persona 4

It may not be the latest game in the series, but Persona 4 is certainly one of the best. Atlus’ flagship JRPG series looks great on PC, and playing on the Steam Deck means you can squeeze in quests during breaks or during your commute. The extra time will be a big help, since like other Persona games P4 is massive. There are also fifty Steam Achievements for you completionists out there.

Get Persona 4 on Steam

Yakuza Like a Dragon

Yakuza Like a Dragon

There’s no series quite like Yakuza, and Like A Dragon is a turn-based title with all the trademark zaniness of the main games. It’s not just one of the best Yakuza titles, but one of the best games of 2020!

Like its predecessors, Yakuza: Like A Dragon has a huge world to explore and lots to do. Whether you’re advancing the story, leveling up, or just enjoying minigames like go-kart racing and SEGA classics, this game will be a welcome addition to your Steam Deck wherever you are.

Get Yakuza: Like A Dragon on Steam

Into the Breach

Best Steam Deck Games

Subset Games’ time-hopping mecha puzzler is a perfect travel game, as Switch owners can attest. The Steam Deck offers another way to bring the battle against the Vek with you on the go.

Using a squad of just three mechs, players need to protect civilian buildings and critical objectives from endless hordes of giant monsters. Every enemy’s attacks are telegraphed, so you always know what’s coming – the question is whether you’ll be able to use your limited moves to stop them in time!

Get Into The Breach on Steam

Griftlands

Griftlands

If you like Slay The Spire, then Griftlands’ sci-fi take on deck-building is a great next step. It offers a bit more story thanks to its visual-novel style cutscenes and critical decision points throughout each run. Every playable character has their own set of challenges, effectively allowing for three separate campaigns!

You can often choose whether to fight or talk your way out of a situation, but either way you’ll be in for a deck-building challenge and there could be consequences to your choice. Griftlands offers lots of replay value as you see how each decision affects the story.

Get Griftlands on Steam

Pit People

Pit People Pc Games

This hex-based tactical battler has everything you’d expect from a Behemoth title; the developer’s signature art style, humor, and challenge are all here. The game is positively brimming with unlockable gear, quests, and other options, so there’s always a reason to try another adventure.

Pit People’s bite-sized battles and endless customization make it an excellent choice for the Steam Deck. It also has multiplayer options so you can fight with or against your friends, and a permadeath mode to really test your mettle.

Get Pit People on Steam

Let me know what you think about these Steam Deck-ready RPGs and Strategy games on Twitter, and reach me on my Youtube Channel where you can find the video version of this article.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Marcello TBL

Italian Dad in love with Turn-Based RPGs and Indie Games. In 2018 he started Turn Based Lovers and now he can't live without it.