Here are some excellent recommendations for games to play on your new handheld, ranging from vast open-world games experiences like Elden Ring to bite-sized first-person shooter experiences like Superhot to whatever the hell Vampire Survivors is meant to be. Some games may not run well enough or be too dependant on mouse and keyboard controls to play comfortably, but large portions of your Steam library should be playable on the Steam Deck as soon as they finish installing.
Here is the list of Best Survival Games for Steam Deck
Alien: Isolation
Alien: Isolation is a first-person survival horror game that exploits our primordial fear pathways. It’s a game that successfully introduced a new generation of Alien enthusiasts to the brand. Older fans of the franchise were treated to an authentic depiction of the frightening spaceship that started it all. Alien: Isolation takes us on a journey across space as we follow Amanda Ripley, the daughter of our famous femme fatale, Ellen Ripley, as she seeks answers to the problems she has. For example, why did all of my pals get eaten? What is the purpose of this alien? What caused it to appear? How do I kill it? What caused the object to break out of their stomach? Isolation excels at making you feel, well, isolated. It also nicely conveys how much panic is felt the moment you see a xenomorph turn the corner and charge you. The AI of the xenomorph is extremely complex, allowing for individual adaption to each gamer’s play style.
State of Survival: Zombie War
Have you ever longed to be the leader of a group of survivors during a zombie apocalypse? That’s precisely what you do in State of Survival. You alternate between managing your base and making sure you have enough resources flowing in to keep your defences up and running tower defense-style battles against brain-hungry hordes. It also gives you a sense of life in a dog-eat-dog world where everyone is just concerned with themselves. You must be aware of other human settlements, as in many popular zombie franchises, because they will be eyeing up your resources like a pig stares up slop. It introduces a competitive multiplayer aspect to the game, where humans are frequently a greater threat than the undead themselves. Overall, it is one of the best Survival Games for Steam Deck that you can download from google store.
Dead Space 3
Speaking of living on dark spaceships populated with ravenous alien animals, Steam Deck owners may also experience Dead Space 3 on the go. While the third Dead Space game is by far the poorest in the series, it’s good to see Isaac Clarke return to the handheld market. Serving as the final (not really) chapter in the Dead Space story, Dead Space 3 is a step back from the extreme horror of Dead Space 1 and 2. Necromorphs will still stalk, hunt, and eat you along your trip, but Dead Space 3 is more action than dread. There will still be plenty of survival, as you’ll be scavenging for every piece of ammo you can find. Unfortunately, many of the survival and horror components have been reduced in favour of a more generic shooter experience. Thanks to the incredibly bright minds of Electronic Arts. Dead Space 3 becomes the more subdued, calmer sister of Dead Space 1 and 2.
Don’t Starve
The most terrifying aspect of true survival is having to do it all by yourself. Don’t Starve forces you to do just that, as it is a totally single experience. The terrifying prospect of having to fend for yourself in the wild is pleasantly mitigated by the wonderful Tim Burton-style 2D animation art and the assortment of utterly strange critters lurking in this sepia-tone universe. Werepigs, Beargers, Deerclopses, and a slew of other bizarre beasts prowl the countryside, aiming to make your life unpleasant. Don’t Starve is a game that relies largely on crafting to get by, and much of your time is spent harvesting raw materials, just like other crafting games. However, unlike Rust and Minecraft, this indie game is all about the tools and contraptions you can create. Before ancient wonders and the art of magic, the Science Machine and Alchemy Engine will become your best friends.
Superhot: Mind Control Delete
Superhot: Mind Control Delete, the third instalment in the Superhot franchise, is the most elaborate version of the time-traveling first-person shooter. Mind Control Delete features extra levels, weapons, and methods to enjoy the same amazing Superhot action game. The twist here is that your opponents, their bullets, and yours only move when you do, presenting you with an intense and cerebral experience. Each level in Superhot: Mind Control Delete lasts only a minute or two in real time, making the game easy to pick up and put down, while the basic graphics allow it to run smoothly on the Steam Deck. The finest John Wick game that doesn’t feature John Wick is Superhot: Mind Control Delete.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
The best badge wearing On the Steam Deck, Marvel’s Midnight Suns retains all of its allure. Firaxis’ card-based superhero RPG leans heavily on the magical aspects of its source material, but sets itself apart from traditional spandex-and-quip adventures by pushing you to interact with and befriend your squad of supes. It’s a game about creating relationships as much as it is about kicking baddies through air conditioners. The Deck has some variability in performance, especially when nosing around your home base hideout, but on basic settings it can easily approach 60fps during combat. The slickly designed UI also doesn’t require any additional control scheme tweaking; we enjoyed thumbing through cards on the touchscreen.
Rollerdrome
Rollerdrome is a fast-paced arcade platformer that combines Tony Hawk Pro Skater and stunning slow-motion gunplay. Rollerdrome is a sophisticated dystopian bloodsport on eight wheels, clearly inspired by the 1975 film Rollerball starring James Caan. You’ll progress through a number of arenas filled with evil dudes to take out while chaining stunts together to restore your ammo. The story is a little sparse, but the level size makes Rollerdrome a good option for your Steam Deck library.
Vampire Survivors
We finally got around to playing Vampire Survivors after several RPS readers suggested it. And it rocks, FINE, FINE. Moving around and auto-attacking sounds like a boring idea, but as the XP-unlocked weapon upgrades pile up and the first trickles of foes turn into screen-filling bullet hell hordes, pushing back the tide with time-stopping lasers and weaponized Bibles becomes almost hypnotically enthralling. It only requires the left thumbstick and an occasional face button for input, yet the framerate remains over 40fps even with the most horde-like monster crowds, so consider Vampire Survivors another Steam Deck exclusive. It also doesn’t drain the battery too quickly: although we haven’t done a full full-to-empty test yet, we’d estimate four to five hours of vampire survival before the Deck runs dry.
Wavetale
Wavetale works as well on the Steam Deck as it does on the ocean. The greatest thrill in Wavetale, an expressive platformer at its core, is grabbing a ride on your movement-mimicking merperson pal to zip across the rolling ocean. It’s a lot of fun, especially if figure out how to link jumps and hookshot manoeuvres together to traverse across the flooded landscape faster. Wavetale was first released for the ill-fated Stadia before finding refuge on PC. It also benefits from the Stadia controller inputs effectively matching the Deck’s, making it feel like it was always meant to be here. Performance is also strong, averaging around 47-50 frames per second.
Red Dead Redemption 2
The romantic Western epic from Rockstar is showing its age at this point, but it is still a wonderful open-world game. The fake Old West analogue is so deep that you’ll almost certainly pick up a subconscious Southern drawl. You’ll need to make some graphics sacrifices to maintain consistent performance on the Deck, but even on low settings, Red Dead Redemption 2 looks fantastic on Valve’s handheld. With a big tale and a plethora of side activities to enjoy, it’s clear to understand why we think this game should be your huckleberry.
Final Words
This list has been renamed best Survival Games for Steam Deck. The Steam Deck’s library is always expanding, and so is this list! Five new games have been added to the main list, as well as one new honourable mention. Almost all of these games have been Deck-verified, but we’ve made an exception for one. Now that you can order and receive a Steam Deck in a matter of days rather than months, it’s a good time to check in and ensure that the greatest Steam Deck games are receiving their due.
