· Steam Deck · editorial desk
Nine of twelve: the dark worlds that work best on Steam Deck
Nine entries in the codex are Steam Deck Verified. Here is how we would split them.
Valve's Verified badge tells you a game works on the Deck out of the box. It does not tell you whether the game suits a handheld.
Made for it
Darkest Dungeon and Blasphemous: readable 2D art, turn-based or short sessions, low power draw.
Great, with tuned settings
Elden Ring, Dark Souls III, Baldur's Gate 3, Divinity: Original Sin 2 and The Witcher 3 are all Verified and play well, though the big 3D worlds benefit from a lower preset and patience in busy areas.
Verified, but better on a desk
Diablo IV and Path of Exile 2 run, but they are online, effect-heavy games that shine on a big screen. Lies of P, Grim Dawn and Dota 2 are rated Playable rather than Verified, mostly for small text or controls.