Here’s Why Steam Deck Has Become the Perfect Console for RPG Lovers

The Steam Deck is indeed a revolutionary piece of hardware. Some suggest the handheld gaming console was Valve’s attempt to cash in on the popularity of the Nintendo Switch, which paid off. But that might not be the case here at all. This portable device is in a league of its own.

Even the likes of the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go cannot compete with the amount of optimization this device offers thanks to its Linux foundation. And that’s why it is currently the ultimate portable gaming device. It is also the best device for players to take all their favorite RPGs on the go.

Steam Deck, the ultimate portable RPG device

When Valve announced Steam Deck, people saw potential. At first, those people were just the hardcore Valve fans. Eventually, that number extended to the general gaming crowd that preferred portable gaming. After all, there were not many devices that allowed gamers to enjoy titles that were not Nintendo-exclusive on the go. Steam Deck changed that, and that too, in a revolutionary manner.

Role-playing games are popular for many reasons, one of which is that they provide their fans with hundreds of hours of content, which includes storylines, side-quests, exploration (free-roam), and more. Games like Skyrim and Persona 4 or 5 can take a very long time to complete. The best RPGs usually have replay value. Especially games with alternate endings, and where the narrative is dependent on the choices players make. There is also Save scumming. This is when a player saves the game continuously for fear of making the wrong choice and reloads instantly when they hit a moment they are not satisfied with.

While players do all this, it becomes increasingly hard for them to complete the game quickly. Sometimes, when players are in a scenario where closing the game is not an option, they just wish there was a way to take the console with them. And there are times when gamers want to keep play, but for whatever reasons, need to be away for their consoles.

That’s where a console like Steam Deck comes in. There is no reason to stop thanks to the portable nature of the Steam Deck. And Valve’s Steam Deck was their big entry into the console market.

A control scheme that compliments PC gamers

Of course, a portable gaming console was supposed to launch with two analog sticks, face buttons, directional buttons, and everything else that a usual gamepad has. What makes it so PC-friendly?

There are a bunch of interesting things that this device launched with just screamed accessibility. The first two of them sit right in front of this device. Yes, just like the Steam controller, the Steam Deck comes with a pair of touchpads—clickable touchpads—that players can use as a mouse; there’s no doubt about it.

Dock support is another thing that is pretty cool. Yes, the Nintendo Switch had it too, but did it allow gamers to attach a keyboard and a mouse to their console and play games the way any PC gamer intends to? Don’t think so.

A powerhouse of a portable device

Then comes the power. When a gamer decides to install a game on their PC, the first thing they think about is the specs. This console comes with a Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4–3.5GHz CPU, 8 RDNA 2 CUs, and a 1.0–1.6GHz 1.6 TFLOPS GPU. All this was paired with a very potent SSD as well as 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM.

While this sums up the specs of this device, what does this mean for a person who does not care about reading all this technical stuff? This means this device is very powerful. It is so powerful that if one compares it to the Nintendo Switch, let’s say the Switch is not even half as capable as the Steam Deck.

Hence, one can easily, without a doubt, install a game like Baldur’s Gate 3 on it. It is a game that is usually very heavy on processors, but Steam Deck handles it like a pro. Further, developers have taken it upon themselves to introduce specialized Steam Deck-focused game settings, too.

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From Cyberpunk to Starfield, most big games come with this optimized setting built into the game. This goes to show the kind of reputation this device has in the eyes of developers, or maybe it’s just Valve’s goodwill at work; whatever it is, it is bringing games to it.

RPG games that one should definitely play on their Steam deck

If you have a Steam deck, here are some RPG games you should definitely get your hands on.

Baldur’s Gate 3

One of the most successful RPGs in 2023. It combines the ideas of D&D with the usual open-world RPG elements. It is a must-play for Steam Deck users, as it’s one of those games that takes numerous hours to complete. Moreover, sometimes a single dungeon can take a very long time to complete. Imagine being in the middle of completing a dungeon and having to go out. Would you want to leave your game behind?

That’s where Steam Deck comes in. Just start the game and play wherever you go.

Skyrim

Skyrim definitely makes the list. Explore, do side quests, explore some more, and ignore the main campaign for as long as you want. Gamers take much pleasure in exploring the world of Skyrim and discovering new mind-blowing locations and exploring them. From completing a main story that involves fire-spitting dragons to being a lowly villager with a career in woodcutting or being a thief, everything is possible in this game.

Cyberpunk 2077

Based on a very popular tabletop RPG of the same name, this stunning role-playing game will have players engrossed in a world like nothing seen before. The best part is that the developers are updating it to this day, and the recent 2.0 update has improved it tenfold. Players can take Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba with them wherever they go. This might be the best time for anyone to start their career as a merc in Night City.

Discover V’s story as a mercenary who just wants to be rich by taking shortcuts. When one of those shortcuts ends up costing literally everything that he has, he has to change his perspective on life and go on a very different quest altogether. CD Projekt Red was very proud when they announced Steam Deck support for Cyberpunk 2077, given the fact that it is a very demanding and an insanely good looking game.

Steam Deck will continue to dominate this market, not because it is powerful. It’s because of how well thought out its every aspect is.

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