Looking for the best Steam Deck games in 2025? This list covers 10 incredible titles that run perfectly on Valve’s handheld — from atmospheric adventures to fast-paced action. If you love Steam Deck hidden gems or popular AAA experiences, these games combine smooth performance with unforgettable storytelling.
Contents
- 1 Top 10 Steam Deck Games to Play in 2025
- 2 Hollow Knight: Silksong
- 3 PEAK
- 4 Blue Prince
- 5 Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
- 6 ReCore: Definitive Edition
- 7 Nier Automata
- 8 Ryse Son of Rome
- 9 Fearmonium
- 10 The Alters
- 11 Company of Heroes
- 12 Why These Games Define the Steam Deck Experience in 2025
- 13 Steam Deck 2025 FAQ – Common Questions About Games & Compatibility
Top 10 Steam Deck Games to Play in 2025
These are the best Steam Deck games in 2025, handpicked for performance, fun, and replay value:
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Peak (PEAK)
- Blue Prince
- Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
- Recore: Definitive Edition
- Nier Automata
- Ryse Son of Rome
- Fearmonium
- The Alters
- Company of Heroes
Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie
- Release Date: September 4, 2025
- Publisher: Team Cherry
- Price: $19.99
- Metacritic Score: 91/100
In Hollow Knight: Silksong, you play as Hornet, a fierce warrior trapped in a mysterious kingdom woven with silk and secrets. You’ll fight, climb, and explore your way through a hauntingly beautiful world full of deadly surprises.
Fans love it for being brutally tough yet incredibly rewarding — the kind of game that frustrates you one moment and makes you cheer the next when you finally overcome its challenges.
PEAK
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie
- Release Date: June 16, 2025
- Publisher: Aggro Crab, Landfall
- Price: $7.99
- Metacritic Score: 82/100
PEAK throws you and your friends onto a massive, unpredictable mountain where teamwork (and a bit of chaos) decide how far you’ll get. Every climb feels different thanks to shifting terrain and ridiculous physics.
People can’t get enough of it because it’s pure co-op madness — you’ll laugh, yell, and probably fall off the mountain together, and that’s exactly what makes it so much fun.
Blue Prince
- Genre: Adventure, Indie, Strategy
- Release Date: April, 2025
- Publisher: Raw Fury
- Price: $29.99
- Metacritic Score: 92/100
In Blue Prince, you’re exploring a creepy mansion that rearranges itself every time you play, with one goal: find the secret 46th room before time runs out. Along the way, you piece together strange family mysteries and uncover secrets hidden behind elegant puzzles.
Players say it’s addicting because every discovery feels clever — the mansion keeps surprising you, and solving its puzzles feels like cracking a living riddle.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
- Genre: Adventure, Indie, RPG
- Release Date: January 31, 2025
- Publisher: Fellow Traveller
- Price: $24.99
- Metacritic Score: 86/100
Citizen Sleeper 2 puts you in the shoes of a runaway android trying to survive aboard a beat-up spaceship full of drifters and dreamers. You juggle scarce resources, fragile trust, and your own slowly failing body.
People on Reddit call it one of the most immersive story-driven games ever made — every decision hits hard, and the writing sticks with you long after you stop playing.
ReCore: Definitive Edition
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Release Date: September 14, 2018
- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Price: $19.99
- Metacritic Score: 63/100
In ReCore, you play as Joule Adams, a lone human scavenging a desert planet with her loyal robot companions. Together, you rebuild a broken world while battling hordes of corrupted machines.
It’s one of those games that feels old-school in the best way — rough around the edges but full of heart, creative ideas, and that nostalgic sense of adventure.
Nier Automata
- Genre: Action, RPG
- Release Date: March 17, 2017
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Price: $31.99
- Metacritic Score: 88/100
NieR: Automata throws you into a war between androids and alien machines on a ruined Earth, but it quickly becomes something deeper — a story about emotion, identity, and what it means to live.
Players love it for its unforgettable storytelling, incredible soundtrack, and the way it keeps surprising you until the very end. It’s weird, emotional, and completely unforgettable.
Ryse Son of Rome
- Genre: Action
- Release Date: October 10, 2014
- Publisher: Crytek
- Price: $9.99
- Metacritic Score: 60/100
In Ryse: Son of Rome, you’re Marius Titus, a Roman soldier out for revenge after his family’s murder. The game takes you through massive battles, political betrayal, and some jaw-dropping Roman scenery.
It’s not the deepest game, but, it’s gorgeous — like playing through a live-action movie where every sword clash feels heavy and cinematic.
Fearmonium
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, RPG
- Release Date: May 20, 2021
- Publisher: Redblack Spade
- Price: $12.99
- Metacritic Score: TBD
Fearmonium dives into a boy’s subconscious, turning his fears and memories into a twisted carnival full of strange creatures and dark humor. You’ll fight through surreal levels that mix emotion with pure creativity.
It stands out because it’s both weird and heartfelt — every scene feels like a dream that’s equal parts creepy and beautiful.
The Alters
- Genre: Adventure
- Release Date: June 13, 2025
- Publisher: 11 bit studios
- Price: $34.99
- Metacritic Score: 85/100
In The Alters, you play as Jan, a stranded astronaut who clones alternate versions of himself — each shaped by different life choices — just to stay alive. As the clones grow more independent, keeping control becomes as hard as survival itself.
Players love how personal it feels — it’s not just a survival game, it’s a moral puzzle that makes you question what kind of person you’d become if life had gone differently.
Company of Heroes
- Genre: Action, Strategy
- Release Date: September 11, 2006
- Publisher: Relic Entertainment
- Price: $19.99
- Metacritic Score: 93/100
Company of Heroes puts you in charge of Allied troops during WWII, forcing you to think fast, use cover, and manage resources in gritty, realistic battles. Every explosion and movement feels alive on the battlefield.
It’s still talked about as one of the best strategy games ever made — intense, smart, and satisfying in a way few RTS games since have matched.
Why These Games Define the Steam Deck Experience in 2025
Each of these games shows how far the Steam Deck has come as a handheld platform. From story-driven gems like The Alters and Citizen Sleeper 2 to fast-paced action in ReCore and Ryse: Son of Rome, there’s something here for every kind of player. Whether you’re chasing a challenge, a good laugh, or just a game that feels great on the go, this list covers some of the best ways to spend your time on the Deck in 2025.
Steam Deck 2025 FAQ – Common Questions About Games & Compatibility
What are the best Steam Deck games in 2025?
Some of the top Steam Deck games in 2025 include Hollow Knight: Silksong, The Alters, and Citizen Sleeper 2, all optimized for smooth handheld performance.
Can older games run well on the Steam Deck?
Yes! Many classic titles like NieR: Automata and Ryse: Son of Rome run flawlessly on the Deck thanks to ongoing compatibility updates from Valve.
