Since the system’s debut, Valve has been steadily going through the store’s massive catalog of games to see which ones are fully compatible with the Steam Deck. If a title is deemed “Deck Verified,” it should run well on the handheld computer. Open-world games provide arguably the greatest tests of the machine’s capabilities, and quite a few massive properties have already made the cut. What are the best open-world games on Steam Deck?
Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Originally released exclusively on the PS4, Marvel’s Spider-Man surprisingly made its way to PC in the form of a remaster. Insomniac Games crafted perhaps the most complete Spider-Man game of all time, one with great combat, an entertaining central storyline, and the smoothest swinging mechanics of all time.
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Open-world games have become synonymous with expansive maps that take hours to travel from one side to the other; however, miles and miles of real estate mean nothing if traversing the world is not enjoyable. Spider-Man nails this component, so much so that the fast travel system almost feels unnecessary.
Elden Ring
Released on the same day as the Steam Deck, Elden Ring gave Valve’s computer a baptism by fire, and it passed with flying colors. FromSoftware successfully adapted its Dark Souls formula to an open-world setting, one that recommends and rewards exploration. While traversing the sandbox, players are mostly free to roam as they please, discovering enemies, catacombs, dragons, and loot along the way.
Furthermore, within the Lands Between’s regions are large dungeons reminiscent of the classic Metroidvania-style locations of the developer’s previous releases, allowing the game to also cater to fans who prefer the old ways. Elden Ring is a massive game that is absolutely stuffed with secret areas, hidden quest lines, and optional bosses, all of which can be experienced on the bus thanks to the Steam Deck.
Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Yakuza 0, Kiwami, Kiwami 2, and Yakuza 3 Remastered are Steam Deck verified, and each one of them could fit into this article. In this case, Yakuza: Like a Dragon gets the nod because it is the most recent entry in the series and also marks the start of a new era. Predominantly set in the fictional Yokohama, this open-world is small but densely populated with NPCs, quests, side content, minigames, restaurants, and thugs who really want to get into a fight.
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Like a Dragon does not treat Yokohama as window dressing – the city’s social-political climate is deeply entwined into the narrative. Essentially, Yokohama is another character that the protagonist and players steadily grow more attached to.
Days Gone
Originally released exclusively on the PS4, Days Gone eventually made its way to PC. The zombie-themed open-world title centers around gang culture, so much so that a motorbike serves as the game’s main source of transportation. Players are Deacon St. John, a biker who heads out on the road after receiving a tip suggesting his wife might still be alive.
Days Gone has a slow start, both in terms of its story and gameplay. However, Bend Studio’s project improves significantly as it goes along, particularly once the protagonist starts to upgrade his ride. Zombies are so overdone that they have lost most of their fear factor, but Days Gone uses sheer numbers to elevate this issue. The game throws enormous hordes of undead walkers at Deacon, and these encounters are especially intense at night.
Outer Wilds
Open-world games typically move at a leisurely pace dictated by a player’s whims. Outer Wilds is a somewhat different beast as the campaign revolves around a 22-minute time loop, one that resets when, well, everything ends. As an astronaut, players must travel to a variety of planets in search of information regarding the solar system’s impending doom and its link to an alien race.
Outer Wilds revolves around exploration and not combat, with players spending most of their time trying to piece together the lore through brief interactions with NPCs and environmental storytelling. It makes for a captivating open-world experience.
Terraria
A decade after its debut and Terraria is still amazing. The 2D sandbox game drops players in a procedurally generated world and lets them dig away. Exploration is the name of the game here, and every journey comes filled with action, survival, and creativity.
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Terraria is ambitious and can be overwhelming during its opening hours, especially since the game does not handhold players all that much; however, once it sinks its teeth into someone, Re-Logic’s title does not let go. Compared to some other Deck Verified projects, Terraria might not be the most exciting open-world Steam Deck game, but it is undoubtedly among the best.
Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid has been in early access for nearly a decade, but the project continues to be one of Steam’s most consistent performers. The horror game has a simple premise: survive. Players are dropped into a sandbox in the middle of a zombie outbreak and simply told to survive for as long as possible. Utilizing an isometric perspective, Project Zomboid has an old-school aesthetic that complements the sort of game it is trying to be.
Offering decent character customization options along with improvable skills, Project Zomboid is one of the most replayable open-world games on the Steam Deck. As it is a relatively hardcore survival game that focuses on managing meters, interested players would need to be fans of those types of experiences.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Lego dipped its toes into open-world games long before The Skywalker Saga was in the works, however, Traveller’s Tales certainly pushed things further in the 2022 game. Covering the main Star Wars trilogies, the campaign consists of levels that cover the franchise’s major story beats, and the game does a good job of adapting these legendary or polarizing films.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga’s open-world comes in the form of planets that serve as hubs, and there is quite a large selection of locations. In these areas, random encounters can take place, adding an element of spontaneity to the package.
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma is firmly established as a cult classic, and the game even has a sequel on the way. The action RPG knocks its gameplay out of the park, which is hardly surprising considering Capcom’s pedigree. Melee combat is somewhat similar to Dark Souls, and Dragon’s Dogma shakes things up through a vast array of character customization options that encourage players to experiment with builds.
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Another distinguishing feature is the Pawn system, which permits adventurers to create supporting A.I. characters to complement their main build. It is even possible to recruit other people’s Pawns to craft unique parties. Dragon’s Dogma is set in Gransys, a dark fantasy world dripping in medieval architecture. The map is deceptively big since fast travel is limited and danger is around every corner. Dark Arisen adds a new endgame area that significantly ramps up the difficulty.
Pathologic 2
A surreal survival horror RPG, Pathologic 2 envisions a creepy town that feels almost removed from time and space. Artemy Burakh returns to his hometown in search of his father’s killer, but he soon finds himself tasked with curing an illness that has the village speedrunning its own demise. Solving this mystery involves exploring every nook and cranny of this unsettling world, all the while mingling with locals who always seem to be holding something back.
Pathologic 2 is unusual, disconcerting, and subtly terrifying. It is an open-world game unlike anything else on the Steam Deck, and this uniqueness will put off some players. However, survival fans looking to take a trip through a nightmare should check out this bizarre RPG.
Don’t Starve Together
The multiplayer companion to Don’t Starve takes everything great about the solo package and adds co-op. As the base game is brilliant, Don’t Starve Together also reaches that standard, and arguably surpasses its predecessor. After picking one of the playable characters, players spawn in a somewhat randomly generated map where they are asked to survive.
This process involves many of the standard mechanics associated with the genre, like finding food, but Don’t Starve Together also emphasizes exploration. The game does not overwhelm players with harsh meters, rather opting to encourage them to head out into the world to discover the awaiting terrors. While not particularly big, the map holds up on repeat playthroughs thanks to its randomly generated mechanic, even if some things stay consistent.
Valheim
In early access, Valheim has had a fantastic opening year. The Viking-themed game drops players in a procedurally generated sandbox and challenges them to survive. Each world consists of a handful of biomes, each one coming with an assortment of area-specific enemies and resources.
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While there is a primary objective that is gradually developing with new updates, Valheim’s main appeal lies in its freeing nature as players attempt to carve out a living in an unforgiving world that still permits inhabitants to prosper.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
A day will come when The Witcher 3 is no longer used as the benchmark to measure the quality of modern open-world RPGs – today is not that day. CD Projekt Red’s attention to detail shines through the game’s immersive environments, unforgettable side-quests, and commitment to authentically bringing to life the characters that exist within this universe.
The Witcher’s world is harsh and, in many ways, ugly. A quick trip out of town could result in that person’s gruesome death, and the gameplay echoes this constant sense of danger.
Mad Max
Avalanche has a decent track record for open-world games, but the Steam Deck cannot handle all the studio’s output. For instance, Just Cause 2 and Rage 2 are both marked as “Unsupported” on Steam, meaning that currently there are sections of the games that do not function on the Deck. Just Cause 3 and 4 are tagged as “Playable,” although the main thing keeping them from a “Deck Verified” label is that the handheld system’s on-screen keyboard might need to be manually invoked on occasion.
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Thankfully, Mad Max has made the grade, and it is arguably Avalanche’s best open-world game. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Mad Max revolves around vehicular combat, and it is incredibly entertaining. The campaign is designed around Max upgrading his car in pursuit of the ultimate mobile killing machine, so the vehicular combat gradually improves as the story progresses.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut
Hideo Kojima cannot be criticized for playing it safe. For better or worse, Death Stranding is unlike any other open-world Deck Verified game. Portraying essentially a postman, players must guide Sam Bridges as he delivers packages in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States. Along the way, Sam sets up a network to allow people to communicate across the country.
Death Stranding is slow-paced, deliberate, and requires full commitment from players, particularly during the campaign’s early hours when Sam does not have access to vehicles.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
Introducing Metal Gear to the open-world genre, The Phantom Pain can be a divisive game, depending on what someone is looking for from an entry in the franchise. The 2015 release is surprisingly lacking in the story department, both in terms of cutscenes and depth. That said, the campaign still contains a couple of fascinating ideas and reveals.
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In terms of gameplay, The Phantom Pain is almost unquestionably Metal Gear Solid at its best. The game gives players a wide range of tools so they can decide how to approach missions and clear camps, and they can opt for stealth or blast their way through an army of enemies. The map is massive but somewhat barren, although it fits the story being told.
Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition
Following a rough PC launch, Horizon Zero Dawn eventually improved and became a decent port of a great PlayStation 4 game. Envisioning a world that has room for a bow and towering mechanical behemoths, HZD takes a bit of time to pick up momentum, at least when it comes to its narrative.
While the second half of the story is considerably stronger than the first, the open-world exploration hits things out of the park almost instantly. Fun combat, beautiful visuals, and fascinating lore are a few things Steam Deck owners can look forward to if they pick up this game.
A Short Hike
Not every open-world game needs intense combat or to last 50 hours; sometimes, less is more. A Short Hike is an indie game about an anthropomorphic bird attempting to climb a mountain in pursuit of reception for her phone. This process involves unlocking a few moves, but otherwise, there isn’t all that much standing in the way of the protagonist.
A Short Hike crafts a cozy and wholesome world that encourages visitors to slow down and take in the sights. Live in the moment and embraces one of the best Steam Deck open-world games.
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