The Steam Deck has officially arrived, and it is providing the lucky gamers who have gotten ahold of one with a magnificent experience. Most of the best games you can find on Steam will run well on this little beauty. This includes most of your favorite first-person shooter games!
But while how these games run on the Steam Deck is obviously an incredibly important piece of the puzzle, we are also looking for experiences that are particularly good fits for a portable console. Thankfully, there are literally dozens of top-notch titles to pull from. Which makes it surprisingly easy to assemble a list of top-notch Steam Deck FPS experiences. What a time to be alive.
Updated June 10, 2023 by James Kennedy: It's time once again to add another couple of great games that all play well on the Steam Deck. We have largely been focusing on the types of games that are a touch more demanding. Games that you may be concerned wouldn't run well on something like a Steam Deck. However, today we are going to mix it up a little and add two entries that celebrate older titles. Well, sorta. One of them is a remake, but you get what we're saying here. This update will also include something everyone can get behind: a couple of truly excellent free games.
15 Marathon
If you are squinting at your screen right now, wondering what this game is, it is, in fact, Bungie's first FPS series. We know, we hadn't heard of them either. And folks we are going full boomer-shooter here. But don't let that discourage you because these games are awesome. They are genuinely a ton of fun, and they feature a lot of the niceties that many people don't associate with boomer shooters. Not only do you get a handy automap, but you also have full camera control here. Shoot the ceiling to your heart's content!
One of the elements that really help the Marathon games stand out is their heavier emphasis on lore. But worry not, it never becomes intrusive, and you can interact with it as much or as little as you like. Marathon feels like a real fusion of the best elements of a modern shooter, but wrapped up in a boomer shooter package, and we absolutely adore it. And hey, Bungie just announced that they are working on a sequel, so there has never been a better time to give the Marathon games a go!
As for how they run on the Steam Deck... well, they run brilliantly, but you do have to do a small amount of fiddling to get working. Don't worry, we'll take you through the process down below.
Before we start, let us state that the Marathon games are freeware, so all of this is on the up and up.
- Enter into the Steam Deck's desktop mode.
- Go to this thread in the GameOnLinux forum and you will find that the user Slembcke has compiled all the games into .flatpack files.
- Download these games to your Steam Deck
- Install the games through the Steam Deck's "konsole"
- Enjoy!
Once you have followed the above steps, the games will now work. You can now add them to your Steam Account as you would any other non-steam game. You will have to bind the controls, of course, but that isn't a big deal. Have fun, Marathoners!
14 Black Mesa
The original Half Life is often overshadowed by its beloved sequel, but if you are more of a horror fan than a sci-fi fan, the first Half Life is likely your favorite game in the franchise. It has a tension that the sequel wasn't able to replicate. In case you are unaware, Black Mesa is a lovingly made, fan-created remake of this classic title. While there are certainly a number of elements that still look pretty dated (due to Black Mesa running on the Source Engine), but it has definitely received an impressive visual overhaul.
So how does this title run on the Steam Deck? While it does run quite nicely, it will take a little bit of messing around in the settings. If you want the best performance, you will want to switch to the Proton version of the game, which means that you will have to select the "force compatibility" box in the settings menu. It also does, on occasion, dip. However, the mass majority of the experience will be locked at a solid 60 frames per second. And hey, if Black Mesa changes a touch too much for you, there is always the MMOD for the original Half Life. It is free and will provide a refined version of the original that only gently refines certain elements, keeping the original largely the same.
13 Neon White
Neon White takes everything you love about a great, twitchy action-first FPS, and mingles it with excellent first-person platforming, and a unique, intuitive form of puzzle solving. Every weapon has an ability associated with it. These range from the pistol's double jump, to the sniper rifle's super dash. Once you use the ability, the weapon is discarded. The stages are designed to force you to use these abilities with a great degree of precision.
In that way, a great deal of the game is figuring out what the game wants you to do, and then executing that strategy with precision. Neon White is unique, it is fun, it is visceral, and it will have you coming back for more. Even better, each stage is repeatable, and they can all be completed rather quickly. So, it is perfect for gaming on the go! In fact, we would go as far as to say that the Steam Deck is the ideal place to play it.
12 Prey
Prey is a First-Person Shooter which comes with a number of unique qualities. For one, you have access to a number of genuinely unique powers and abilities, including shape-shifting. Yet, these powers come with a cost. Inevitably, you will have to weigh how much you value your own humanity. Thankfully, even if you forgo these powers, the game has a number of ways to deal with enemies, ranging from hacking potent turrets, to the use of Preys own version of Bullet Time.
Of course, the real star of the show here is Talos 1 itself. It is home to dozens of stories told through the environment itself and is also an unending source of tension. While this isn't the best FPS if you are looking for unrelenting action, it is the best if you are looking for horror and quality storytelling. Last of all, we are pleased to report that you can play Prey on your Steam Deck on the highest settings while still hitting 60fps. Not bad!
11 Apex Legends
Apex Legends is a battle royale title. This may be a bit of a bold proclamation, but we think it is fair to say that it is the first battle royale title to have genuinely excellent gameplay. When talking about how it plays, it feels like it is better to compare it to team deathmatch titles. Apex is the perfect balance between the more arcadey, looser, pick-up and play-friendly Overwatch, and the extremely sweaty, tremendously skill-based CSGO. The movement in Apex Legends alone is a huge high-point.
The roster of legends is also varied, and each legend adds a nice bit of variety. However, unlike a title like Overwatch, each character's gimmick doesn't completely define how you play the game moment-to-moment. And how does it run on the Steam Deck? Extremely well. Even on high settings the game is extremely smooth, and by tweaking the settings a little you can lock in at 60 fps. If you have a Steam Deck and a solid internet connection, Apex Legends is multiplayer bliss in the palm of your hands.
10 Resident Evil Village
We know, we are pushing it a little with this one. This is a first-person horror with shooting, but we feel like there is enough action involved here that you could argue it is a first-person shooter. What really puts it over the threshold for us is the fantastic mercenaries mode.
That's right, you can play the classic action-centric mode in the first-person perspective! This classic mode almost feels as if it was made for a handheld console. It is perfect for quick playthroughs. Resident Evil Village is a fantastic title that is a perfect fit for the beefy handheld.
9 Superhot
While some of the best FPS games emphasize speed, here we have the odd duck of the bunch: Superhot. Nearly every scenario you are dropped into would be almost impossible to survive. The one thing keeping you in the game is that when you aren't moving, time moves extraordinarily slowly.
This means that you need to carefully plot out every action, as the second you are moving you are going to be extremely vulnerable. It may not be the typical twitchy experience most FPS fans look for, but it is absolutely enthralling. It also features a simplistic, stylish aesthetic which helps it run on nearly everything. The scenario-based design makes it an excellent fit for the Steam Deck.
8 Prodeus
In the last couple of years, there has been a real increase in throwback FPS titles. Of the bunch, Prodeus may just be the best of the bunch. Obviously, due to its inherent nature, this isn't a graphical showpiece, but that doesn't mean it won't look exquisite on your Steam Deck: don't get it twisted, this game is a looker.
Also, while it may not squeeze every inch of power out of the Deck, that means that it is able to effortlessly play without any technical hitches. Don't let the early access tag discourage you, Prodeus is a fantastic game worth playing now.
7 Spec Ops: The Line
Okay, we get it. As a trigger pulling, pulse-pouncing, twitchy experience, Spec Ops is really only okay. What it does do better than almost any other game in the genre: it puts the person back in first-person shooter. This is a game that delivers a genuinely powerful narrative. One which asks questions about the nature of humanity in the type of situation in which we often find ourselves in this genre of titles.
Hey, we all need the odd existential crisis, right? Why not experience it on the go. Spec Ops is an older title, so it runs at a locked frame rate and won't exactly push the deck. The smaller screen also helps to hide a few of the rough details that you may expect to see in an older title. If you haven't played it yet, we strongly recommend you give it a go (on the go).
6 Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactic has a similar feel to something like Left 4 Dead or Vermintide (both excellent series, by the way). But this one adds an element that pushes things to another level: mining! That's right, you will frequently spend your time chipping away at walls, desperately looking for minerals.
And yes, we meant "desperately", because at any moment you will be swarmed with hordes of aliens. If mining and digging tunnels sounds boring (heh) to you, worry not: Deep Rock is not a slow-paced game; danger is always just around the corner. And worry not, you can crank the settings as high as they will go and the game will still run well. If you want a multiplayer game for your Deck, this is a great choice.
5 Wolfenstein: The New Order
The modern Wolfenstein games are nothing short of a revelation. They are the right amount of sentimental mixed with the perfect amount of stupid. It should be jarring, but it isn't. However, if you are going to give these games a go, you need to start with The New Order.
Thankfully, though it is nearly ten years old now, The New Order has aged gracefully. This is a fantastic, pulse-pounding, weighty experience that provides an excellent style of aggressive gunplay that delivers a ton of impact. It is also, arguably, the best-balanced entry in the Machine Games Wolfenstein catalog of titles (difficulty-wise). Oh, and don't worry about how it will run on the Steam Deck. You can crank those settings all the way up.
4 Ghostwire: Tokyo
Ghostwire does a fantastic job of walking the line between different genres. So yes, it is an FPS title, but it also has a heavy emphasis on open-world exploration. That means that there are tons of collectibles just waiting to be collected. Also, the only shooting you will be doing will be with a bow; though that doesn't mean you don't have a colorful roster of weapons. It is definitely a different take on the genre.
Players looking to kill a few minutes when out and about are going to be able to turn to Ghostwire with confidence. Moreover, it is great for longer, more sustained playthroughs. This is an exceptional, eerie title that delivers a fantastic FPS experience with a twist. If you are looking for something a little different, consider giving this title a go.
3 Titan Fall 2
Mech fans who love the FPS genre need not look any further than this beautiful, wonderful, underappreciated gem. Not only does the mech gameplay feel exhilarating, but the game plays like a dream when you are on foot as well. Speaking of playing like a dream, Titan Fall 2 runs brilliantly on the Steam Deck.
The multiplayer may not have as many players as you might want, but fear not: the single-player campaign is sublime. if you skipped this one the first time around, there is no better time than the present. This is another incredible Steam Deck FPS title to add to your library.
2 Deathloop
While Arkane's new masterful title delivers in all the same ways that all their titles do—featuring some of the best level design in gaming—it also features the best, most frenetic, gameplay Arkane has ever managed to implement in a game. The gun feel here is top-notch, and the powers at your disposal absolutely make for a fluid and creative style of combat.
While you won't want to push your setting above medium with Deathloop, at medium settings it does run very respectably. Better yet, Death Loop is naturally segmented, as you infiltrate the different locations, often with pretty specific goals in mind. This makes it ideal for bite-sized play sessions. Perfect for a Steam Deck owner looking to kill a little time on the bus.
1 Doom Eternal
There are two things that Doom Eternal is perfect for when it comes to the Steam Deck. First, it is an absolutely gorgeous game that runs extremely well on the portable beast (it is certified, baby). Second, this is a super punchy, fast-paced FPS that provides an excellent experience for people who want a quick session.
Sure, the stages themselves can be fairly long, but they are filled with arenas that only take a few minutes to clear. So, if you are on the go, and you just want to kill a few minutes, you can clear a few of these sections in the stage you are currently playing. Oh, and just in case you weren't already aware, Doom Eternal is an amazing game. Doom Eternal being a top-tier FPS that runs brilliantly makes it a shoe in for being the best FPS on the Steam Deck.