The Steam Deck can be a handy way to enjoy all sorts of games from players’ libraries. After all, getting to play things on the go is always a boon. But given how many titles are out there, pinning down specific ones can get overwhelming. So for this week’s Siliconera’s Speaks Up, we figured share some of what we would consider the best JRPGs on the Steam Deck and see what everyone had to recommend.
I mean, I don’t own a Steam Deck yet, but I’d think FFVII Remake would be one of the best RPGs to play on it. It’s a very demanding game, and that the handheld can manage it is great! Also, this is the only possible way you can play it essentially as Square Enix intended on the go. There’s no Switch port, after all. Plus, it’s a really interesting reimagining of FFVII, and given FFVII Rebirth, aka part 2, is on the way, it could be a good way to catch up. — Jenni
I was thinking of being cheeky and calling the Steam Deck’s best JRPG “a Nintendo Switch emulator,” but thankfully Square Enix stepped in and resurrected one of my favorite games ever: Tactics Ogre Reborn. The tactical game is perfectly suited to play on a handheld device. It’s a classic on the PSP and Vita, and it’ll continue to be a classic on the Steam Deck, or even the Switch, where it also released. — Josh
The Steam Deck is great for two sorts of games: ones that haven’t gotten a port to the Switch yet, and ones that are just a bit too taxing for the now-aging Nintendo hardware. For the latter category, the Steam Deck can be the sort of “Switch Pro” many out there have been whining about needing for some time. A great case study: Monster Hunter Stories 2. The game’s only on PC and Switch, and it’s great on both, but it certainly benefits from a bit more graphical horsepower on the Deck. As a bonus? You can make the franchise’s platform list even weirder, with the first game only releasing on 3DS and phones. — Graham
