The Steam Deck is ideal for methods RPG geeks: 24 video games evaluated

Tactical RPGs have roots way back in the ancient times of video gaming, nearly as old as basic JRPGs themselves. The hybrid of method and story-based video gaming is having a renaissance on contemporary PCs, with AAA titles like XCOM sitting next to brand-new indie beloveds like Into the Breach and revitalized classics like Disgaea Adam Patrick Murray, PCWord’s primary TRPG fan, tried a sensational 24 various tactical video games over on our YouTube channel.

It should not be a big surprise that with turn-based battle and usually low visual requirements, the tactical RPG category is a great match for portable video gaming. Some work much better than others– older video games and 2D titles can go longer on the Steam Deck’s battery and play smoother. Exact same PC-focused video games did not have main control plans, however there were usually alternatives readily available from the Steam neighborhood. A couple of video games with more complicated controls, like Möbius Front ’83, had some control problems, while a couple of oddballs like XCOM 2 had unusual one-off concerns.

Here’s the complete list of video games with timestamps for the video above, if you’re brief on time:

• 02: 15— The Banner Saga
• 02: 42— BattleTech
• 03: 15— Dark Deity
• 03: 39— Disgaea PC
• 04: 05— Fights in Tight Spaces
• 04: 31— Gears Tactics
• 05: 03— Into the Breach
• 05: 28— Invisible, Inc.
• 05: 52— Möbius Front ’83
• 06: 15— Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden
• 06: 41— Othercide
• 07: 17— Phoenix Point: Year One Edition
• 07: 52— Shadowrun Returns
• 08: 18— SteamWorld Heist
• 08: 40— Super Robot Wars 30
• 09: 16— Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
• 09: 40— Valkyria Chronicles 4
• 10: 13— Wargroove
• 10: 41— Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate– Daemonhunters
• 11: 21— Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus
• 11: 44— Wasteland 3
• 12: 28— Wildermyth
• 12: 49— XCOM 2
• 13: 39— XCOM: Chimera Squad

The large bulk of tactical RPGs are excellent suitable for the Steam Deck, specifically if you’re fine with using a locked 30 FPS for the more extreme 3D titles. For more geek deep dives like this one (which time we checked 22 RPGs on the Steam Deck), make sure to sign up for the PCWorld YouTube channel

Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer