Best Unverified Steam Deck Games: Top Playable and Untested Games for Handheld Devices

Looking for the best unverified Steam Deck games that are rated playable or untested? We’ve got you covered.

Steam Deck has quickly become one of the most popular technologies out there, and that’s thanks to it bringing the potential of PC gaming to a whole new audience.

A big part of that is logging into your console and finding hundreds of Verified games that you already own, but while Valve has tested plenty of titles, there are plenty of others that haven’t yet received the green mark.

Some, like the ones on this list, get the “Playable” designation and can run almost perfectly with some minor guidance, while others haven’t been tested at all yet.

Here are the best unverified Steam Deck games you can play on Steam Deck right now, as tested by us. For the best Steam Deck games, including verified ones, check out our list.

Baldur’s Gate III

Larian Studios

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a complex RPG that is almost finished

Larian’s latest RPG is still in early access, but it’s running on Steam Deck. While the developer’s previous game, Divinity Original Sin II, has been verified, Baldur’s Gate 3 may take some work with the on-screen keyboard during setup.

You’ll also choose to run the game on Direct X (as opposed to Vulkan), but it’s worth the effort for a complex, choice-driven RPG with different character classes. Expect it to get better when the final release comes this year as well.

Why is it not confirmed? Baldur’s Gate 3 may require a touch screen or virtual keyboard during setup and may have difficult to read text. It also lacks Steam Deck icons and may require the keyboard (Steam button + X).

Borderlands 3

Gearbox

Borderlands 3 is great on Steam Deck.

Sure, you can play the Borderlands games on Switch, but Borderlands 3 never made the jump to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid. On the Steam Deck, however, the game runs beautifully at 60 FPS, and the mix of looting and shooting is just as fun with the deck’s great analog sticks and triggers.

With a substantial campaign and thousands of weapons to earn, it helps us get over the fact that Destiny 2 doesn’t run on Steam Deck.

Why is it not confirmed? Borderlands 3 may require the use of the on-screen keyboard (Steam button + X), and some text may be difficult to read (mainly subtitles and some item descriptions).

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

My wife

Sure, it’s old, but it’s still fun.

The oldest game on this list, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, took the 2D series into 3D in a God of War-style adventure with voice talent including Patrick Stewart, Jason Isaacs, and Robert Carlyle. Hideo Kojima is also a producer.

It’s 13 years old now (although the PC port came later) but is still a fun hack-and-slash adventure that’s one of the best Unverified Steam Deck games – despite Valve’s listing saying it isn’t are supported.

Why is it not confirmed? While Valve notes that the game is not fully supported, we have managed to get it to run with the Proton GE.

Citizen Sleeper

Skip age/fellow travelers

Looking for something a little different? Citizen Sleeper was quietly one of 2022’s best games, and was nominated for the Game Awards, but this asleep hit (sorry) may have slipped under your radar.

Inspired by tabletop RPGs, the game offers a role-playing experience based on choices and conversations, as opposed to combat. It can freeze but running it on newer versions of Proton can fix that.

Why is it not confirmed? Some text may be difficult to read.

Final Fantasy XIV

Square Enix

Farming and crafts on the sofa? Sign us up.

FFXIV needs no introduction as one of the best MMOs out there, and since it was developed for console, it translates surprisingly well to the Steam deck’s controls.

Although you can install the non-Steam version, there are workarounds to get your non-Steam character into the game and you have to log in every time, but that’s a small price to pay for Eorzea in the palm of your hand.

Why is it not confirmed? You must open the on-screen keyboard (Steam button + X) to log in and for in-game text input.

Gotham Knights

Warner Bros

Gotham Knights is a great handheld adventure.

We praised Gotham Knights more than some reviewers, but WB Montreal’s Bat-family adventure is a great fit for the Steam Deck thanks to the ability to switch between characters and go out on patrol whenever you feel like it.

In our testing, the game runs well, and while it can drain your battery pretty quickly, it’s worth a try if you own it.

Why is it not confirmed? Some of the text in the game is small and may be difficult to read.

Encryption

Daniel Mullin’s game

Encryption is scary in ways that we struggle to hide.

Looking for something completely new? Inscryption is a bizarre card game that takes place in a mysterious cabin against a pair of shadowy eyes. It’s disturbing, but the core mechanics are so good that you can’t help but play another round.

From there it grows outward in unexpected ways, with escape room elements and horror thrown in as well. Saying too much more would spoil things, so play it on the deck late at night (and add controller support to avoid using the trackpad too).

Why is it not confirmed? You may need the on-screen keyboard (Steam Button + X) and there are non-Steam Deck controller icons.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Capcom

Sunbreak DLC also works on Steam Deck.

One of the best games of 2021, Monster Hunter Rise came to PC in 2022, and the Sunbreak expansion followed not long after.

With a large number of monsters to kill, gear to craft, and co-op, the only disappointment is the aspect ratio – but this can be adjusted with the REFramework mod.

Why is it not confirmed? You may need the on-screen keyboard (Steam button + X).

Monster train

Shiny shoes

Monster Train runs almost perfectly on Steam Deck.

Sure, it’s already on our list of the best Steam Deck games, but Monster Train hasn’t been verified and thus gets a spot on this list.

The game is a rogue-lite deck builder in the style of Slay the Spire, and takes place in several levels on a train to hell. You have to defend multiple levels and recruit monsters carefully to get there in one piece.

Why is it not confirmed? Some of the text in the game is small and may be difficult to read.

Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel

My wife

It’s time to… well, you know the rest.

Whether you’re a fan of the anime, a competitive collector and player, or a complete newcomer to Yu-Gi-Oh, Master Duel is a great place to start.

It’s the most detailed digital recreation of the card game yet, and while there’s no story-based mode, it’s a free-to-play game full of incredible monsters to summon and traps to set, with a robust online mode too.

Why is it not confirmed? You have to invoke the on-screen keyboard occasionally (Steam Button + X).

For more on Steam Deck, be sure to check out our ultimate getting started guide, as well as the content below.

Install Epic and GOG titles | Install Blizzard games from Battle.net | Install Amazon and Twitch Games | Play Xbox Game Pass on Steam Deck | Update the Proton version