Best Narrative Steam Deck Games
Steam currently has 528 Narrative games, but not all of them can be played on the Steam Deck. Explore our list with the best picks ranked by Player Score. Our Player Score rankings are calculated directly from reviews left on the Steam store and will be updated in real-time as more players leave their feedback. Narrative game rankings were last updated on 1/6/2025.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best narrative games on Steam
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- Free narrative games on Steam
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1. INSIDE
Hunted and alone, a boy finds himself drawn into the center of a dark project. INSIDE is a dark, narrative-driven platformer combining intense action with challenging puzzles. It has been critically acclaimed for its moody art style, ambient soundtrack and unsettling atmosphere.
INSIDE holds the #1 spot for "best Narrative Steam Deck game" with a Player Score of 95. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 64,913 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 62,901 positive reviews and 2,012 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on both Windows and Mac systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
2. The Case of the Golden Idol
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
The Case of the Golden Idol has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 7,917 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 7,790 positive reviews and 127 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $17.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $17.99 |
| Release Date | 10/13/2022 |
| Franchise | Playstack |
| Developer | Color Gray Games |
| Publisher | Playstack |
| Steam App Id | 1677770 |
3. Sally Face - Episode One
Delve into a dark adventure following the boy with a prosthetic face and a tragic past. Unravel the sinister mysteries of Sally's world to find the truth that lies hidden beneath the shadows.
Sally Face - Episode One has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 21,238 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 20,644 positive reviews and 594 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $2.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $2.99 |
| Release Date | 12/14/2016 |
| Developer | Portable Moose |
| Publisher | Portable Moose |
| Steam App Id | 541570 |
4. Mouthwashing
The five crew members of the Tulpar are stranded in the empty reaches of space, shrouded in perpetual sunset. God is not watching.
Mouthwashing has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 23,672 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 22,937 positive reviews and 735 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 9/26/2024 |
| Franchise | CRITICAL REFLEX |
| Developer | Wrong Organ |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 2475490 |
5. I Am Your Beast
Hunt the military-industrial complex across stylish comic book micro-sandboxes in this fast-paced covert revenge thriller FPS from the developers of El Paso, Elsewhere.
I Am Your Beast has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,586 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,557 positive reviews and 29 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 9/10/2024 |
| Franchise | Strange Scaffold |
| Developer | Strange Scaffold |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1876590 |
6. Katawa Shoujo
Katawa Shoujo is a romantic visual novel set in the fictional Japanese Yamaku High School for disabled children. Hisao's congenital heart defect forces him to move to a new school. Despite his difficulties, Hisao is able to find friends—and perhaps love, if he plays his cards right.
Katawa Shoujo has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,927 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,884 positive reviews and 43 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Release Date | 8/15/2024 |
| Developer | Four Leaf Studios |
| Publisher | Four Leaf Studios |
| Steam App Id | 3068300 |
7. Scarlet Hollow
From the developers of Slay the Princess, return to the crumbling coal town your family built generations ago for the funeral of your aunt. You won't be able to save everyone. You might not even be able to save yourself. Welcome home.
Scarlet Hollow has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 2,554 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 2,519 positive reviews and 35 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $24.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $24.99 |
| Release Date | 6/11/2021 |
| Franchise | Black Tabby Games |
| Developer | Black Tabby Games |
| Publisher | Black Tabby Games |
| Steam App Id | 1609230 |
8. Journey
Explore the ancient, mysterious world of Journey as you soar above ruins and glide across sands to discover its secrets.
Journey has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 33,154 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 31,304 positive reviews and 1,850 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $14.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $14.99 |
| Release Date | 6/11/2020 |
| Developer | thatgamecompany |
| Publisher | Annapurna Interactive |
| Steam App Id | 638230 |
9. Night in the Woods
NIGHT IN THE WOODS is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet and lots to do across a lush, vibrant world.
Night in the Woods has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 17,913 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 16,981 positive reviews and 932 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $19.99 to play and can be played and ran on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 2/21/2017 |
| Developer | Infinite Fall |
| Publisher | Finji |
| Steam App Id | 481510 |
10. How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC!
How Fish Is Made has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Narrative Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 4,216 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 4,038 positive reviews and 178 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is completely free to play and can be played and ran on Windows systems. Valve has also verified it as playable on the Steam Deck and will run well.
| Release Date | 1/14/2022 |
| Franchise | CRITICAL REFLEX |
| Developers | |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1854430 |
More Narrative Steam Deck Verified Games
Explore even more rankings for the 10 best Narrative games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 142 | 7/7/2016 | 95 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 65 | 10/13/2022 | 95 | $17.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 138 | 12/14/2016 | 95 | $2.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 294 | 9/26/2024 | 95 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 17 | 9/10/2024 | 94 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 95 | 8/15/2024 | 94 | Free | Steam Charts | |
| 13 | 6/11/2021 | 94 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 37 | 6/11/2020 | 92 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 47 | 2/21/2017 | 92 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
| 8 | 1/14/2022 | 92 | Free | Steam Charts |
Soures & References
Steambase has best-in-class data powered directly by Steam, our data partners, and in-house experts. Reviews and rankings are enriched, analyzed, and updated in real-time to ensure we surface the most up-to-date insights. Learn more about the Steambase approach to data collection and our review methodology.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 6). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 6). INSIDE on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). The Case of the Golden Idol on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, November 28). Sally Face - Episode One on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 9). Mouthwashing on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 11). I Am Your Beast on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, December 21). Katawa Shoujo on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). Scarlet Hollow on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 2). Journey on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 3). Night in the Woods on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2025, January 4). How Fish Is Made on Steam. Steam Store.