Best Tactical Steam Deck Games
Steam currently has 4,630 Tactical 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. Tactical game rankings were last updated on 5/14/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best tactical games on Steam
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1. Left 4 Dead 2
Set in the zombie apocalypse, Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) is the highly anticipated sequel to the award-winning Left 4 Dead, the #1 co-op game of 2008. This co-operative action horror FPS takes you and your friends through the cities, swamps and cemeteries of the Deep South, from Savannah to New Orleans across five expansive campaigns.
Left 4 Dead 2 holds the #1 spot for "best Tactical Steam Deck game" with a Player Score of 97. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 853,953 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 832,851 positive reviews and 21,102 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $9.99 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.
2. Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia is a 4 player online co-op psychological horror. Paranormal activity is on the rise and it’s up to you and your team to use all the ghost-hunting equipment at your disposal in order to gather as much evidence as you can.
Phasmophobia has achieved a Player Score of 95, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 675,206 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 648,172 positive reviews and 27,034 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $13.99 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 | $13.99 |
| Release Date | 9/18/2020 |
| Developer | Kinetic Games |
| Publisher | Kinetic Games |
| Steam App Id | 739630 |
3. Age of Empires II (Retired)
Age of Empires II has been re-imagined in high definition. With the release of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, this product will not be updated further.
Age of Empires II (Retired) has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 99,474 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 95,252 positive reviews and 4,222 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 | 4/9/2013 |
| Franchise | Age of Empires Franchise |
| Developers | |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Steam App Id | 221380 |
4. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun
Shadow Tactics is a hardcore tactical stealth game set in Japan around the Edo period. A new Shogun seizes power over Japan and enforces nationwide peace. In his battle against conspiracy and rebellion, he recruits five specialists with extraordinary skills for assassination, sabotage and espionage.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 35,654 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 34,275 positive reviews and 1,379 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $39.99 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 | $39.99 |
| Release Date | 12/6/2016 |
| Franchise | Mimimi |
| Developer | Mimimi Games |
| Publisher | Daedalic Entertainment |
| Steam App Id | 418240 |
5. Teardown
Prepare the perfect heist in this simulated and fully destructible voxel world. Tear down walls with vehicles or explosives to create shortcuts. Stack objects to reach higher. Use the environment to your advantage in the most creative way you can think of.
Teardown has achieved a Player Score of 94, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 88,863 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 84,945 positive reviews and 3,918 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $29.99 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 | $29.99 |
| Release Date | 4/21/2022 |
| Franchise | Saber Interactive |
| Developer | Tuxedo Labs |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1167630 |
6. Against the Storm
A dark fantasy city builder where you must rebuild civilization in the face of apocalyptic rains. As the Queen’s Viceroy, lead humans, beavers, lizards, foxes, and harpies to reclaim the wilderness and secure a future for civilization's last survivors.
Against the Storm has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 24,289 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 23,138 positive reviews and 1,151 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $29.99 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 | $29.99 |
| Release Date | 12/8/2023 |
| Franchise | Hooded Horse |
| Developer | Eremite Games |
| Publisher | Hooded Horse |
| Steam App Id | 1336490 |
7. Plague Inc: Evolved
Plague Inc: Evolved is a unique mix of high strategy and terrifyingly realistic simulation. Your pathogen has just infected 'Patient Zero' - now you must bring about the end of human history by evolving a deadly, global Plague whilst adapting against everything humanity can do to defend itself.
Plague Inc: Evolved has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 51,162 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 48,344 positive reviews and 2,818 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $14.99 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 | $14.99 |
| Release Date | 2/18/2016 |
| Franchise | Ndemic Creations |
| Developer | Ndemic Creations |
| Publisher | Ndemic Creations |
| Steam App Id | 246620 |
8. Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop
Co-operative top-down shooter game available for free. An epic bug hunt featuring a unique blend of co-op play and squad-level tactics.
Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop has achieved a Player Score of 93, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 21,249 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 20,176 positive reviews and 1,073 negative reviews — making it "Very 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 | 4/20/2017 |
| Developer | Reactive Drop Team |
| Publisher | Reactive Drop Team |
| Steam App Id | 563560 |
9. Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
Enter Tahnra, a land savaged by war. You, a fresh academy graduate with humble beginnings, will grow to lead a grand army against a corrupt adversary. Gather heroes, form bonds, and lead your force in turn-based battles. Make use of tactics, terrain, morale and more to bring peace to the land!
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 10,930 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 10,395 positive reviews and 535 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 | 6/10/2022 |
| Developer | Dancing Dragon Games |
| Publisher | Freedom Games |
| Steam App Id | 1488200 |
10. Into the Breach
Control powerful mechs from the future to defeat an alien threat. Each attempt to save the world presents a new randomly generated challenge in this turn-based strategy game.
Into the Breach has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Tactical Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 18,651 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 17,656 positive reviews and 995 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $14.99 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 | $14.99 |
| Release Date | 2/27/2018 |
| Developer | Subset Games |
| Publisher | Subset Games |
| Steam App Id | 590380 |
More Tactical Steam Deck Verified Games
Explore even more rankings for the 10 best Tactical games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 18,554 | 11/16/2009 | 97 | $9.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 7,280 | 9/18/2020 | 95 | $13.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 2,229 | 4/9/2013 | 94 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 74 | 12/6/2016 | 94 | $39.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,123 | 4/21/2022 | 94 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1,201 | 12/8/2023 | 93 | $29.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 247 | 2/18/2016 | 93 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 83 | 4/20/2017 | 93 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 240 | 6/10/2022 | 92 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 190 | 2/27/2018 | 92 | $14.99 | 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. (2024, May 14). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 14). Left 4 Dead 2 on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 16). Phasmophobia on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 5). Age of Empires II (Retired) on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 2). Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 16). Teardown on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 7). Against the Storm on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 30). Plague Inc: Evolved on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 17). Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 14). Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 18). Into the Breach on Steam. Steam Store.