Best Well-Written Steam Deck Games
Steam currently has 47 Well-Written 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. Well-Written game rankings were last updated on 5/17/2024.
Looking for more? Explore other lists such as:
- Best well-written games on Steam
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- Free Steam games
- Most played Steam games
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1. 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 holds the #1 spot for "best Well-Written Steam Deck game" with a Player Score of 94. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,992 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,976 positive reviews and 16 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 |
2. PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
How far would you go to bring someone back from the dead? Discover the depths that some will go to in this horror-adventure game.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo has achieved a Player Score of 92, placing it in the #2 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 3,134 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 3,006 positive reviews and 128 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 | 3/8/2023 |
| Developer | Square Enix |
| Publisher | Square Enix |
| Steam App Id | 2106840 |
3. memories
memories is a sapphic visual novel dress-up game where clothes are linked to painful memories of a failed relationship.
memories has achieved a Player Score of 90, placing it in the #3 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,070 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,020 positive reviews and 50 negative reviews — making it "Overwhelmingly Positive" on Steam.
It is completely free 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.
| Release Date | 2/3/2023 |
| Developer | guiyyu |
| Publisher | Spookulele Games |
| Steam App Id | 2219470 |
4. A Juggler's Tale
Lead Abby the string puppet through a bruised, but beautiful fairy tale world in this cinematic adventure. Solve riddles, evade traps and shake off pursuers on the way to find freedom. Can Abby take control of her fate with all the strings attached?
A Juggler's Tale has achieved a Player Score of 87, placing it in the #4 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 1,324 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 1,221 positive reviews and 103 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $3.59 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 | $3.59 |
| Release Date | 9/29/2021 |
| Developer | kaleidoscube |
| Publisher | Assemble Entertainment |
| Steam App Id | 1252830 |
5. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
Master the gibbon’s art of movement with a unique moveset that lets you swing, slide and somersault through a lush jungle canopy, and experience a free-flowing story of family and survival as you search for a home that may be lost forever.
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees has achieved a Player Score of 85, placing it in the #5 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 364 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 335 positive reviews and 29 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $12.99 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.
| Steam Price | $12.99 |
| Release Date | 5/18/2022 |
| Franchise | Broken Rules Games |
| Developer | Broken Rules |
| Publisher | Broken Rules |
| Steam App Id | 1837330 |
6. REVEIL
REVEIL is a narrative first-person psycho-thriller game that focuses on story, puzzles and exploration. Find out what’s going on inside Walter Thompson and what his dark past at the Nelson Bros Circus has to do with it.
REVEIL has achieved a Player Score of 84, placing it in the #6 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 329 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 302 positive reviews and 27 negative reviews — making it "Very 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.
| Steam Price | $19.99 |
| Release Date | 3/6/2024 |
| Franchise | Pixelsplit |
| Developer | Pixelsplit |
| Publisher | Daedalic Entertainment |
| Steam App Id | 809060 |
7. Letters - a written adventure
Letters is a fun word puzzle game about friendship, growing up and finding your place in life. Follow Sarah, a shy girl from Switzerland, by moving through her pen pal letters and chat messages. Use the power of words to solve riddles, interact with her friends and decide who she will grow up to be.
Letters - a written adventure has achieved a Player Score of 84, placing it in the #7 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 185 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 172 positive reviews and 13 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $5.24 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.
| Steam Price | $5.24 |
| Release Date | 2/9/2022 |
| Developer | 5am Games GmbH |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1033080 |
8. Arietta of Spirits
Arietta of Spirits is a story-driven action-adventure game, with easy to approach game mechanics. Follow Arietta on her journey to unveil the mysteries of the Spirit Realm and immerse yourself in a story filled with emotion and surprising turns.
Arietta of Spirits has achieved a Player Score of 81, placing it in the #8 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 471 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 409 positive reviews and 62 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 | 8/20/2021 |
| Developer | Third Spirit Games |
| Publishers | |
| Steam App Id | 1140170 |
9. Harold Halibut
Harold Halibut is a handmade narrative game about friendship and life on a city-sized spaceship submerged in an alien ocean. Join Harold as he explores a vibrant retro-future world in his quest to find the true meaning of ‘home’.
Harold Halibut has achieved a Player Score of 76, placing it in the #9 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 393 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 318 positive reviews and 75 negative reviews — making it "Very Positive" on Steam.
It is priced at $34.99 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 | $34.99 |
| Release Date | 4/16/2024 |
| Developer | Slow Bros. |
| Publisher | Slow Bros. |
| Steam App Id | 924750 |
10. Mato Anomalies
Mato Anomalies takes players on a journey through a neo-futuristic version of a bygone oriental city. Investigate strange happenings across the city and uncover secrets behind the walls. Join a cast of enigmatic unlikely heroes in this anime-inspired RPG experience.
Mato Anomalies has achieved a Player Score of 71, placing it in the #10 spot for the best Well-Written Steam Deck games. Its score was calculated by analyzing a total of 134 reviews on Steam. This breaks down to a total of 103 positive reviews and 31 negative reviews — making it "Mostly 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 | 3/10/2023 |
| Franchise | Prime Matter |
| Developer | Arrowiz |
| Publisher | Prime Matter |
| Steam App Id | 2024390 |
More Well-Written Steam Deck Verified Games
Explore even more rankings for the 10 best Well-Written games available on Steam.
| Image | Name | Actions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 15 | 6/11/2021 | 94 | $24.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 99 | 3/8/2023 | 92 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 4 | 2/3/2023 | 90 | Free | Steam Charts | |
 | 5 | 9/29/2021 | 87 | $3.59 | Steam Charts | |
 | 3 | 5/18/2022 | 85 | $12.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 14 | 3/6/2024 | 84 | $19.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 1 | 2/9/2022 | 84 | $5.24 | Steam Charts | |
 | 2 | 8/20/2021 | 81 | $14.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 27 | 4/16/2024 | 76 | $34.99 | Steam Charts | |
 | 3 | 3/10/2023 | 71 | $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 17). Steam Store. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 17). Scarlet Hollow on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 17). PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 4). memories on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 6). A Juggler's Tale on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 16). Gibbon: Beyond the Trees on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 3). REVEIL on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 19). Letters - a written adventure on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, April 7). Arietta of Spirits on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 18). Harold Halibut on Steam. Steam Store.
- Valve Corporation. (2024, May 18). Mato Anomalies on Steam. Steam Store.