Steam Deck Weekly: NBA 2K25, ARCO, ODDADA, DATE a LIVE Ren Dystopia, Star Trucker, Skull and Bones, & More Reviews With New Verified Games

This week's Steam Deck Weekly highlights several game reviews and impressions, along with newly verified titles and current sales. Missed my Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 review? Catch it here!

Steam Deck Game Reviews & Impressions

NBA 2K25 Steam Deck Review

NBA 2K25 marks a significant milestone: the PC version finally matches the "Next Gen" experience of PS5 and Xbox Series X. Officially optimized for Steam Deck (though not yet officially rated by Valve), it delivers a satisfying, albeit not perfect, portable basketball experience. Longtime PC players will appreciate the inclusion of ProPLAY technology and the WNBA debut. While the game is excellent, it retains some familiar 2K shortcomings.

The Steam Deck and PC versions boast 16:10 and 800p support, along with AMD FSR 2, DLSS, and XeSS (though I disabled these for better clarity). Extensive graphical settings allow for customization, but I found a 60fps cap at 60hz optimal. The game performs a quick shader cache on each boot, a minor inconvenience.

A built-in Steam Deck visual preset is available, but I preferred tweaking settings for improved sharpness. Offline play is limited; MyCAREER and MyTEAM require an internet connection, though Quick Play and Eras modes work offline. Load times are noticeably slower than on PS5/Xbox Series X, even on an SSD. Cross-play with consoles is absent. The persistent issue of microtransactions remains, impacting certain game modes.

Despite technical limitations compared to consoles, NBA 2K25's portability on Steam Deck makes it a winner. With some adjustments, it looks and plays great. 2K has finally delivered feature parity with next-gen consoles on PC; however, be mindful of the microtransaction element.

NBA 2K25 Steam Deck review score: 4/5

Gimmick! 2 Steam Deck Impressions

(See Shaun's Switch review here.) Gimmick! 2 runs smoothly on Steam Deck, even without official Valve testing, thanks to recent Linux-focused updates. It's capped at 60fps (forcing your Steam Deck to 60hz on OLED is recommended). While lacking graphical options, it supports 16:10 display in menus (gameplay remains 16:9). The smooth performance suggests a likely "Steam Deck Verified" rating soon.

Arco Steam Deck Mini Review

Arco, a dynamic turn-based RPG, has received a major update since its initial release, addressing previous shortcomings. The Steam version (currently more up-to-date than Switch) is Steam Deck Verified and runs flawlessly at 60fps (16:9 only). An assist mode (beta) offers options like skipping combat or enabling infinite dynamite.

Arco is more than just a visually appealing tactical game; its combat system, audio, and narrative are surprising and engaging. The blend of real-time and turn-based elements is unique. A free demo is available on Steam.

Arco Steam Deck review score: 5/5

Skull and Bones Steam Deck Mini Review

Newly available on Steam, Skull and Bones is rated "Playable" by Valve. While the Ubisoft Connect login process is clunky, the game runs well with a 30fps cap, 16:10 at 800p, and FSR 2 upscaling. Performance is more stable with the performance upscaling preset.

My initial impressions are positive, showing improvement over previous versions. However, it's an online-only experience and its full-price value is debatable. A free trial is recommended.

Skull and Bones Steam Deck review score: TBA

ODDADA Steam Deck Review

ODDADA, a music-making experience, runs perfectly at 90fps on Steam Deck, though it currently lacks controller support. Graphical options are minimal, but the menu text is small. Touch controls work well, and controller support is in development.

Its unique blend of art and music creation makes it a delightful experience, even without full controller support.

ODDADA Steam Deck review score: 4.5/5

Star Trucker Steam Deck Mini Review

Star Trucker blends automobile simulation and space exploration. While not perfectly optimized, it runs well on Proton Experimental with customizable graphics settings (including 16:10 support). The controls could use improvement.

Despite its genre blend, it offers a unique and enjoyable gameplay loop, enhanced by its visuals, writing, and voice acting.

Star Trucker Steam Deck review score: 4/5

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia Steam Deck Mini Review

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia, a visual novel, runs perfectly on Steam Deck out of the box, supporting 16:9 at 720p. It's a great follow-up to Rio Reincarnation, offering a lighthearted story with engaging characters and art. Check system settings to ensure proper button configuration.

DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia Steam Deck Review Score: 4/5

Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES Steam Deck Review Impressions

Total War: PHARAOH DYNASTIES, an enhanced re-release, is playable on Steam Deck using trackpad and touch controls (controller support is absent). It's a significant improvement over the original.

Pinball FX Steam Deck Impressions

Pinball FX offers a robust PC port with extensive graphics options and HDR support on Steam Deck. The gameplay is highly enjoyable, and the free-to-play version allows for sampling before purchasing DLC.

New Steam Deck Verified & Playable Games

Notable additions include Hookah Haze and OneShot: World Machine Edition (Verified), along with several other Playable and Unsupported titles. Black Myth: Wukong's "Unsupported" rating is surprising given its performance.

Steam Deck Game Sales

The Games from Croatia sale offers discounts on Talos Principle and other titles. This sale runs until Monday.

Check out past and future Steam Deck coverage here. Share your feedback in the comments!