Welcome to this week’s early edition of the Steam Deck Weekly, where we delve into the latest announcements, trailers, and releases as we gear up for Gamescom 2024. Today, we’ll focus on some exciting game reviews and the new Steam Deck Verified titles that have recently emerged.
Steam Deck Game Reviews & Impressions
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid Steam Deck Review
Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid stands out as one of Spike Chunsoft’s most delightful releases in recent memory. With a busy June behind us, this game arrives at an opportune moment, just as the gaming landscape begins to calm before the storm of new titles. Although I only gained access to the PC version recently, my time spent with the Nintendo Switch port has been thoroughly enjoyable, thanks to its charming atmosphere and soothing gameplay loop. Keep an eye out for Shaun’s comprehensive review, as I’ll be concentrating on the PC port for now.
While Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is currently untested by Valve, it exhibits characteristics that suggest it should be Steam Deck Verified. The game supports Steam Cloud, seamlessly brings up the on-screen keyboard for text entry, and runs smoothly, save for a few performance quirks that I’ll address shortly. After dedicating several hours to it on my Steam Deck OLED, I can confidently say that it performs admirably following a specific adjustment.
Initially, the game offers two frame rate options: 30fps and 60fps. However, the 30fps mode leaves much to be desired, and I encountered some issues with the 60fps mode as well. A helpful tip from a friend who purchased the Japanese version suggested that setting the Steam Deck’s screen—or any high refresh rate display on PC—to 60hz or a multiple thereof results in smoother camera movement. Playing at 60fps on a 90hz setting, however, can lead to microstuttering. For Windows users, adjusting the fps to 59.95 using external tools can yield better pacing.
Aside from frame rate concerns, Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid runs well on both Steam Deck and PC. The image quality settings allow for resolution adjustments from 1024×768 up to 4K, along with brightness control, v-sync toggling, and display mode options. However, at the high image quality preset and 4K resolution, the frame rate dips into the 20s. For the best experience, playing on the Deck’s screen at 720p is recommended.
Control-wise, the game supports both keyboard and controller inputs, displaying PlayStation button prompts when using a DualSense controller on PC, while Xbox prompts appear when using the Steam Deck. Button remapping is available in the key configuration settings, enhancing customization.
One notable observation was the unexpectedly long load times in certain areas on the Steam Deck. Switching to Proton Experimental significantly reduced these load times. With this adjustment and the 60fps at 60hz setting, I achieved an optimal portable experience for Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid. I also have access to the Broadcast Over Sunset DLC, which I plan to cover separately after further exploration. Overall, I’m quite pleased with how Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid performs on the Steam Deck, and I look forward to diving back into it over the coming week.
Tomba! Special Edition Steam Deck Review
Limited Run Games has made a significant impact by bringing The House in Fata Morgana to consoles in the West, and now, my anticipation has culminated in the release of Tomba! Special Edition on PC, Switch, and PS5. I’ve been exploring it on the Steam Deck while Shaun prepares his full review for the Switch version. Since receiving review codes, Tomba! Special Edition has seen several updates, landing it in a solid state, although a few issues remain.
Upon launching the game, players can initiate a new game, explore the museum filled with artwork and interviews, listen to the music player featuring two soundtracks, and adjust various game options. These options include resolution settings, window mode, language preferences, and more. While in-game, players can pause and access the emulation menu, which offers screen options, filters, borders, save states, and a reset button. However, the in-game menu for item usage feels sluggish, and I hope for more filter options and save states in future updates.
Revisiting Tomba! through this Special Edition, alongside the original on my PS Vita, has been a fascinating experience. While load times remain comparable to the original, I had hoped for improved emulation on both Switch and Steam Deck. Nevertheless, the museum feature is a standout for fans, especially with the inclusion of the original soundtrack alongside the new one.
Overall, Tomba! Special Edition is a commendable release, and I’m grateful for its official appearance on PC. However, I hope Limited Run Games can address the save system and emulation concerns. For those who cherished Tomba! in the past, this edition is certainly worth considering.
Flock Steam Deck Review
Flock, developed by Hollow Ponds, Richard Hogg, and Annapurna Interactive, is a vibrant and whimsical game that I regret not playing sooner. Released a few weeks ago on Steam and consoles, I’ve been enjoying it on both the Steam Deck and PS5. I was eager to see how its charming aesthetic translated across different platforms and whether it suited portable play. Currently, Flock is labeled as Steam Deck Playable, though not Verified due to some text readability issues on the device’s screen.
This adventure exploration game revolves around collecting various creatures, with an emphasis on flight. After just a few minutes of gameplay, I was captivated. The journey to collect all creatures may take some time, but players can expect to complete Flock in just a few hours. The gameplay begins simply but evolves into a more engaging experience as players charm and discover elusive creatures throughout the story.
On PC, Flock offers a range of graphics options. While it runs at 800p on the Steam Deck, achieving 60fps or higher requires some tweaking. For those aiming for 90fps, starting at the lowest preset and gradually increasing settings is advisable. I recommend maintaining a resolution scale of 100, as Flock’s visuals suffer at lower settings. The game’s colorful aesthetic truly shines on the Steam Deck OLED, leading me to prefer it over my PS5 for this title.
Speaking of the PS5, I appreciate the DualSense haptics integrated into Flock. As the game is also available on Xbox Game Pass, I’ve tested it there as well, where it runs smoothly, though I encountered an audio bug that needs addressing. I have yet to explore the multiplayer aspect on the Steam Deck, so I cannot comment on that feature at this time.
In summary, Flock is a delightful and visually stunning experience that has met my expectations for a new title from the developers of Hohokum. It offers an enchanting soundscape and a relaxing gameplay experience that resonates with many players. While it may not appeal to everyone, Flock has struck all the right chords for me, prompting a second playthrough on PS5 after my time on the Steam Deck.
Flock Steam Deck review score: 4.5/5
News and Trailers
In exciting news, Fate/Stay Night Remastered has launched this week on Steam and Switch for an astonishing .99. This unexpected release has taken many by surprise, especially considering the higher prices for physical copies in the past. Check out the new trailer below:
Additionally, Fate/Extra Record is set to arrive on Steam and consoles next year as a remake of the original PSP game. Watch the trailer here:
Lastly, Fate/hollow Ataraxia Remastered is coming to Steam and Switch, serving as a sequel to Fate/Stay Night. Fans are hopeful for a double pack physical release alongside Fate/Stay Night on PS5 in the future:
Capcom has begun unveiling short gameplay videos showcasing mechanics and weapons for Monster Hunter Wilds, which is my most-anticipated game of 2025. Here are the trailers highlighting key weapons and mechanics:
The latest trailer for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves showcases Rock Howard, further building anticipation for the game:
In a recent announcement, Dragami Games revealed that Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP will launch two weeks earlier in the West on Steam and consoles, now scheduled for September 12th:
Bandai Namco has released another trailer for Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, featuring Byakuya Kuchiki ahead of the game’s release on Steam and consoles:
No More Robots has announced Descenders Next, a new installment in the Descenders series, aiming to create the ultimate extreme sports game. It will debut next year on Steam and Game Pass, with plans for additional sports as player engagement grows:
Kodansha has unveiled several Fairy Tail indie games, including Dungeons, Beach Volleyball Havoc, and Birth of Magic, with Fairy Tail Dungeons set to release on August 26th and Beach Volleyball Havoc on September 16th:
Obsidian’s highly anticipated title, Avowed, has been rescheduled for release on February 18th, 2025, moving out of its Fall 2024 window to allow for more breathing room amidst other major releases:
Inti Creates has also shared a new trailer for the deckbuilding RPG Card-en-Ciel, which is set to launch on October 24th for Steam and consoles:
New Steam Deck Verified & Playable games for the week
This week brings some notable additions to the Steam Deck Verified lineup, including Panic’s upcoming Arco, which has been Verified ahead of its release. Additionally, D3’s latest title, YEAH! YOU WANT “THOSE GAMES,” RIGHT? SO HERE YOU GO! NOW, LET’S SEE YOU CLEAR THEM! 2, along with Riven, Minishoot’ Adventures, and Spike Chunsoft’s Quintessential Quintuplets, have also received Verified or Playable ratings.
- Arco – Verified
- Leisure Suit Larry 1 – In the Land of the Lounge Lizards – Playable
- Minishoot’ Adventures – Verified
- Riven – Verified
- The Quintessential Quintuplets – Memories of a Quintessential Summer – Playable
- YEAH! YOU WANT “THOSE GAMES,” RIGHT? SO HERE YOU GO! NOW, LET’S SEE YOU CLEAR THEM! 2 – Verified
Steam Deck Game Sales, Discounts, and Specials
Currently, two noteworthy Humble Bundles are available. The first features a board game night collection, including Wingspan, Dune, and more. The second bundle focuses on LEGO games, offering great value for those who may not already own these titles.
As always, we invite you to share your thoughts and feedback regarding our Steam Deck coverage. Your insights are invaluable as we continue to explore this dynamic gaming landscape. Thank you for joining us this week.
