Summary

  • Enjoy excellent FPS games like Marathon on the Steam Deck with fantastic performance and full camera control.
  • Access freeware games like Black Mesa by following a simple installation process on the Steam Deck.
  • Experience top-tier FPS titles like Superhot and Titanfall 2 running smoothly on the Steam Deck for an enthralling gaming experience.

The Steam Deck has officially arrived, and it is providing the lucky people who have gotten ahold of one with a magnificent experience. Most of the best games you can find on Steam will run well on this little beauty. This includes most of your favorite first-person shooter games.

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But while how these games run on the Steam Deck is obviously an incredibly important piece of the puzzle, we are also looking for experiences that are particularly good fits for a portable console. Thankfully, there are literally dozens of top-notch titles to pull from. Which makes it surprisingly easy to assemble a list of top-notch Steam Deck FPS experiences. What a time to be alive.

Updated November 30, 2024, by Zackary Wiggs: While the Steam Deck may not be on everyone's radar of consoles, it has won people over with its ease of use and great record of games. While it can be hard to figure out what games to play, it helps when you're a fan of the FPS genre. Of which, more and more titles keep getting ported over to the Deck. Amazing settings, action-packed adventures, and some memorable characters to boot; here are the best of the best of that genre of game.

18 Marathon

Run & Gun

If you're squinting at your screen right now, wondering what this game is, it is, in fact, Bungie's first FPS series, and it's full boomer shooter here. But don't let that discourage you because these games are awesome. They're a ton of fun and feature a lot of the niceties that many people don't associate with boomer shooters. Not only do you get a handy automap, but you also have full camera control here. Shoot the ceiling to your heart's content!

One of the elements that really help the Marathon games stand out is their heavier emphasis on lore. But worry not, it never becomes intrusive, and you can interact with it as much or as little as you like. Marathon feels like a real fusion of the best elements of a modern shooter, but wrapped up in a boomer shooter package, and we absolutely adore it. As for how they run on the Steam Deck... well, they run brilliantly, but you do have to do a small amount of fiddling to get working. Don't worry, we'll take you through the process down below.

The Marathon games are freeware, so all of this is on the up and up.

  1. Enter into the Steam Deck's desktop mode.
  2. Go to this thread in the GameOnLinux forum, and you will find that the user Slembcke has compiled all the games into .flatpack files.
  3. Download these games to your Steam Deck
  4. Install the games through the Steam Deck's 'konsole'
  5. Enjoy!

Once you have followed the above steps, the games will now work. You can now add them to your Steam Account as you would any other non-steam game. You will have to bind the controls, of course, but that isn't a big deal. Have fun, Marathoners!

17 Black Mesa

Haf-Life From The Fans

Black Mesa

First-Person Shooter Released March 6, 2020 ESRB m Platform(s) PC Developer Crowbar Collective Publisher black mesa modification team Genre(s) First-Person Shooter Powered by Expand Collapse

Half-Life is often overshadowed by its beloved sequel, but if you are more of a horror fan than a sci-fi fan, the first Half-Life is likely your favorite game in the series. It has a tension that the sequel wasn't able to replicate.

In case you're unaware, Black Mesa is a lovingly made, fan-created remake of this classic title. While there are certainly a number of elements that still look pretty dated (due to Black Mesa running on the Source Engine), it has definitely received an impressive visual overhaul. So how does this title run on the Steam Deck? While it does run quite nicely, it will take a little bit of messing around in the settings.

If you want the best performance, you will want to switch to the Proton version of the game, which means that you will have to select the 'force compatibility' box in the settings menu. It also does, on occasion, dip.

However, the mass majority of the experience will be locked at a solid 60 frames per second. And hey, if Black Mesa changes a touch too much for you, there is always the MMOD for the original Half Life. It's free and will provide a refined version of the original that only gently refines certain elements, keeping the original largely the same.

16 Neon White

A Little Bit Of Everything

Neon White

FPS Puzzle Released June 16, 2022 ESRB T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco Developer(s) Angel Matrix Publisher(s) Annapurna Interactive Platform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) FPS, Puzzle Powered by Expand Collapse

Neon White takes everything you love about a great, twitchy action-first FPS, and mingles it with excellent first-person platforming, and a unique, intuitive form of puzzle solving. Every weapon has an ability associated with it. These range from the pistol's double jump, to the sniper rifle's super dash. Once you use the ability, the weapon is discarded. The stages are designed to force you to use these abilities with a great degree of precision.

In that way, a great deal of the game is figuring out what the game wants you to do, and then executing that strategy with precision. Neon White is unique, it is fun, it is visceral, and it will have you coming back for more. Even better, each stage is repeatable, and they can all be completed rather quickly. So, it is perfect for gaming on the go! In fact, we would go as far as to say that the Steam Deck is the ideal place to play it.

15 Prey

Predator, Or...

Prey

FPS Released May 5, 2017 ESRB M for Mature: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) Arkane Studios Publisher(s) Bethesda Platform(s) PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Genre(s) FPS Powered by Expand Collapse

Prey is a First-Person Shooter that comes with a number of unique qualities. For one, you have access to a number of genuinely unique powers and abilities, including shape-shifting. Yet, these powers come with a cost. Inevitably, you will have to weigh how much you value your own humanity. Thankfully, even if you forgo these powers, the game has a number of ways to deal with enemies, ranging from hacking potent turrets, to the use of Preys own version of Bullet Time.

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Of course, the real star of the show here is Talos 1 itself. It is home to dozens of stories told through the environment itself and is also an unending source of tension. While this isn't the best FPS if you are looking for unrelenting action, it's best if you're looking for horror and quality storytelling. Last of all, we are pleased to report that you can play Prey on your Steam Deck on the highest settings while still hitting 60fps. Not bad!

14 Apex Legends

Watch That Circle

Apex Legends

Battle Royale First-Person Shooter Released February 4, 2019 ESRB T for Teen: Blood, Violence Developer(s) Respawn Entertainment Publisher(s) Electronic Arts Platform(s) PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, iOS, Android, Switch Genre(s) Battle Royale, First-Person Shooter Powered by Expand Collapse

Apex Legends is a battle royale title. This may be a bit of a bold proclamation, but it's the first battle royale title to have genuinely excellent gameplay. When talking about how it plays, it feels like it is better to compare it to team deathmatch titles. Apex is the perfect balance between the more arcadey, looser, pick-up and play-friendly Overwatch, and the extremely sweaty, tremendously skill-based CSGO. The movement in Apex Legends alone is a huge high-point.

The roster of legends is also varied, and each legend adds a nice bit of variety. However, unlike a title like Overwatch, each character's gimmick doesn't completely define how you play the game moment-to-moment. And how does it run on the Steam Deck? Extremely well. Even on high settings, the game is extremely smooth, and by tweaking the settings a little, you can lock in at 60 fps. If you have a Steam Deck and a solid internet connection, Apex Legends is multiplayer bliss in the palm of your hands.

13 Boltgun

There Is Only War

Boltgun Cover Art by Johan grenier

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

FPS 3.0/5 Released May 23, 2023 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence Developer(s) Auroch Digital Publisher(s) Focus Entertainment Franchise Warhammer 40K Genre(s) FPS Powered by Expand Collapse

The Warhammer 40,000 universe is often regarded as one of the most lore-heavy ones out there, but thankfully Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun lets you ease into the life of a space marine in pretty simple form.

This retro-like boomer shooter is a wealth of fun because of its easy gameplay and great soundtrack, and it only makes it better on the Steam Deck that feels even more retro as a handheld game. Plus, the Steam Deck keeps up with the speed easily.

12 Resident Evil: Village

It Takes A Village

Resident Evil Village

Survival Horror Released May 7, 2021 ESRB m Developer(s) Capcom Publisher(s) Capcom Franchise Resident Evil Platform(s) PS5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Genre(s) Survival Horror Powered by Expand Collapse

This is a first-person horror with shooting, but there is enough action involved here that you could argue it is a first-person shooter. What really puts it over the threshold for us is the fantastic mercenaries mode.

That's right, you can play the classic action-centric mode in the first-person perspective! This classic mode almost feels as if it was made for a handheld console. It's perfect for quick playthroughs. Resident Evil Village is a fantastic title that is a perfect fit for the beefy handheld.

11 Superhot

Time Will Tell

Superhot

FPS 4.0/5 Released February 25, 2016 ESRB T For Teen Due To Drug Reference, Violence Developer(s) SUPERHOT Team Publisher(s) SUPERHOT Team Platform(s) PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One Genre(s) FPS Powered by Expand Collapse

While some of the best FPS games emphasize speed, here we have the odd duck of the bunch: Superhot. Nearly every scenario you are dropped into would be almost impossible to survive. The one thing keeping you in the game is that when you aren't moving, time moves extraordinarily slowly.

This means that you need to carefully plot out every action, as the second you are moving you are going to be extremely vulnerable. It may not be the typical twitchy experience most FPS fans look for, but it is absolutely enthralling. It also features a simplistic, stylish aesthetic which helps it run on nearly everything. The scenario-based design makes it an excellent fit for the Steam Deck.

10 Prodeus

Blast From The Past

Prodeus

FPS Released September 23, 2022 ESRB M For Mature // Blood and Gore, Violence Developer(s) Bounding Box Software Publisher(s) Humble Games Platform(s) Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S Genre(s) FPS Powered by Expand Collapse

In the last couple of years, there has been a real increase in throwback FPS titles. Of the bunch, Prodeus may just be the best of the bunch. Obviously, due to its inherent nature, this isn't a graphical showpiece, but that doesn't mean it won't look exquisite on your Steam Deck: don't get it twisted, this game is a looker.

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Also, while it may not squeeze every inch of power out of the Deck, that means that it is able to effortlessly play without any technical hitches. Don't let the early access tag discourage you, Prodeus is a fantastic game worth playing now.

9 Spec Ops: The Line

War Is Hell

Spec Ops: The Line

Third-Person Shooter Released June 26, 2012 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Developer(s) Yager Development Publisher(s) 2K Games Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360 Genre(s) Third-Person Shooter Powered by Expand Collapse

Okay, we get it. As a trigger pulling, pulse-pouncing, twitchy experience, Spec Ops is really only okay. What it does do better than almost any other game in the genre: it puts the person back in first-person shooter. This is a game that delivers a genuinely powerful narrative

One that asks questions about the nature of humanity in the type of situation in which we often find ourselves in this genre of titles. Spec Ops is an older title, so it runs at a locked frame rate and won't exactly push the deck.

The smaller screen also helps to hide a few of the rough details that you may expect to see in an older title.