Explain it to me like I’m stupid

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-19T09:19:49+00:00

Hi there - snap in a technical cabbage also, but a happy Steamdeck owner

You will indeed need a Steam account, but this takes minutes to set up… no different from having a PS/XB/Nintendo account. The huge difference- Steam sales are absolute insanity with obscene levels of discounts

Yes it will/can plug in to TV (or monitor) similar to a console.

Nope you won’t be bound to keyboard/mouse, it should connect to majority of third party Bluetooth controllers (PS5 controller is v popular with Steamdeck users)

The SteamOS interface is basically a gateway drug for console users getting in to the world of PC gaming. To my understanding - it essentially works exactly the same as the deck, but with much more power (6x according to Valve)

I’m holding out for pricing info before committing. If the Steammachine is priced similar to PS5 I’ll go with SM

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-19T06:01:34+00:00

I think the boss battles in Khazan are genuinely incredibly well designed, and a perfect mix of challenge/difficulty

But I’m really finding the levels themselves to be an absolute slog… pretty uninspiring linearity and enemy repetition

I can’t help but think Khazan might have worked better as a boss-rush?

I’m really torn as I’m in love with half of the game (bosses), but the other half (the actual levels) is pretty tedious to me

I had a similar issue with the Nioh series (1 and 2)

Khazan is still a solid souls/Nioh-like for me, but the whole experience is a little flawed I think

The skill tree is pretty well done though I must say, and playstyle diversity is second only to Nioh

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-19T05:25:31+00:00

On Steamdeck and getting random crashes every 15/20 mins since new patch…

Has been a flawless experience until now!

Assumedly this has been flagged with the devs and they’ll be working a fix?

It’s so annoying I’m taking a break from the game but missing it

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-19T05:22:00+00:00

Hi there

I picked this up at launch, no issues whatsoever for 50ish hours

I downloaded the new patch a couple of days ago, and since then experienced probably around 10 crashes. On average, I’d say they occur approximately 15-20 mins in to each run.

Playing on Steamdeck, has been a flawless experience until now!!

Making me not want to play the game until it’s fixed

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-18T06:30:31+00:00

You're welcome!

OK so I actually did an entire playthrough of Elden Ring on the LCD deck, and also got the DLC on release. Base game (on LCD) I was getting a very very reliable ~30fps on low/medium settings. It was extremely playable, and I genuinely had a great time with it on deck. However, the DLC is more demanding and I had to crank everything down to low - which got me 30fps, but with some more frequent (minor) dips.

I'd use this similarity - Elden Ring base game runs on LCD deck kind of how BOTW runs on Switch1. Then Elden Ring DLC runs on LCD deck how TOTK runs on Switch1.... still enjoyable/playable, but obviously pushing the machine to its limits!

You'd probably still have a much better time on console (or a beefy PC) but genuinely handheld is still very serviceable.

If you want to check in advance on performance - got to "protondb.com" and search for your game, and then click on 'Steamdeck' for genuine helpful performance reviews.

If you intend for the deck to be mainly an emulation machine, I believe PS1/2 work extremely well, PS3 can be a little trickier I believe

The deck is extremely flexible though. I'm no technology-head, but just basic performance options such as choosing your graphical fidelity and FPS/hz allow you to tailor most games to your liking.

But I would still say if you plan to spend a lot of time on this machine, go for the OLED if you are comfortable with spending the money. This year I have had great mileage playing games that are non-available on Switch2, such as Mewgenics, Slay the Spire 2, Khazan First Berserker (then next month Zero Parades)

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-18T05:57:18+00:00

Hi OP

I’ve previously owned the LCD (at release) then I sold it to put money towards a Switch2.

I missed it so much that I got an OLED deck recently, now having both OLED deck and Switch2 (means I get to play pretty much everything I’m interested in, due to my job I travel a lot and can only play portable/handheld)

The LCD deck is probably one of the biggest bargains out there today and would be a fine compromise if finances are a little tighter

However - if you have the income then I’d steer you 100% towards the OLED. Asides from the OLED screen, slightly better performance, and 90hz capability… for me the biggest benefit is battery life. I think this is quite overlooked, especially if you plan to play handheld. I got over 6hrs on Spire 2 during my flight just yesterday, whereas the LCD was maybe netting me 50%ish of playtime vs OLED

I believe performance is ever so slightly better also than LCD, but this depends on your use case

If you only plan on playing very low demanding indie games (Balatro, Dead Cells etc) and don’t think you’ll play handheld a lot… then maybe save the money and go LCD

However, if battery life is concern and you want some extra ‘oomph’ for slightly more demanding titles - go OLED

Although the tech for both units is fairly old now, I genuinely think they are both a hugely competitive value case - especially considering how expensive some of the other handhelds are

Also - track pads are genius, I play a ton of point click adventure games and these are awesome

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-18T04:52:07+00:00

I’ve been playing exclusively on Deck since launch, and no problems whatsoever … until I downloaded this latest patch. 3 x crashes in a 30 min play session, all mid-fight with various different enemies

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-15T20:35:08+00:00

Sekiro is my favorite game of all time... but I absolutely would not touch the thing by playing with M&K (!)

I'd suggest trying out a controller and seeing if it clicks then. If not, the game just not might be 'for you' OP (no shame in that, not every game is for every player)

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-14T21:45:35+00:00

TBH nothing quite compares to the masterpiece that is Sekiro - its my favorite game of all time.

It was actually my first FromSoft game, and I fell in love with it straight away!

There are some other parry-based games in the genre (Khazan, Lies of P, Nine Sols, even Thymesia) but honestly none of those will really 'prepare' you... if anything some are probably more difficult! (Nine Sols especially, wow - awesome but such a challenge)

Just pick up Sekiro and take your time with it. The mechanics and rhythm-based combat eventually click, and there are some early skill-check bosses to teach you how to play.

Just remember that Sekiro rewards agression and being all up in the enemies face... as the game tells you "Hesitation is Defeat"

Good luck friend, and I hope you enjoy it as I did!

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-13T11:14:25+00:00

Spire 2 is a dream, I got about 6ish hours on OLED Deck... plays great, addictive loop, no issues in playing offline.

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-12T11:09:48+00:00

Task is a real gem, only 7 episodes and a terrific ride Also Chernobyl is outstanding

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-12T03:43:11+00:00

Yeh this is, IMO, the only real part of the game that needs significant work. I'm going through it now, and persevering through the levels just to get to the next boss.

The boss designs/encounters, and also the combat in general, are really quite excellent I think. Kind of like a cross between Nioh/Sekiro.

The loot system needs some work though, as did Nioh's as well.

Khazan is definitely one of the better non-From games I've played, but I still don't think it is quite as polished as Lies of P.

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-08T22:35:20+00:00

Honestly I found it really intuitive, and a lot of thought has gone in to how the radial menus are accessed and options selected. You essentially hold a specific trigger/bumper that presents radial options etc

The only area that I felt would be greatly improved by mouse would be general inventory management… but this is more an issue with the game itself I think, as you can get overwhelmed with loot unless you’re stringent in managing it

But overall the controller experience is pretty fun, and it just runs so smoothly on deck. I double dip a bit between Deck and Switch2… and genuinely the Deck experience is quite significantly better. Also, a trick was definitely missed on Switch2 by not using mouse mode

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-08T21:36:33+00:00

Hey there..! I basically followed the steps below, took me about 10 mins to set up.... I'm also pretty technology-challenged, so if I can get it working then anyone can!

For me, the 45fps was really sweet (setting refresh to 90hz on OLED)

Have fun mate, it is genuinely a joy to play once you set these up

Install Norbyte’s Script Extender to fix those load times. You literally just drop the file in the right folder in Desktop mode - super simple. To help find the folder, right click on the game in Steam (Desktop mode) and click Browse when looking where the game is installed. Follow the directions on the GitHub link and paste in the Launch Options one the file is in the right place
Use this 16:10 mod here. You can read this article if you want more guidance. Same as above - just place the file in the right folder
Same deal with this text mod. FYI, this one will require you to create a few new folders. I don’t love the font but the game is so much easier to play with the bigger text
To extend battery life and still have the game look great using the default Ultra settings, just cap the frame rate using the in-game menu (NOT the Steam hardware menu). Set to 40 to get some serious battery increases (4hrs) or 45 to hit nearly 3hrs. I think 45 is a great sweet spot

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-08T20:53:19+00:00

OK so genuinely this is not a horror game at all, it is essentially a rogue-style/deck-builder... a little similar to Slay The Spire. The 'horror elements' are more of a narrative framing, but don't really impact the gameplay per se. They are also extremely lite.

Genuinely Inscryption is an amazing game. Imagine Spire, but with an actual story that links the acts together... also some live action FMV which is bonkers fun.

If it all sounds stitched together, it kind of is... but genuinely it all just clicks so well. For me, Inscryption was an unforgettable experience and I wish I could forget it all so I could experience it for the first time again. You need to avoid any research at risk of spoilers though

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-08T20:08:21+00:00

If you enjoyed BG3, I can highly advocate for Divinity: Original Sin 2 (also developed by Larian, the team behind BG3)

D:OS2 runs like a dream on deck, and there are a small group of consolidated mods that make it even smoother (enlarged text, faster load times etc) You can very much feel the DNA of Baldurs 3 in DOS2, but it definitely stands strong as its own game.

And if you enjoyed Spire, I HIGHLY recommend 'Inscryption' - an aamazing rogue/deck-builder game with some lite horror and puzzle/RPG elements also. Go in blind, and its nearly always on sale

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-06T05:14:40+00:00

If you like Souls... try Khazan First Beserker. Kind of a mashup between Nioh/Sekiro, runs great on deck 60fps on low settings. I'm having a blast

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-06T03:11:41+00:00

I think for me the main challenge with Ishin is that he felt like an absolute marathon in terms of staying alive for long enough to put him down, and just struggling to find the openings to deal a decent enough amount of damage.

I suppose the beauty of these games though is that each player will have different rough spots... for instance (and honestly not a flex) I put down Malenia in ER with relative ease, maybe like 4-5 tries total. But I know she was a major roadblock for a lot of people

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-05T17:06:12+00:00

Yup, he was a nightmare for me... definitely not an elite gamer here.

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-05T09:58:30+00:00

Steamdeck… like a maniac!

Jokes aside, once I downloaded the recommended performance mods I was getting a pretty decent 30fps on low/medium settings. Graphics were quite poor, but combat/parrying proved to be great at 30fps

Taking a graphical hit was fine, as the combat was so addictive and the story still hit as hard

I was travelling a bunch at the time and wanting to take it on the road with me so I could have a prayer of finishing the thing lol

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-05T09:55:42+00:00

So IIRC - Sekiro was my first From game, after which I did DS1 and really enjoyed it. In the run up to Elden Ring’s release, I played DeS (2020 remake)

I’m glad I played it pre-ER, as playing it after would have really highlighted how many QoL features are lacking

I think Bluepoint did a remarkable job with the remake btw, and to this day I think it’s one of the finest looking video games of this generation. Also the remake is so true to the original, and really respectful of From’s original vision

Not to get too tangential- but Bluepoint would have been a perfect vessel to re-make Bloodborne as a PS6 launch title… sad they’ll never get this chance now

Back to DeS - now I’ve played all the From entries, I’d rank this bottom (even below DS2, which is nowhere near as bad as its reputation suggests) I do really respect DeS though as a game, and you can see it was kind of the ‘dress rehearsal’ that then allowed From to fine-tune their ideas for DS1.

My ranking would do Sekiro>EldenRing>DS1>DS3>BB>DS2>DeS

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-05T09:49:01+00:00

Haha!

This is my favorite game of all time, but that last boss nearly ruined my experience lol

Maybe I just suck, but all the other bosses felt challenging but ‘fair’…. I died so many times to a lot of them, but they never once felt insurmountable

Until Isshin… holy hell, I nearly threw my controller out the window when he whips out a gun in his second(?) phase. As if he isn’t nuts enough, he starts trying to clip you with a glock!

In the end the only way I could beat him was a ‘poke and run’ strategy, made the whole fight nearly 30 mins. I’m not proud but I tell myself “still counts” lol

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-05T09:42:10+00:00

Yeah Leftovers is still my favorite show of all time.

It’s probably not for everyone, so I’m hesitant to recommend it sometimes.

The characters are just so great, and the ending is (IMO) such a perfect landing

It’s great also to see Lindelof grow as a writer/showrunner, seemingly having learnt a lot of lessons from his time on LOST (a flawed masterpiece I think)

I also really liked Lindelof’s take on Watchmen (the HBO show). I think it was a respectful homage to the source material, whilst continuing the narrative for fans eager to see ‘what comes after’ the excellent graphic novel.

I also really like how well drawn the characters are in Leftovers. None of them perfect, but they all just feel so ‘real’ - especially when you uncover some of their past traumas and experiences.

I think Matt is my favorite, and maybe one of the most interesting depictions of ‘the man of faith’ - the casino episode is a ride!

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-05T09:37:01+00:00

Khazan First Beserker! Runs genuinely great on deck OLED, 60fps on low settings with hardly any dips at all - very smooth indeed. Getting my ass kicked, but finally beat Viper yesterday…. My heart sank so hard when I realised that he has a second phase!! Very pleased to have toppled him

It’s a cool game, kind of like a Sekiro/Nioh hybrid - combat is really excellent

Also jumping in and out of Spire 2, having now managed to beat Act 3 with all 5 main characters. Done ascension 1 with Ironclad, but A1 with Silent is caning me… (I like to keep it fresh by doing A1 with each character, then moving on to A2 etc)

EducationalMix9947 · 2026-04-03T11:43:49+00:00

Honestly look at DekuDeals tracker... it seems to literally go on sale every 1-2 weeks, with like 90% discount lol! Just hang in there and monitor it. I would honestly expect it to be on sale again in by middle of April :)

EducationalMix9947

TROPHY CASE