Welcome to our latest performance roundup, where we are looking at the performance and issues for Pacific Drive, Last Epoch, Anomaly Agent, Inkulinati and Gods Against Machines on the Steam Deck.
Let's kick off with Anomaly Agent. Thanks to Phew Phew Games for providing a key for testing. Unsurpringly, it runs at a crisp 120 FPS on an external monitor, but it's equally smooth at 90 FPS on the OLED or 60 FPS on the LCD Steam Deck. With just an 11-watt power draw, expect a solid 3-4 hours of battery life, or up to 5 hours on the Steam Deck OLED. This fast-paced, pixel art side-scroller might test your patience with its quick-fail and short-level design, but it's ideal for gaming on the go with seamless save and resume functions.
Last Epoch was released on February 21st. Despite mixed reviews due to server issues, the developers are actively working on stability improvements. A recent patch helps with load times and server stability. To fix the issues we previously stated regarding the map not showing you need to switch to Proton Experimental. This also seemed to reduce micro stuttering, though be prepared for a 5GB download after switching to Proton Experimental.
Pacific Drive offers a wealth of customization options. For optimal performance on the Steam Deck, I recommend specific video settings: full screen, TXAA anti-aliasing on high, medium view distance and textures, low foliage, medium effects, and other specific adjustments for a balanced experience at between 30-40 FPS. However, a significant issue arises once a certain device is placed in your car in-game, drastically dropping the FPS to 22-26 and no settings or proton versions seems to change this. Hopefully, this will be addressed in future updates.
Inkulinati, from Yaza Games, is a standout title for the Steam Deck. This turn-based strategy game, inspired by medieval manuscripts, allows for creative gameplay where you draw characters and plan attacks. It's a perfect blend of beautiful graphics, engaging music, and an intriguing storyline at a solid 60 FPS on the LCD Steam Deck and 90 FPS on the OLED Steam Deck. Huge thanks to Yaza Games for providing a key for testing.
Lastly, Gods Against Machines is a fresh take on the tower defense genre. You use elemental powers to fend off machine invasions. The game offers a variety of abilities and skill tree routes, ensuring hours of engaging gameplay and replayability. It runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, offering 60 FPS with occasional drops into the 50's but with a reasonable power draw around 13W on the Steam Deck OLED.
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