New Steam Games Playable on the Steam Deck, with How to Fish and Twisted Tower - 2026-08-22 Edition

2026-08-23

Between 2026-08-15 and 2026-08-22 we selected 18 newly released games that are rated as Verified or Playable on the Steam Deck, and meeting specific criteria in terms of user ratings. Two highlights for the past week, with How to Fish, a brilliant co-op chaotic that drives immediate fun and has great replay value. And there’s Twister Tower which can best be described as a a retro Bioshock set inside a Carnival.

Twisted Tower

Full details below!

TUKONI: FOREST KEEPERS

Released on 17 Aug, 2026, developed by Dream Operator and published by Dream Operator, . [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie

Steam Deck Rating: Verified

User Reviews: 99 % Positive (out of 103 total reviews)

About the game: Tukoni: Forest Keepers is a cute & cozy puzzle adventure. Play as Traveller, a forest spirit on a special journey, as you explore magical hand-drawn locations, meet charming characters, solve handcrafted puzzles, collect herbs and tea recipes, and help the forest prepare for the coming winter.

Reviews Summary: Overwhelmingly praised as a cozy, heartwarming puzzle adventure with stunning hand-drawn art that feels like stepping into an illustrated storybook. Players love the relaxing atmosphere, charming tea-brewing mechanics, and cute forest creature interactions. The game is short (~2-4 hours) but extremely satisfying for fans of chill experiences. Some note mouse controls can be clunky—controller recommended. A beautiful indie gem perfect for unwinding after a long day.

ENTROPY

Released on 18 Aug, 2026, developed by Lovely Hellplace and published by DreadXP. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, RPG, Early Access

Steam Deck Rating: Verified

User Reviews: 95.3 % Positive (out of 128 total reviews)

About the game: Entropy is a tactical turn-based RPG inspired by classic JRPGs. Assemble your party of mercenaries and forge your own path towards an expedition into hell to stop the demonic incursion. Choices you make along the way will determine the fate of your world.

Reviews Summary: Players are hooked on the unique “mycopunk” worldbuilding—a dark fantasy hellscape blending mushrooms, demons, lost technology, and Shakespearean dialogue that reminds many of Dread Delusion by developer Lovely Hellplace. The turn-based tactical combat features permadeath and limb-loss mechanics that create genuine tension in battles (similar to Fire Emblem/FF Tactics). Currently Early Access with only Act 1 available (~3-4 hours), but the depth, atmosphere, and replay value have fans eagerly awaiting more content. Minor balance issues on Hard mode noted by some players.

HOW TO FISH

Released on Aug 20, 2026, developed by Dazed Games, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Casual, Indie, Simulation

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 95.2 % Positive (out of 3956 total reviews)

About the game: A 1-4 player physics based fishing simulator. While drinking and boating you suddenly crash into a small island. To work your way back home you have to learn How to Fish.

Reviews Summary: The ultimate chaotic co-op experience—despite being a fishing simulator, most of it involves shooting aquatic life with shotguns, gambling in fish casinos, and causing general mayhem with friends. Players describe it as “Doom but with gills” and praise the hilarious physics-based chaos, trick-shot opportunities, and absurd boss fights (piranhas, pufferfish, giant seagulls). Runs on practically any hardware. Some lobby security issues were reported early on where strangers could join games unexpectedly. Best experienced multiplayer for maximum laughs.

TWISTED TOWER

Released on 18 Aug, 2026, developed by Atmos Games and published by 3D Realms. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie

Steam Deck Rating: Verified

User Reviews: 94.8 % Positive (out of 929 total reviews)

About the game: Blast your way through an abandoned 1950s theme park crawling with fairy-tale mascots, twisted puzzles, and deadly traps. Uncover the dark secrets of your past as you race to the top to win back the love of your life.

Reviews Summary: A polished retro-style FPS with strong BioShock vibes—creepy 1950s carnival atmosphere, creative weapon upgrades (gumball minigun!), and tight combat mechanics that feel incredibly satisfying to play. Players praise the fluid movement options, varied enemy designs, excellent sound design/music, and New Game+ alternate route for replayability (~6-8 hour campaign). A few reviewers felt the story/narrative didn’t quite match BioShock’s depth, but overall it’s hailed as a fantastic indie shooter that punches above its weight. Runs beautifully on Steam Deck according to player reports.

AI LEARNS TO DRIVE

Released on 20 Aug, 2026, developed by ActivationFunction, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Indie, Racing, Simulation

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 94.6 % Positive (out of 148 total reviews)

About the game: Train AI to drive! Create your own neural network and watch it evolve from chaos to mastery with the power of evolutionary algorithms and natural selection. Fine-tune the learning process to craft the ultimate AI driver, and test your creation in campaign challenges or on custom-built tracks.

Reviews Summary: Despite having a small review count, players describe this as an incredibly relaxing and satisfying experience where you watch neural networks evolve from chaos into competent drivers. The evolutionary algorithm approach is fascinating to observe, with many noting it’s perfect for background play or when you want something low-stress but intellectually interesting. Some mention requiring patience as the AI gradually improves over time. A unique niche title that delivers on its premise!

YET ANOTHER ZOMBIE SURVIVORS

Released on 20 AGO 2026, developed by Awesome Games Studio, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Casual, Indie

Steam Deck Rating: Verified

User Reviews: 94.4 % Positive (out of 4990 total reviews)

About the game: The Horde is coming, but you’re ready to fight it! Assemble your squad, choose their upgrades, and build powerful synergies against thousands of undead. Survive. Then evolve. Then break every limit in this deceptively simple but addictive bullet heaven game.

Reviews Summary: Widely praised as one of the best “bullet heaven” games available. Players love the unique 3-character team synergy system that adds strategic depth, satisfying progression with free skill tree resets, and excellent replayability across multiple game modes including Hardcore, Extermination, and 1HIT challenges. The Engineer class is noted as overpowered compared to others like Hunter/Mechanic who could use buffs. Late-game runs can become repetitive due to time-based survival mechanics (some players literally fell asleep!). Visual clarity issues occur on later maps when explosions/effects obscure environmental hazards. Steam Deck: Runs excellently at full graphics, smooth suspend/resume functionality makes it perfect for handheld play!

STARSAND ISLAND

Released on 18. Aug. 2026, developed by Seed Sparkle Lab, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Indie, RPG, Life Sim, Farming Sim

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 85.9 % Positive (out of 2819 total reviews)

About the game: Tired of the city grind? Escape to Starsand Island and embrace the simple joys of country life! Live alongside capybaras, cats, and dogs, reel in a big catch, and explore the enchanting Moonlit Forest. Leave the hustle behind and experience the charm of this seaside paradise.

Reviews Summary: While the game features beautiful anime-style visuals, charming capybara NPCs, and good character customization options, it faces major criticism for developer practices including undisclosed AI usage, false advertising about being an indie studio, unfulfilled Kickstarter promises with backers still waiting for keys months after 1.0 release, and alleged review manipulation. Gameplay is heavily criticized as grind-heavy mining rather than farming sim gameplay, with shallow NPCs featuring repetitive dialogue and hollow romance interactions that barely change even at max friendship levels. Multiplayer was promised but arrives locked behind hours of progression with guest players unable to carry over their own progress. The $40 price tag feels unjustified given the content depth compared to competitors like Stardew Valley or Fields of Mistria. Steam Deck: Performance is significantly worse than PC - many report severe frame drops and stuttering that make it barely playable on handheld.

AFTER INC: REVIVAL

Released on 19 Aug, 2026, developed by Ndemic Creations, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Simulation, Strategy

Steam Deck Rating: Verified

User Reviews: 85.3 % Positive (out of 660 total reviews)

About the game: Can you rebuild civilization after a zombie apocalypse? From the creator of Plague Inc. comes a unique blend of strategic simulation, survival city builder and ‘mini 4X’. Build post-apocalyptic settlements, harvest resources and shape society as you lead humanity out of the darkness.

Reviews Summary: A lighter, more accessible entry in Ndemic’s “Inc” franchise focusing on post-apocalyptic settlement building and resource management. Praised for its chill atmosphere, nice soundtrack, randomized terrain variety, and satisfying progression through the campaign with daily challenges keeping things fresh. However, many find it repetitive after multiple playthroughs since each mission follows similar patterns of gather resources → build infrastructure → manage population morale → fight zombies. Resource balance (especially wood shortages) can feel punishing even on casual difficulty. Combat is heavily RNG-based where numerical advantages don’t guarantee victory without adjacent support tiles. Some describe it as “Settlers of Catan solo”, enjoyable but shallow for hardcore strategy fans. Runs well with no crashes or major bugs reported!

PROJECT P.I.T.T.

Released on 19 Aug, 2026, developed by Froke and published by Pretty Soon. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Casual, Indie, Simulation

Steam Deck Rating: Verified

User Reviews: 83 % Positive (out of 271 total reviews)

About the game: Feed rubber ducks to a corporate void. Build physics contraptions. Chain combos for profit as the Maw grows hungrier… and larger. Brutalist PSX satire meets first-person sandbox chaos.

Reviews Summary: A quirky physics-based incremental/automation game about feeding rubber ducks and cash registers into an ever-growing corporate void (“the Maw”). Players love the satisfying dopamine loop of optimizing conveyor systems, chaining combos for massive score multipliers, and discovering creative automation solutions using fans, panels, and later upgrades. The satirical PSX-style atmosphere adds charm to what’s essentially “putting stuff in holes.” Major launch complaint: Phase 3 initially had a scripted event that destroyed hours of carefully built automations with unmovable debris. The developer quickly released a fix addressing this community feedback (highly praised responsiveness!). Building systems feel tedious since you must place panels individually without inventory, and grid snapping can be imprecise. Steam Deck: Verified but controller inputs lack precision compared to PC mouse for placing objects in tight spaces; trackpad helps somewhat but physics-based building remains more frustrating on handheld vs desktop!

CROWNHOLD

Released on 17 Aug, 2026, developed by Tobias Mikula, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Indie, Strategy

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 83 % Positive (out of 229 total reviews)

About the game: Noble Rulers — grow your realm and expand your castle in this short incremental game! Manage resources, discover foreign lands and build up an army to lay siege to your enemies.

Reviews Summary: Reviews paint Crownhold as a charming but flawed incremental kingdom-builder that delivers solid short-term fun with some quality-of-life issues holding it back. Players praise the visually appealing city growth, stress-free progression systems, and interesting warfare mechanics that add depth beyond typical idle games. The game successfully avoids endless number-grinding by offering meaningful unlocks and an achievable ending (typically 8-14 hours to complete). However, reviewers frequently criticize intrusive UI elements—lingering tooltips and oversized menus block the screen and disrupt gameplay flow. Some launch bugs were noted including visual glitches and missing textures. The prestige system receives mixed reactions: while it provides permanent skill tree upgrades, many feel repetitive rather than rewarding by forcing players through content they’ve already completed. Overall recommended for idle game fans at its budget price point, but don’t expect the depth of larger titles in the genre.

GALLIPOLI

Released on 20 Aug, 2026, developed by BlackMill Games, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Indie, Massively Multiplayer, Simulation, Strategy

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 82.5 % Positive (out of 858 total reviews)

About the game: Land on the beaches of Gallipoli and fight intense 50-player objective-based battles on the Ottoman Fronts! Experience WW1 trench warfare and desert expeditions as one of 10 historic classes, armed with authentic weaponry. Gallipoli brings the most immersive WW1 FPS battles yet.

Reviews Summary: Gallipoli generates passionate debate between players who appreciate authentic WW1 simulation and those expecting modern arcade shooters. Positive reviewers praise it as a massive improvement over BlackMill Games’ previous titles, highlighting refined gunplay mechanics, immersive trench warfare atmosphere, excellent sound design (including panic/shell-shock effects), and beautiful map environments that tell historical stories through their design. The game successfully creates weighty combat with suppression mechanics and meaningful team roles rather than run-and-gun gameplay. However, criticism centers on movement feeling slow/heavy compared to Battlefield 1 or Call of Duty—which reviewers note is intentional for realism but alienates players unfamiliar with the genre’s deliberate pace. Technical complaints include broken ultrawide (21:9) monitor support causing stretched visuals and gun model scaling issues, high ping/lag especially in Asian regions despite server options, and some AI inconsistencies in offline mode. The community strongly defends against comparing it to arcade shooters, emphasizing this is a tactical WW1 simulation first and foremost.

MORTAL SHELL II

Released on 20 авг. 2026 г., developed by Cold Symmetry and published by Playstack. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action-RPG

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 82.2 % Positive (out of 3548 total reviews)

About the game: Their Flesh Is Your Weapon. Mortal Shell II is a standalone sequel action-RPG with adrenaline-charged, high-stakes combat. Possess warrior Shells, dethrone false gods, redeem a ravaged world.

Reviews Summary: Mortal Shell II receives praise for its exceptional combat system—satisfying parries, brutal execution animations, diverse shell builds with unique abilities, and no-stamina management allowing aggressive playstyles. Graphics are consistently called stunning with excellent UE5 optimization even on modest hardware. The developer’s responsiveness earns major points (they quickly added a chromatic aberration toggle after player requests). However, late-game design choices frustrate many: enemy variety becomes repetitive as early mobs reskin and scale numerically rather than introducing new mechanics; the map layout suffers from excessive branching paths causing disorientation and long backtracking to boss arenas with sparse beacon placement. Progression systems draw criticism for restricting build experimentation—shared skill points between shells, limited tarstone upgrade materials forcing players to choose 2-3 builds permanently, and weapon infusion restrictions limiting customization options. Final bosses are called underwhelming by some reviewers despite the game’s strong mid-game presentation.

FEED THE SCORCHPOT

Released on 20 Aug, 2026, developed by Moravian and published by Indieformer, . [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Indie, Strategy

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 97.8 % Positive (out of 46 total reviews)

About the game: A dice roguelike about feeding a dragon for twenty years. Roll ingredients, build your island, and fuse absurd recipes into combos that break the score wide open. Miss a meal and you’re next on the menu.

Reviews Summary: Feed The Scorchpot earns universal acclaim as a brilliantly executed roguelite that merges Settlers of Catan board game mechanics with Balatro-style deckbuilding progression. Players describe it as highly addictive despite initial complexity, praising the satisfying loop of rolling dice for resources, placing buildings on hexagonal tiles, and combining recipes to feed an increasingly hungry dragon over 20 years. The exponential scaling creates thrilling “breakout” moments when well-crafted builds click into place. Reviewers appreciate multiple game modes/challenges providing excellent replay value beyond a single run, gorgeous art direction with personality, and thoughtful design that rewards strategic planning without feeling punishing on failure. One reviewer specifically confirms it works great docked on Steam Deck despite the dense UI elements typical of board-game-inspired titles.

NIMBIT FRONTIER

Released on 17 Aug, 2026, developed by Megasploot, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, RPG, Simulation, Early Access

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 96.9 % Positive (out of 64 total reviews)

About the game: In this cozy creature collector, your creatures aren’t for battling. Restore lost species, build habitats around their needs, teach them the skills to thrive, and release them into the wild. Explore town life and dive into shifting roguelite dungeons to discover the next Nimbit.

Reviews Summary: A charming creature collector that subverts expectations by focusing on conservation rather than battling—players hatch, raise, and release creatures back into restored habitats. The roguelite dungeon crawling provides engaging combat with randomized artifact builds, while the fishing minigame stands out as particularly well-designed. Runs smoothly on Steam Deck according to multiple reviewers. Some minor notes about NPC dialogue repetition in town and requests for localization support beyond English.

COZY MARBLES

Released on 20 Aug, 2026, developed by Pixel Pea Games and published by Mythwright. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Casual, Indie, Racing, Simulation

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 95 % Positive (out of 40 total reviews)

About the game: Engineer the marble run of your dreams. No need to get it perfect – just release your marbles and let the good times roll.

Reviews Summary: An intuitive and relaxing sandbox builder that brings childhood marble-run fantasies to life with smooth physics and a chill atmosphere. Steam Workshop integration adds massive replayability, letting players share creations instantly. Controls are simple enough for kids but deep enough for complex builds. A few reviewers noted they’d prefer all track pieces unlocked rather than gated behind challenge tickets, though the challenges themselves aren’t difficult.

REPTERRA

Released on 20 Aug, 2026, developed by Chute Apps and published by MicroProse Software. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Strategy

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 92.7 % Positive (out of 55 total reviews)

About the game: Repterra is a base-building survival RTS set in a world overrun by dinosaurs. Manage your colony while battling massive dino hordes. Breed and ride your own dinos, unlock permanent upgrades, and fight to reclaim the world for humanity.

Reviews Summary: Frequently described as “They Are Billions with dinosaurs,” delivering intense wave-defense RTS gameplay against relentless dino hordes. The hero units feel distinct from one another, and breeding/riding your own dinos adds a unique progression layer not found in similar titles. Some reviewers flagged balance differences between heroes (Pachyodon notably stronger), RNG-dependent map generation affecting run success, and occasional soft-locks around perk selection screens.

BLOODLETTER

Released on 17 Aug, 2026, developed by ALDAMAMI GAMES and published by ALDAMAMI GAMES. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Indie, Simulation, Strategy

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 88.9 % Positive (out of 54 total reviews)

About the game: A grim medieval deckbuilder where you use your dubious healing methods to protect bizarre villagers from the corrupting influence of ancient evils.

Reviews Summary: The standout feature is undoubtedly its striking dark, hand-drawn art style—cards resemble cursed tarot illustrations that completely commit to a grim medieval/Cthulhu atmosphere. Gameplay loops around treating villagers during the day (managing health and sanity) while an Entity undoes progress at night, creating tense resource management rather than traditional combat-focused deckbuilding. Some bugs were reported early on but overall praised as a creative debut with excellent sound design that makes the bathhouse setting feel damp and authentic.

LAST DROP

Released on 18 Aug, 2026, developed by Lohkare Games Oy, self-published. [Steam Store Page]

Genre: Action, Adventure, Casual, Indie, RPG, Early Access

Steam Deck Rating: Playable

User Reviews: 85.5 % Positive (out of 62 total reviews)

About the game: Finland 1994. The golden era of action is back. Dive into a gritty, story-driven sandbox where the 90s hit hard. Survive as Seppo "Zeze" Sahtivaara, drive retro cars, listen to a killer soundtrack, master intense 1v1 fights, and soak in pure nostalgia. Grab a beer and enjoy a Sauna by the lake.

Reviews Summary: A deeply nostalgic trip back to 90s Finland with an enormous map packed with authentic environmental details—from concrete apartment blocks to local ostari shops—that Finnish players are calling “unsettlingly accurate.” The humor and story land well, though the game is very much in rough Early Access shape: significant performance issues plague many PCs (some reporting frame rates as low as 15 FPS), missing autosave functionality forces manual saves at phone booths only, and several visual bugs persist. Steam Deck performance has been described as “tolerable” to “working well with a community layout,” but optimization remains the primary concern holding it back from smoother play.

More Steam Games for the Deck From the Past Weeks

You can also check our previous entries in the series for the New Steam Games released with Playable rating for the Steam Deck. We have them every week: