ThePC versionofReturnalis available, and players generally seem to enjoy it. Although the port has unfortunately underperformed in sales and concurrent players, it has nonetheless successfully carried overReturnal’sfrenetic, challenging gameplay to PC without much issue. Some players, however, may want to experienceReturnalon the go so they can stay comfortable on the bed or couch while overcoming its difficulty. TheSteam Deckserves as a potentially fantastic solution to this, but that’s assuming that it can even runReturnal. So how well doesReturnalfare on Valve’s portable PC?
IsReturnalplayable on the Steam Deck?
If you don’t care too much about specs and simply want to know if the Steam Deck can playReturnalat all, then the answer is technically yes. But the game has not received an official “Playable” or “Verified” label, which may set off some alarm bells. Having said that, those with first-hand experience will generally findReturnalperfectly playable on the platform. However, while other Sony PC ports have performed fantastically on the device,Returnalmakes some notable sacrifices in its presentation.
Returnalrequires 60 GB to install, so those wanting to play it on the Steam Deck will need an SD card with quite a bit of storage space. But once you do install it,Returnalcan only maintain around 25 to 30 frames per second or less at any given time, and that’s with a 30 fps cap and the preset at “Low.” Not necessarily awful, but not exactly ideal for such a twitch-based action game.
So it seems that, at the moment, the advanced visuals and performance ofReturnal’sPC port have proven too much for the Steam Deck to handle. Until we see some sort of update for eitherReturnalor the Steam Deck, players will want to stick to the desktop for the best experience.
Daniel Pinheiro
Daniel is a Contributing Writer who has been with PC Invasion since June 2021. A recipient of a master’s degree in Community Journalism from the University of Alabama, he holds a deep passion for the gaming medium and the impact it can have on our lives. He is open to all kinds of genres, but has a particular affinity for platformers and beat ‘em ups (or brawlers, or hack and slash, or character action, or whatever else you prefer to call them). In his spare time, he loves playing franchises like Mario, Kirby, Zelda, Tekken, and Devil May Cry. He also loves to travel and listen to multiple hours-long video essays back-to-back.
