The Steam Deck is a JRPG Machine

[@Triggermappy]

...and the thousands of PS1 and PS2 JRPGs you can emulate that the Switch simply can't 🤣

[@IntentionalBrandon]

It’s wild!

[@Three-ke4dh]

this comment reeks of hater energy

[@trashcangoblin420]

The trails in the sky games aren’t verified or playable but they run perfectly! Been playing trails sc without a single issue

[@IntentionalBrandon]

That is awesome! I loved those three, and I’m pretty sure Proton was not able to handle them on Linux for a long time, so this is a big step in the right direction.

[@trashcangoblin420]

@@IntentionalBrandon so interesting! both just worked for me on install, I think I flicked to experimental - was last year when I played them on the deck.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

@@trashcangoblin420 Good old Experimental! When in doubt, experiment!

[@SuperNero791]

Same here! I'm near the end, I can tell

[@KarimJovian]

You are just like me. I love JRPGs and made the move from Xbox and Switch to the Steam deck and it is a 3tb JRPG and Emulator monster machine now :D By the way Unsupported games can still work, it just means there is like a launcher or something you have to click with a mouse to get past. For example Star Ocean: the Last Hope and Final Fantasy IV 3D Remake. All play wonderfully on Steam Deck even though they aren't verified Also along with the FPS you can lower the TDP to 5 Watts since most of these JRPGs do not require a lot of power so you can have even more battery life. I usually set my games like live a live or Star Ocean 2nd Story R at 60 fps with 5-7 watts for smooth gameplay and long battery life. Play around with the TDP until you get it the lowest possible with the smoothest frame rate :D

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Every now and then I’ll try an unsupported game on it, especially if it’s one I already own. A decent amount of the time, it’s totally fine (or at least manageable), like you said. 5-7 watts and 60 fps?! 😱 Did that require bumping down graphical settings?

[@pocketmonsterhuntr]

Return of the 3 corgis in a trenchcoat

[@IntentionalBrandon]

This theory is immortal, I swear haha

[@gmoney0987]

Dude. The OLED battery would blow you away. I had the LCD and upgraded and let me tell you, the battery and weight differences between the two are noticeable

[@IntentionalBrandon]

The temptation is real! Haha It sounds very nice. No doubt about it.

[@CaptainEffort]

@@IntentionalBrandonNot to pile onto an already popular opinion, but seriously it’s crazy. I know the screen is supposed to be the main draw, and don’t get me wrong the screen is amazing, the battery was by far the biggest upgrade for me personally. Like, when playing retro games I can get up to 11 hours, sometimes without even tweaking anything. It’s absurd.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

@@CaptainEffort 11 hours?! And here I am impressed with half that! 😂

[@CaptainEffort]

@@IntentionalBrandon Right?? On my OG Deck I could maybe squeeze 10 hours out of gbc games if I used PowerTools to Downclock the memory, but on the OLED I’m getting over that without even doing anything. In my experience older AAA’s, emulated retro games, and indies get around 2-3 more hours of battery, while demanding modern AAA games get around 30 minutes to an hour more. But even with the latter only being 30 minutes to an hour, that’s changed things for me. On my original deck I wouldn’t bother playing AAA games since usually they’d only last a little over 2 hours, but now with most lasting 3-3 and a half, I find myself a lot more willing to play them.

[@DavidCandelaMartinez]

I've had the Deck since it launched and did the upgrade to the OLED model. I just love it. It's so flexible, you can play almost everything. The only titles I've been unable to play are multiplayer competitive games with anti-cheat mechanisms. So I encourage you to try and play even the most obscure games, there's always a workaround. Oh! and don't forget about emulation, so many JRPGs would be lost without it.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

As long as ProtonDB makes it sound like something I could reliably get working with my limited experience tweaking things on Deck, I’m down 🤩

[@CaptainEffort]

Not to mention the flexibility of setting up your own controls makes even more games than you’d realize playable. Community layouts make this brain dead easy. Knights of the Old Republic, for example, is (was?) unsupported, and has zero controller support. I launched it no problem, chose the most popular community layout, then played through the full game on Steam Deck with zero issues. Seriously, the layout made it feel like it had controller support natively. The community is unbelievable.

[@LeftyPencil]

Check out the are we anti cheat yet site, but it's slow progress if not developed with Linux in mind :(

[@Oshikno-oo5hp]

don't have the steam deck but I find it cool! People tend to compare the 2 a lot but I think having either the switch or steam deck basically as being a comfy portable jrpg machine has really made it easier to actually get through games instead of needing to play it at home

[@IntentionalBrandon]

It’s incredible, right? If you have both, the Switch and Steam Deck combo is formidable too. There’s very little not available to you between the two of them.

[@Andeijogando]

All men are mortal Socrates is a man therefore Socrates is mortal Steam Deck is a video game machine JRPG is a video game genre therefore Steam Deck is a JRPG machine

[@paulhenri5902]

JRPGs are my favorite genre and the Steam Deck has become the King of JRPG machine for me. Currently playing on my Deck. Tales of Arise (Steam) Final Fantasy XIII (Steam) Dragon Quest IX (DS emulation) Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360 emulation) Steam Deck = Ultimate JRPG Machine

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I haven’t tried emulation on mine, but that is a mighty fine list! I’ve wanted to try Lost Odyssey for years, but I’ve never had the hardware for it.

[@neoreaper_]

Great to have you back in the content creation space

[@IntentionalBrandon]

It’s great to be back!

[@neoreaper_]

@@IntentionalBrandon I've been playing a lot of my RPGs on PS5, but you might've inspired me to pick back up my Steam Deck after this one.

[@stijnvonck1431]

Just picked up the 64gb lcd model on sale for 313! That price is matching a switch Oled so i didn't hesitate. I was getting tired of switch load times on these newer games

[@bryan8638]

I am an all jrpg player as well, went from switch to steam deck lcd but I find myself back on a switch oled, it's just so much smaller to hold, carry, feels less awkward to have out around people than the steam behemoth

[@IntentionalBrandon]

The Switch is pretty fantastic, isn’t it? 🤩

[@CaptainEffort]

Actually? I own both, got my Switch at launch, and they’re pretty much about the same size, at least if you use something like the Hori Split Pad Pro. And if you’re not… I hope you’re using at least some sort of grip. Carrying is the same too, neither are pocketable so they were both just thrown in my bag. And I find most people just assume it’s a Switch. It’s not until they look closer that they realize it’s not.

[@SaveTheSunF1R3x]

Very underrated channel imo. you're definitely going places man keep up the great work!

[@IntentionalBrandon]

The encouragement really means a lot to me. Thank you!

[@khrainos3139]

don't forget about emulation, together with it the Steam Deck is the beste for the JRPG genre

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I don’t have personal experience with emulation on it, but it sounds absolutely incredible!

[@khrainos3139]

@@IntentionalBrandon you should look up EmuDeck and give it a try

[@CaptainEffort]

@@IntentionalBrandonI implore you to check out Emudeck. RetroGameCorps has a couple of videos on it, but honestly just check out their website. It’s makes emulation absurdly accessible.

[@Kilakro]

I pre-ordered my 512 as soon as I could and I've done most of my gaming on my SD since I got it. I'm thinking about getting an OLED one for the better battery life because that has been a problem for me a few times. Don't worry too much about the playability status, obviously Proton isn't 100% perfect and there are definitely unplayable games but beyond that just keep the specs in mind and try some less demanding "Unsupported" games, Rogue Heroes says that it's unsupported but the game plays perfectly, I've put hours into it and have never had an issue, I know there have been a couple of other games with similar results. On the other hand I tried playing Lego SW The Skywalker Saga and the performance was not good despite it being listed as "Verified", it couldn't even maintain a steady framerate.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Great points! The playability status is a great starting place, but if I'm really interested in buying a game that's unsupported or unknown, I immediately check ProtonDB to see if there's an easy way to get it working (if anything is even required). Such a great site.

[@morganhowe13]

Dude sounds like "Nate the Hate" but just bought a steam deck OLED! Love me some JRPGs

[@desocietas]

Great video! I'm glad you looked at how the Steam Deck works for you and your gaming habits and purchases. I'm curious if there are other aspects that are of concern or not, such as sound output, connecting to another monitor (or if you don't bother), storage capacity, etc. It's great to hear your voice again! Looking forward to more :) P.S. it's a shame that LiveLaughLadle wasn't considered as a channel name

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Excuse me while I take notes! And that is a genius channel name haha

[@CaptainEffort]

I can throw in my own experiences if you care about that. Sound is great, genuinely, I have zero problems with it. Coming from the Switch it feels like I’m upgrading to a full sound system comparatively lol. I connect to my tv and monitor all the time and have zero problems. It works super well, I just pick up my controller and play! Storage capacity depends on what you play. If you primarily play lighter games, older AAA’s, indies, emulation, then pretty much any storage size will do. And even if you play bigger AAA games, I’d still say that any size bigger than the og 64gb is fine. Because remember, you can easily just insert a micro SD. The only reason I wouldn’t recommend the og 64gb for those that play AAA games is due to the shader cache. Even if you put all of your AAA’s on a separate micro sd, shader cache for AAA’s isn’t insignificant, and will fill up your primary storage. Relative to the other storage sizes it isn’t really a big deal, but when your primary storage is only 64gb’s, it’s a bit more significant. But if you’re going for an OLED then disregard all of that, as there isn’t a 64gb option. So any size works, just go with whichever. Edit: Extra point, the battery on the OG is really good, better than any of the competition, but the battery on the OLED is incredible. Seriously, I play like 6-7 hours straight when playing Fallout NV, 7-8 with indies, up to 11 when emulating retro games, and even games like The Witcher 3 can get me 3 and a half to 4 hours. Even Cyberpunk, after tweaking, lasts about 4 hours.

[@papasears1982]

got one to play all the Trails games, love my switch but the lag is getting to me even with a QLED and mclassic its just time to get something that runs games more smoothly. so i will be busy knocking out ALOT of jrpgs cant wait =)

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Yesss, Trails! Trails from Zero was fantastic for me on Steam Deck.

[@weichiang89]

Verified, not verified dilemma with older jrpgs? Emudeck!

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Everyone seems to love it!

[@narlzac85]

I have access to multiple gaming PCs and all nearly all consoles. Still, I keep reaching for the Switch and Steam Deck. The ability to sleep quickly is essential for me now. Switch still has the best sleep mode, then Steam Deck, then PS4/5. No suspend for games on PC really stops me from playing unless I have a lot of uninterrupted time.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

The Switch is insanely fast at getting you back into your game. It’s crazy just how big of an impact that slightly reduced friction has on my gaming habits. I eagerly await the day all PCs can consistently and reliably suspend games.

[@racx_00]

Also great for playing PS1 games. I'm absolutely loving it so far, finally finishing off my second play through of Threads of Fate.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Now there’s a game I always wanted to try!

[@SuperNero791]

I mainly bought a ROG Ally just to play the tons of jrpgs I have on Steam. Right now, I'm on Trails in the Sky SC. Of course, the Ally has its problems, but now im near the end of the game, and the experience has been mostly positive

[@SuperNero791]

I'm excited about how Metaphor will perform on these handelds

[@IntentionalBrandon]

SC is great, isn't it? I've heard so many good things about the Ally and the Ally X. It still blows my mind that handheld PCs can do as much as they can. If Metaphor doesn't play well on current handheld PCs, I think a lot of people (including myself) are going to be heartbroken haha. I remain hopeful!

[@PixelShade]

There's definitely a lot focus on demanding AAA gaming when it comes to the Steam Deck here on KZbin. Personally I don't get it, because that's not really what PC gaming is about, we don't have "generations" and games don't have "due dates" (I also find most modern AAA games bland and uninteresting... having mass appeal but never taking creative risks anymore). For me it's more about playing all the good games I have missed out on over the years. Even though I have had Steam for 20+ years I seldomly find the time and dedication to startup longer gaming sessions on my gaming PC, or even worse, shorter bursts of gaming. On the Steam Deck however, with its sleep mode, I'm playing in small bursts ALL the time, taking shorter breaks throughout the day and get 10-20 minutes further into a game. It has made me play games like never before. And that's not because I am ecstatic about new hardware either. I pre-ordered a 64GB model back in 2021, and was lucky to receive one from the second batch in Q2 2022. It has been a FANTASTIC machine and I am still using it daily. Honestly, even if a Steam Deck 2 comes out down the line. I will probably just be happy with the one I have... I want to play games. not be in a constant hunt for new hardware.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Yes! Appreciate what you have and make the most of it. Sometimes new hardware opens up new possibilities, but for many games, it's simply not necessary.

[@Hijynx87]

I like the deck so much I have 2! lol too lazy to put my 1tb lcd up for sale.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Hahaha I have an old PC I’ve been meaning to get rid of for over a year now. I feel you.

[@Mastercar77]

Loved this video. Please make another one about the Steam Deck :)

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Thank you for the kind words! If my recent gaming habits are any indication, I think I'm going to have to do just that!

[@Alexeon]

FYI, Disgaea 3 is not the only Disgaea game missing from Steam. We're also missing Disgaea D2 (which is not the same as Disgaea 2).

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Yeah, I can’t believe I left out one of my favorite entries in the series! Haha

[@CaptainEffort]

I’ve heard the best place to start with Disgaea is the latest entry, is that actually true or should I start somewhere else?

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I always recommend the first one because it has such a great story. It’s been rereleased a lot at this point, so you have lots of great options for where to play it. I believe the PC port is essentially the same as the original PS2 release, so it’s not as pretty and may or may not have some major quality of life changes. I played the Switch version and loved it. Updated sprites, I think at least a couple big quality of life changes. Just a great game. 4 is also excellent all around. 5 tends to be everyone’s favorite purely for the gameplay, but it can be pretty overwhelming if you’re not already familiar with Disgaea.

[@halsaufschneider1446]

Its utterly ridiculous when you look at the SNES, which was the best JRPG Console ever made. And then the followup console the N64 had what, two RPGs, Quest 64 and Aidyn Chronicles? The N64 failed so hard in what the SNES excelled, its ridiculous! Chrono Trigger, Terranigma (Quintet games), Treassure of the Rudras, Secret of Mana's, the FF roaster, Dragon Quest's, Mario RPG, Lufia's and dozens more. The best of the best JRPGs ever made were on the SNES.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I would love to see more of these games come to PC with quality of life changes. I missed out on a lot of them. 😭

[@Fender178]

I played and completed a NG+ Run of Tokyo Xanadu EX+ on my Deck and it was awesome. Don't remember what deck setting I used.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

That’s one that’s been slowly pulling on my attention! I feel like I gotta give it a shot at some point. One day.

[@Fender178]

@@IntentionalBrandon It's one of Falcom's best hack n slash RPGs which they are very well known for thanks to the YS series.

[@ljiljankocurcic8893]

It would be cool if you actually showed us steam deck/switch gameplay (recording the console itself) rather than blurry game capture, but great video!

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Thanks! That’s something I’ve been wanting to experiment with more. Long story short, I still have tons left to learn!

[@athrun2]

I have to correct you on disgaea. 3 & D2 are not on steam. 3 was at least ported to the vita, but D2 never left the ps3. the only way to play it on anything else, legally, is playstation now. but at that point, you have 3 as well I think

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Yeah, I was kicking myself afterward for that one. I loved D2, and I WISH it were on PC! I used PlayStation Now to stream D2 several years ago, and I kept losing my connection and losing progress. I still enjoyed it, of course.

[@stevethemajesticdragon9075]

best news all week

[@Mk_SiMBA]

Im new to jrpg .. so i wanna ask u whats the 1# game to go with ???

[@IntentionalBrandon]

That's a tough one! I think Trails in the Sky FC (that stands for "First Chapter") is a great starting point. Strong story, engaging combat that isn't overly complicated, and not ridiculously long. Persona 4: Golden is another fan favorite with incredible characters, but it's definitely more complicated and much longer.

[@IceI3laze]

return of the king!

[@Zombiebrains24]

Sadly my psvita did stop working no longer charges planning on getting a steam deck to play through the Trails series I like playing jrpgs in bed rather at a desktop

[@IntentionalBrandon]

That is heartbreaking. I don’t use my Vita much these days, but every now and then, I like going back to it, even if just for the nostalgia of it all. I’d love to hear about your experience with the Deck and Trails when you get it. I played Zero primarily on Deck and loved it.

[@bigt4135]

Dragon quest 11 is amazing on deck.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I played it last year on my PS5 (the 3D graphics version), and I bet the 2D version would be incredible on Deck!

[@eightbitpizza]

YAAAAS! 🤗

[@soiltek2015]

Nice video!

[@Mr.Coffee576]

What are your thoughts on the FF Pixel remaster ? Worth it for someone who never played 1-5 ?

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I’ve actually not played them either, but I want to. Last I looked into them, I heard that the Steam versions were pretty solid and not inferior to the console versions. Just yesterday, I saw the bundle went on sale on GreenManGaming, and it’s so tempting, but I just bought a few games the day before 😭 Oh well. It’s a good opportunity to practice patience!

[@walterwhite7793]

Your voice is very soothing

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@danielwick6088]

Im flipping Rog Ally, switch and Steamdeck for small profits. And in my honest opinion, the Steamdeck Oled isnt something u need to upgrade for. Every time I open my Switch Oled, Im so amazed for how great the screen looks compared to the normal LCD one, but with the Steamdeck, I dont have that. And I love Oled, the moment I bought an Oled Tv, I knew I could never ever go back to LCD. But putting the LCD and Oled steamdeck side by side, Im just not that Impressed, sure u got way better Battery life and a little bigger screen, but is that really worth it to pay almost double 🤷‍♂️ right now im maining the Oled model, but I do plan on selling it and keeping the LCD instead.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I so rarely hear from other people who are satisfied with the LCD model! Happy to hear I'm not alone. I both look forward to and dread the day I get an OLED TV because I doubt I'll be satisfied with any other screen type after that haha

[@danielwick6088]

@@IntentionalBrandon of course, they gotta justify there upgrade to an OLED.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

@@danielwick6088 You might be onto something there! 😂

[@jimtepedino9295]

The LCD screen is absolute trash, there is literally no comparison….and then there is the battery life.

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Then it’s a good thing I haven’t had the opportunity to compare them! Ignorance truly is bliss 😂

[@jimtepedino9295]

@@IntentionalBrandon it’s also a little bigger. I sold my LCD and used the money to help fund the OLED.

[@LeftyPencil]

Is the LCD no longer the cheaper PC?

[@leafstormblaze9449]

Disgae d2 is also not on steam i wish theyd put both of them on

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Good point! That’s actually one of my favorites. I loved the monster riding mechanic.

[@robertakizuki9806]

ASMR voice, ill buy a steam deck on my sleep 😴

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Ahahaha sweet dreams, I guess!

[@robertakizuki9806]

@@IntentionalBrandon quite nice listening actually. I really want one maybe down the road a year or two

[@leafstormblaze9449]

You should try fear and hunger and fear and hunger 2 termina

[@IntentionalBrandon]

I’ve seen a little of the first one, and it looks pretty wild!

[@leafstormblaze9449]

​@@IntentionalBrandonsecond one pushes the narrative a lot more and has like 11 plus playable characters

[@orp5us]

what the heck is “onnie may” 1:00

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Anime 🤩

[@Default158]

I've never heard anyone pernounce anime like that 😂

[@IntentionalBrandon]

Visit Japan and you’ll find a whole lot of people who do 😉