• Nighthawks is a gorgeous text-based vampire RPG that is perfect to play on Steam Deck, thanks to its special settings to suit smaller screens.

Out and about this weekend and looking for something to keep you company on your travels? Finding the best games to play on Steam Deck can be stressful, especially when the whole “verified” thing can be pretty hit and miss. But Nighthawks is my top pick for anyone looking for an engrossing new game to play on handheld consoles that won’t melt your battery on a long train ride (or force you up off the sofa to hunt for a charger, for that matter).

Why play it today?

• Nighthawks’ larger text mode makes it a great pick for Steam Deck owners, and the smaller screen doesn’t ruin the experience at all.

Nighthawks is well worth a play if you’re looking for a thrilling text-based vampire RPG that makes you use your brains instead of just hammering the attack button. Plus, it’s less than 20 bucks.

Fall is here, and vampires are everywhere! I played Nighthawks right off the back of The Blood of Dawnwalker, and while I was still in the mood for bloodsucking mayhem, I was feeling a little burnt out when it comes to heavy combat loops. I had Nighthawks cued up to play next ahead of its launch earlier this week, but instead of sitting down to my gaming laptop, I downloaded it to my Steam Deck instead. I fancied curling up on the sofa for something quieter and more cozy, like reading a good book, and handheld consoles are the perfect way to get the best of both.

I was skeptical at first, since as a pre-launch game, Steam gave no indication as to its Steam Deck Verified status. But I was glad to see that Nighthawks has a special mode for smaller screens, toggled over in the settings window, and it works perfectly. I loved playing Nighthawks on the couch, in bed, on the bus… Anywhere but sitting upright at my desk!

Time commitment:

I finished Nighthawks in well under 20 hours, and that includes reloading the final moments of the last Act a few times to see all of the endings available to me. The game spans five Acts, taking you from fledgling vampire to the lap of luxury as you choose (or face) your destiny.

The main plotline is rather linear, but with ten prospective companions each sporting their own stories and side quests, no two playthroughs will play out the same. Paired with the various character backgrounds, powers, and skill proficiencies to choose from, Nighthawks really is a beast of your own making.

Play Nighthawks if you love…

Skip Nighthawks if you want:

One thing to know:

While I had zero performance or formatting issues playing it on Steam Deck, Nighthawks is not yet officially Steam Deck Verified. The only sign of this I could find was in the button mappings; your Steam Deck’s joysticks won’t move your cursor across the screen and instead help scroll through on-screen text and dialogue choices, but using the D-pad is just as intuitive. The touch screen is also fully compatible with the game, and saves time scrolling through points of interest with the directional arrows!

A moment you’ll remember:

Using a haunted dollhouse to uncover what happened to a unfortunate family who hired a vampire nanny to look after their son. With the house on the left side of the screen and the text boxes on the right, look out for little hints you see in each room to direct you to the next memory vignette.

This mission is beautifully presented to draw out the tension and intrigue of such a sad investigation, so don’t forget to follow up on your side quest leads even if they don’t feel pertinent to the main missions! Nighthawks shines in its darkest details, and this one is no exception.

The final verdict:

As far as atmospheric, pacey, well-voiced narrative RPGs, you really can’t get much better than Nighthawks. It’s the perfect game to play in a weekend because it envelopes you in its world so seamlessly, you don’t realize how much time you’ve spent in it until you reluctantly have to save and quit (sleep is a thing, I guess). Paired with the fact that the very helpful text size settings make it very comfortable to read on smaller screens like the Steam Deck, Nighthawks is a cozy thrill you can’t help but sink into for the ultimate pre-Halloween treat.

So, where can you play it?

Nighthawks is out now on PC via Steam.

Nighthawks not your cup of blood? Check out our best RPGs round-up to find the right fit for your weekend.