God of War Ragnarök on Steam Deck shows the best and worst of handheld PC-ing | Gaming

God of War Ragnarök initially looks like it has little trouble with squeezing itself into a Steam Deck. Yet like a flask of mead laced with Odin’s raven piss, the seemingly crisp treat of Ragnarök’s handheld performance masks a nasty blend of technical troubles and what is, essentially, an always-online requirement by stealth.

Steam Deck Academy brings together all our guides and explainers on getting the most out of your Steam Deck, no student loans or sweaty dormitories required.

Let’s start with the positives. Ragnarök breaks the recent streak of big-money, big-spectacle games being too much for the dinky Deck; it actually runs quite smoothly, and not solely by PS5 port standards. Full settings guide gubbins below but…