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Steam Deck users will be able to play the best reviewed game of 2025 so far once Blue Prince comes out. However, while Blue Prince will be available at no extra cost for PS Plus Extra subscribers, it does come at a price on PC. If you’re looking for freebies instead, the good news is that there is a new Steam Deck verified free-to-play game that has “very positive” reviews despite its own developer calling it a “failed project”.
New Steam Deck verified free-to-play game has “very positive” reviews
While we await the next batch of freebies for April 2025 from Amazon Prime Gaming, Steam Deck users can now play a game called Iron Mandate for free. The release date for this game is listed as April 9th, 2025, and it has a “very positive” reception with over 100 reviews.
As for what Iron Mandate is all about, it’s a “A steampunk roguelike with a unique fighting mechanic” where players must pilot giant mechanical worms. It has “over 30 weapons to both fight with and learn to fend off,” and “it includes 20+ unique challenges to prove your Juggernaut piloting skills”.
In addition to the above, there is also the option of “local multiplayer in the versus mode with up to 4 players”. The game is listed as Steam Deck verified on the Steam page, which means it should be fully functional, and it is completely free-to-play.
While the reviews are very positive, the developer, Emerick Gibson, has dubbed the game a “failed project” in a post-mortem reflection. According to the developer, they have now released the game out of early access, leaving it free-to-play, “Because of a lack of time, money and fundamental issues with the core idea”.
The developer promises that “It is fully functional and completable as it is,” and that they are “still very proud of the project”. As for why they consider it a “failed project,” the developer’s post-mortem says it is “very hard to get used to the controls,” and they “hit brick walls with the visuals,” and there’s a “lack of variety”.
The developer’s reflection on the game is very sincere and genuine, but, in response, the community feels the developer made something better than they realise. Some of the replies from players say, “Iron Mandate was an amazing experience for me, especially for a free game,” and “Literally everything that you put as a ‘flaw,’ I took as an intended, fun part of the game!”.
Again, the game is completely free-to-play and it is Steam Deck verified, so it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re a fan of roguelikes. In addition to being Steam Deck verified, Iron Mandate should be playable on the Asus ROG Ally. It should work because the ROG Ally uses Windows 11 and thus doesn’t need a specific validation system like Valve’s Deck.
In other news, an upcoming Sonic game is officially Steam Deck verified with pre-register rewards available to claim.
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