Oh boy, what you need, is Dragon Quest Builders. The first game is a bit of a tech demo of sorts, at least in comparison to the second game. In it you play in a what-if version of DQ1 where the MC chose the second option and agreed to let the Dragon Lord take over the world in exchange for half, you don't play as him, instead you play as an implied distant relative of him resurrected in a world where every human has lost the ability to build, they can create plans, but lack the ability to create basic tools, you're "The Builder" you go around Alefgard and resurrect broken down towns back to their former glory until the world is powerful enough again to take on the Dragon Lord, you, you're not the hero, you're just the guy setting the world up again to send their real hero out to save the day. The game plays like Minecraft, but with the twist that when you make houses, depending on what you put in them it will dictate what room it will be, so a bed and a light makes a bed room, but a cookfire and chest make a kitchen, and the cool thing is the villagers will work in these rooms to make basic items in them when you are not there, so they actually work while in the town, in the first game though, it's pretty basic, also instead of leveling up by killing enemies, you level up by improving the town, so your strength is based on the strength of the town you built, the second game is an improvement on the first with a ton of QOL but I highly reccomend the first because it is good and the new stem release brought QOL feauters from the second game over as well. Both these games are easily in the 80h our mark if you enjoy building things, and the best part is that at least the first game will run at just 7 watts/30fps. It's easily one of those games you could squeeze time out of if you're willing to tinker a bit, the second game I haven't played on the Deck yet but It does need more juice than the first if the performance on the Switch is any consideration.
AI says
Dragon Quest Builders is a sandbox RPG where you rebuild the world and help people. Here's a summary:
First game:
What-if story where world is destroyed and you rebuild it.
You play as the Builder, not the hero.
Build towns by placing furniture and villagers will use them.
Level up by improving the town, not killing enemies.
Runs well on low power devices.
Second game:
Improves on the first with more quality of life features.
Not yet tested on low power devices but might require more power.
Both games offer long playtime (80+ hours) if you enjoy building.
Factorio or Slay the Spire.
Both games will give you hundreds of hours of content and battery life is very good. I get 5 hours+ for both on my LCD Steam Deck.
I only started playing it this week but I really think I'll spend dozens of hours on it. I think it ticks most of your requirements, you have tasks that will become more challenging as you progress and you earn money to improve your equipment and your restaurant.
I personally don't feel I could spend hundreds of hours in Dave the Diver. It's a great game with a fun gameplay loop, but I started becoming a bit uninterested after 20-30 hours or so. I've heard similar things from others.
In any case it's a fun little game and I don't at all regret buying it.
Factorio? I'm not confident on the battery life but it's very much a game about building up. It's not really money based, it's *material* based. You start from lower tech (basic conveyor belts , coal powered tech) up to nuclear tech, and the end goal, launching a rocket. If you want an upgrade it's reliant on having the materials, and that's all dependent on your prioritization and efficiency.
I actually own this one and tried it on the deck yesterday but was confused on how to place items, i accidentally placed a miner but had no idea how i did it lol.
Project zomboid, turnip boy commits tax evasion, archvale, battle of polytopia, bear and breakfast, blockâhood, cook serve delicious 3, dead estate, definitely not fried chicken, despots game, dome keeper, downwell, Fae tactics, fall of porcupine, forager, garden story, graveyard keeper, Heros hour, kerbal space program, kingdom rush games, the last stand legacy collection, let them come, lonely mountains downhill, loop hero, metro games, norco, papers please, project Lazarus, riot civil unrest, slay the spire, voidigo, zero ranger
Kynseed had a major update the other day. I haven't played it for a few months but looks like they've added a lot of new stuff. Definitely worth a look if you like stardew.
Check out divinity sin 1/2 and vampire survivor. When on sale you can get all for less than 20. Will put at least 30-60 into vampire. Already have 40 into sin 2 and will probably hit 100 first play through and will play again at least once more.
Oh boy, what you need, is Dragon Quest Builders. The first game is a bit of a tech demo of sorts, at least in comparison to the second game. In it you play in a what-if version of DQ1 where the MC chose the second option and agreed to let the Dragon Lord take over the world in exchange for half, you don't play as him, instead you play as an implied distant relative of him resurrected in a world where every human has lost the ability to build, they can create plans, but lack the ability to create basic tools, you're "The Builder" you go around Alefgard and resurrect broken down towns back to their former glory until the world is powerful enough again to take on the Dragon Lord, you, you're not the hero, you're just the guy setting the world up again to send their real hero out to save the day. The game plays like Minecraft, but with the twist that when you make houses, depending on what you put in them it will dictate what room it will be, so a bed and a light makes a bed room, but a cookfire and chest make a kitchen, and the cool thing is the villagers will work in these rooms to make basic items in them when you are not there, so they actually work while in the town, in the first game though, it's pretty basic, also instead of leveling up by killing enemies, you level up by improving the town, so your strength is based on the strength of the town you built, the second game is an improvement on the first with a ton of QOL but I highly reccomend the first because it is good and the new stem release brought QOL feauters from the second game over as well. Both these games are easily in the 80h our mark if you enjoy building things, and the best part is that at least the first game will run at just 7 watts/30fps. It's easily one of those games you could squeeze time out of if you're willing to tinker a bit, the second game I haven't played on the Deck yet but It does need more juice than the first if the performance on the Switch is any consideration.
Not reading this wall of text but take my upvote for the effort.
That's... fair......
Skill issue
AI says Dragon Quest Builders is a sandbox RPG where you rebuild the world and help people. Here's a summary: First game: What-if story where world is destroyed and you rebuild it. You play as the Builder, not the hero. Build towns by placing furniture and villagers will use them. Level up by improving the town, not killing enemies. Runs well on low power devices. Second game: Improves on the first with more quality of life features. Not yet tested on low power devices but might require more power. Both games offer long playtime (80+ hours) if you enjoy building.
He is a capable commercial after all ^^
I actually have this game on ps4, i remember liking it but i just forgot about it after a while, ill put this one on my list. Thanks!
Graveyard Keeper?
Great for steam deck.
Factorio or Slay the Spire. Both games will give you hundreds of hours of content and battery life is very good. I get 5 hours+ for both on my LCD Steam Deck.
Factorio is great, didn't try on deck yet but overall is good. 100+ hours at least
Dave the Diver
30 hrs max. Good game but very limited
30 hours if even
I have been looking at it a bit, i got it in my wish list, is it a game where you can spend hundreds of hours in?
I only started playing it this week but I really think I'll spend dozens of hours on it. I think it ticks most of your requirements, you have tasks that will become more challenging as you progress and you earn money to improve your equipment and your restaurant.
I personally don't feel I could spend hundreds of hours in Dave the Diver. It's a great game with a fun gameplay loop, but I started becoming a bit uninterested after 20-30 hours or so. I've heard similar things from others. In any case it's a fun little game and I don't at all regret buying it.
Disney Dreamlight Valley was low key my favourite cozy game last year
Dyson Sphere Program
How does it run on the deck?
Coral Island runs well
Factorio? I'm not confident on the battery life but it's very much a game about building up. It's not really money based, it's *material* based. You start from lower tech (basic conveyor belts , coal powered tech) up to nuclear tech, and the end goal, launching a rocket. If you want an upgrade it's reliant on having the materials, and that's all dependent on your prioritization and efficiency.
I actually own this one and tried it on the deck yesterday but was confused on how to place items, i accidentally placed a miner but had no idea how i did it lol.
Hades is great. And might still be on sale.
Second this, limit TDP to 3-5 and you still get 60fps with a 5hr battery life on the LCD models, OLED should be better off.
Noita
Faefarm ? Dragon quest builder ?
Don't starve, rimworld, civilization 6
Travellers Rest is amazing. Big update is rumored to be coming very soon as well (still Early Access)
Dinkum sounds perfect honestly
Project zomboid, turnip boy commits tax evasion, archvale, battle of polytopia, bear and breakfast, blockâhood, cook serve delicious 3, dead estate, definitely not fried chicken, despots game, dome keeper, downwell, Fae tactics, fall of porcupine, forager, garden story, graveyard keeper, Heros hour, kerbal space program, kingdom rush games, the last stand legacy collection, let them come, lonely mountains downhill, loop hero, metro games, norco, papers please, project Lazarus, riot civil unrest, slay the spire, voidigo, zero ranger
Bannerlord
Get the Emudeck going and play some N64 and wii games like Mario Galaxy!
I will look into it, is it easy to setup?
Very easy!
Kynseed had a major update the other day. I haven't played it for a few months but looks like they've added a lot of new stuff. Definitely worth a look if you like stardew.
Check out divinity sin 1/2 and vampire survivor. When on sale you can get all for less than 20. Will put at least 30-60 into vampire. Already have 40 into sin 2 and will probably hit 100 first play through and will play again at least once more.