It’s been lurking for years, building itself a nest in the midden-heap of discarded indie games.

I’ve never played it.

I don’t think I even bought it.

A photograph of a Steam Deck playing Red Dead Redemption 2, while the player is sat on the back of what appears to be a horse statue. Inspired.

I couldn’t understand it either.

But, having had my own Steam Deck for over a week now, I think I get it.

The Steam Deck is Valve’s most recent andmost competent foray into PC hardware.

A screenshot from the Ancient Rome game Ryse. A legionnaire stands looking into the distance with a city, probably Rome, in the background behind him.

It’s a big, burly, Switch-looking handheld, which promises PC gaming on the go.

It delivers in spades.

And it really is magic.

Mads Mikkelsen’s likeness making the shh gesture to the camera in Death Stranding. What a handsome man he is.

What surprised me most, though, is that raw horsepower is only part of the magic.

The Steam Deck has redefined my relationship with my Steam library.

Let me tell you.

The fuller image of playing Red Dead Redemption 2 on a Steam Deck, while on the back of a horse statue. You love to see it.

Obviously, there’s the portability.

Like the Switch before it, the Steam Deck cuts some of the restraints tethering you to your chair.

Suddenly you’re able to play PC-bound games in bed or lounging on the sofa.

you could playVampire Survivorsat the breakfast table, or Phantom Pain on the loo.

If you’re so inclined, you’ve got the option to even venture outside the house.

Through some ergonomic wizardry it seems to float as you hoist it from room to room.

But that’s not all, I think.

I’ve found gaming on the Deck more focused than at the desk.

If you’re anything like me, you do a lot of your gaming sitting at a PC.

But sometimes you sit down and realise two hours later that you’ve done nothing but scroll reddit.

Or, worse, you open a game but feel the gravitational pull of Twitter tugging your forebrain.

But for less intense genres like, oh, let’s say walking simulators, it’s anathema.

But the difference is profound.

It’s rekindled that childhood feeling of just sitting and playing.

The nearly nirvana flow state where worldly cares recede and you’re fixed in the moment.

More than that, though, some games just hit different on handheld.

I wasn’t loving it on desktop, but it’s weirdly well-suited to handheld play.

I’m not talking about the mossy Icelandic landscapes.

They deserve as many pixels as you might throw at them.

I mean the gameplay itself.

The little mountain hiking trips are brief and self-contained.

They’re perfect for a quick play session.

There are some other standouts.

Puzzler’s like Patrick’s Parabox are fab in short bursts.

Hitman’s sandboxes are great for faffing around with TV on in the background.

And Forza 5’s short road-races work splendidly on the bus.

But I guess the final thrill of the Steam Deck is figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

Currently, over half the games in the Steam catalogue are untested.

This brings an element of surprise.

Alongside the new user interface, it shines a light into the dustier corners of your Steam Library.

And often they sputter to life.

I dredged up Marvel vs Capcom 3 - works a charm, still a classic.

Of course there are frictions.

Some straight up don’t work.

Also, the fan whines like a jet engine.

But, for all these faults, the Steam Deck has redefined my relationship with PC gaming.

Even if you have a decent desktop, this alone could be worth the price of admission.

Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself playing Ryse: Son of Rome.