Nighthawks: The $18 Vampire RPG Perfect for Your Steam Deck

Nighthawks is a text-based vampire RPG that's ideal for Steam Deck, thanks to its larger text mode and low battery drain. At under $20, it's a cozy pre-Halloween treat.

Got a long train ride or a lazy weekend ahead and need a game that won't drain your battery or your patience? Nighthawks might be exactly what you're looking for.

This gorgeous text-based vampire RPG is out now on PC via Steam for just $18, and it's quickly become a top pick for handheld gaming. Why? Because it was practically made for the Steam Deck. The game includes a special larger text mode that you can toggle in the settings, making it easy to read on smaller screens without squinting. That's a huge win, especially since many games claim to be handheld-friendly but end up being a mess.

I played Nighthawks right after finishing The Blood of Dawnwalker, and while I was still in the mood for some bloodsucking mayhem, I was feeling burnt out on heavy combat. So instead of firing up my gaming laptop, I downloaded it to my Steam Deck and curled up on the sofa. It was the perfect cozy alternative—like reading a good book, but with vampires. I ended up playing everywhere: on the couch, in bed, on the bus. Anywhere but sitting at my desk.

The game spans five Acts, taking you from a fledgling vampire to the lap of luxury as you choose or face your destiny. The main plot is fairly linear, but with ten potential companions, each with their own stories and side quests, no two playthroughs are the same. Add in various character backgrounds, powers, and skill proficiencies, and you've got a beast of your own making. I finished it in well under 20 hours, including reloading the final moments to see all the endings.

One thing to note: Nighthawks isn't officially Steam Deck Verified yet. I had zero performance or formatting issues, but the button mappings are a bit quirky—the joysticks scroll through text instead of moving a cursor. The D-pad works just fine, and the touch screen is fully compatible, making it easy to navigate points of interest. It's a small trade-off for such a smooth experience.

If you love games like Vampire: The Masquerade visual novels or the text-based social sim elements of Cabernet, this is for you. But if you're after a combat-heavy vamp RPG like The Blood of Dawnwalker, you might want to skip it. Nighthawks is all about using your brains instead of hammering the attack button.

There's also a moment you'll remember: using a haunted dollhouse to uncover what happened to a family who hired a vampire nanny. The mission is beautifully presented, with the house on the left and text boxes on the right, and little hints in each room guide you to the next memory vignette. Don't skip side quests—they're worth it.

As far as atmospheric, pacey, well-voiced narrative RPGs go, Nighthawks is hard to beat. It's the perfect weekend game, enveloping you so seamlessly that you won't realize how much time has passed until you reluctantly save and quit. With its helpful text size settings and cozy thrills, it's an ideal pre-Halloween treat.

So, will you be picking up Nighthawks for your Steam Deck? Let us know in the comments!