It hasn’t been long since Valve released the biggest Steam Deck update since 3.5 as SteamOS was upgraded to 3.6.19 stable. Even so, we’re happy to say that the updates don’t stop coming as the latest version now features one big change in its small list of patch notes.
Metaphor: ReFantazio, a game that is currently hovering in the Steam Deck Top Played charts is clearly a popular choice on the Deck. And now, fans of the JRPG can enjoy up to 20% better performance on the Steam Deck.
Metaphor: ReFantazio performance improved up to 20% on Steam Deck
If you haven’t heard of Metaphor: ReFantazio, it comes from the creators of Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5. It’s worth a shot if you’re a fan of JRPGs, turn-based combat, or anime-style games in general. We recommend downloading the free demo on the Steam store before you buy. Anyway, one patch note from the SteamOS 3.6.20 Stable Update reads as follows:
- Improved performance in Metaphor: ReFantazio by up to 20%
While this doesn’t provide a great amount of detail, it’s a nice improvement given the fact the game “requires manual configuration of graphics settings to perform well on Steam Deck”, according to the compatibility details. The game remains rated as ‘Playable’ but this new update should help take it one step closer to full ‘Verified’ status; the small in-game text also needs to be addressed.
How does it run on the new patch?
The 20% performance boost has been available in the beta version for a few days now; the stable release rolls it out to all users. According to the YouTube channel Deck Wizard, a benchmark on the beta patch saw the game run consistently above 30 FPS, with some areas maintaining 50+ or even 60+ in short bursts. You should see similar results in the stable version. It didn’t take long for 3.6.20 stable to arrive, which would imply the beta didn’t require much further tinkering.
As far as full patch notes go, there are a couple more listed:
- Fixed an issue where the updater could repeatedly revert you to the previous OS version if certain configuration files were user-modified
- Fixed an issue with taking multiple screenshots if Game Recording is on
