Here's how to play Downfall on a Steam Deck

[Pootenheimer]

I've had Downfall for a while but could never get it working on my Deck. I decided to look through all the resources I could to figure out how to make it work, and now have it fully functional on my Deck with full controller functionality.

Before:

Tried launching the separate app - it loads fine, but it's a pain to try making anything work because it can only really work with custom controls, primarily using a mouse-based setup. Not ideal.

Then I tried loading the standard Slay the Spire install choosing the "Mods" option - could never get it to load. Gets to a black screen with an error "behind" the screen. If I click on it with my finger, it just closes the app.

After:

It works smoothly with Downfall running when I choose "Play With Mods", only need one slight action after that anytime I want to play.

How to get it working:

The key to getting this working is to use Workshop files. Don't even bother installing the separate app. You'll need the following mods to make it work:

• ModTheSpire
  
• StSLib
  
• BaseMod
  
• Downfall Expansion Mod - 4.1 ft. the Hermit

To install these, go to this page in the workshop, they're the top 4 most popular mods (of all time). (On the Deck you can go to the Slay The Spire properties section, then go down to Workshop and visit it from there, then find the top 4 most popular mods - it should match with what I listed above. Hit the plus button next to each of these to install them.)

Once they're all installed on your Deck, this is where it gets a little tricky. Do the following:

1. Launch the game, and choose "Play With Mods".
   
2. The screen will flash white but look black. You'll have to poke around on it to get this working, but your goal is to check the three mods that are selectable in the top left corner of this screen. You'll only have to do this once.
   
3. Now at the bottom of the left column there's a "Play" button. Poke around on the screen (with your finger) until you find that.

That's it! Once you've managed to click the Play button, it'll load up (with a lot of white screen code flashing on and off), and then you should be good to play Downfall using your normal Steam Deck controller functionality you use on Slay The Spire.

There are a few little quirks you'll still have to use the touch screen functionality for (for example, choosing your first mission when you're the Slime Boss or any other enemy bosses), but aside from that, everything else is just like the normal non-modded game.

To play it after the first setup, you'll still need to do the blind finger poke onto that Play button on the bottom left each time you "Play With Mods", but that's it.

Hope this helps a lot of Deck owners get more into Downfall - it's pretty awesome after getting the controls fully operational like this!

[Felix Krowe]

I got the stand alone Downfall to work using the custom controller created by The Law - just go to the game's controller icon on Steam Deck, select that controller, and it works without fuss.

[The Pantheon]

Trying this tonight. Thank you for your patient post to explain it! I'm loving my Deck so excited!

[GinkoSoma]

Originally posted by Felix Krowe:

I got the stand alone Downfall to work using the custom controller created by The Law - just go to the game's controller icon on Steam Deck, select that controller, and it works without fuss.

How do I find that custom layout? Can you share a link? I cant find it, all controller layouts I see just list "template" as the author.

[Teratologue]

It was working fine for me using the most popular steam deck controller scheme until I played with an xbox controller on my monitor. After that, it became impossible to switch back to the steam deck controller. It is as if even if I'm changing the order of the controllers back, it doesn't save.