Star Conflict

Star Conflict is the most niche recommendation in this entire article, and I mean that in a neutral way. Space combat is underrepresented in free-to-play, and the controller scheme translates better to Steam Deck than you might expect from a game built around three-dimensional dogfighting. The free entry is enough to get a real feel for whether the genre appeals to you. Community numbers are modest and the game is older, which keeps it firmly in honorable mention territory. But if you have exhausted the main list and want something that feels genuinely different from a hero shooter or card game, this is the one to try.

Star Conflict is a space combat shooter with an Open Space mode that lets you free-fly through connected sectors, scavenge, and skirmish between points of interest. It’s quick to learn and free to hop into, with matchmaking for PvP and PvE progression. It misses the top tier because the open-world slice is secondary; the core loop centers on instanced matches rather than continuous exploration. For players who want a taste of open flight between bouts of fast combat, it still offers value, but it isn’t a pure open-world experience.