How to run Resident Evil 1 and 2 on Steam Deck: a quick guide to playing the classics

Learn how to get Resident Evil 1 and 2 working on the Steam Deck with Protontricks and Proton GE, in a straight-to-the-point guide.

The original Resident Evil titles have arrived on Steam after a period of GOG exclusivity, allowing you to add them to your library and play them in handheld mode. However, out of the box, they do not run on the Steam Deck, which prevents on-the-go gameplay.

To resolve this, I have prepared this practical guide to get the games working through Steam and compatibility tools.

The solution started from a video by PALADEVIN, who became known for fixing issues in Dino Crisis, serving as a reference for this method.

Quick guide to running RE 1 and 2 on Steam Deck

1. Desktop mode and Discover store: open desktop mode and access the Discover Store to install the Protontricks tool.
2. Update Proton GE: install the latest version of Proton GE using ProtonUp-QT, available in the Discover Store, following the corresponding guide.
3. Launch Protontricks: open Protontricks from the list of installed apps and select the games you want to adjust; in this case, Resident Evil 1.
4. Default prefix and Regedit: click on "Select the default wineprefix" and then on "Run regedit".
5. Locate game files: go back to Steam, locate the game, right-click, go to Manage, and choose Browse local files to find the files.
6. Import the .reg file: find the corresponding .reg file (usually with the name followed by "_english"), copy it to the desktop to make importing easier.
7. Import into Regedit: in Regedit, use the "Import Registry File" option and select the appropriate file.
8. Return to Steam: close Regedit and return to Steam.
9. Launch options: in the game's Properties, add the launch line WINEDLLOVERRIDES=ddraw.dll=n,b %command% to fix FMV cutscenes.
10. Test in-game: return to game mode and enjoy the fixes.

It is important to note that not everything is perfect. Resident Evil 1 may present small cropped scenes, and Resident Evil 3 controls usually require a community configuration. Even so, the first two adventures become at least playable with the changes applied.

If you want to know what we think about the games, there is a previous article where we analyzed the works. And if you found this guide useful, explore the rest of the SteamDeckHQ content, with reviews, tutorials, configuration tips, and news to improve your handheld experience.

What is your experience with these adjustments on the Steam Deck? Leave a comment saying if you have already tested this method or if you have other tips to share.

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