Summary
There has been an influx of handheld gaming devices running the Windows operating system in the last year. Devices like ASUS’ ROG Ally or the Lenovo Legion Go have taken the market by storm, and it seems like MSI wants a piece of the action, too. Recently, the company unveiled the Claw, which, unlike the competition, is powered by an Intel CPU.
On that note, the Claw can be snagged with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, which by the way, powers most premium thin-and-light notebooks on the market. The choice of processor has raised some eyebrows, but the Claw has received its fair share of updates. Here are the best games to play on the handheld.
The following games were tested after MSI’s BIOS 109 and Intel’s Arc 5534 driver updates.
Open-world gamescan bring powerful gaming PCs to their knees.Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Editionis an exception to the rule, though. It offers an expansive map of Hong Kong while paying special heed to hand-to-hand combat and allows players to learn and master various martial arts techniques. The game’s story is centered around Wei Shen, who is an undercover cop working to bring down the Triads in the region.
The game runs superbly on the MSI Claw and averages around 80FPS at the Medium graphics preset and 1080P resolution. The FPS does dip to the low seventies, but the game is more than playable on the handheld.
There aren’t a lot of games likeAce Combat 7, which lets players sit in the cockpit of a state-of-the-art jet fighter. On that note, the game offers a superb collection of jets, including fighters like the F-35C or the F-22A Raptor. The game’s campaign has a lot going for it, too, and it offers challenging missions involving dog fights, stealth missions, and more.
Players can also take their favorite jet for a spin in Free Flight mode, accessing any completed mission map. The game runs well on the MSI Claw and logs 55-60FPS. The frame rate can be achieved at 1080p resolution and medium graphics presets.
Ghostrunner 2is a fast-paced,first-person action game. Following the events of the original game,Ghostrunner 2focuses on the aftermath of the fall of the Keymaster and the Dharma Tower. The game has a unique one-hit-one-kill system, and players can eliminate the opposition with one strike from their swords. In a similar vein, enemies can also strike players down with just one hit.
Add to that a robust movement system with an emphasis on parkour, andGhostrunner 2makes for a challenging and fun game. It can run at around 80FPS on the MSI Claw at 1080p resolution and a low-medium graphics preset with Intel’s XeSS upscaler enabled and set to Quality. Players will run into jitters and frame drops during their playthrough, though, and the FPS can dip to the 55-60FPS mark when involved in intense battles.
Hogwarts Legacyis one of themore demanding gameson this list, and for good reason. In the game, players assume the role of a young wizard or witch and explore the renowned school of magic, Hogwarts, and its surrounding areas. The game features a sizable open-world area that can be explored either on foot or on a broomstick.
Thankfully, the game runs adequately on the Claw. At 1080p resolution and low graphics setting with XeSS enabled, players can expect around 40FPS inside the castle and around 35FPS in the open world.
InDeath’s Door, players take on the role of a soul-reaping Crow who works for the reaping commission. During the initial stages of the game, players will be required to take the soul of a particularly demanding monster. Making matters worse, the soul is stolen, which sets players on the path to recover it by opening the Death’s Door. To do so, players must get three extremely powerful souls.
During their journey, players will be able to learn new moves andmaster different weapons. Notably, the game runs well on the MSI Claw and averages 50-60FPS at the highest graphics settings.
Cyberpunk 2077is quite taxing. Theopen-world RPGis backed by a compelling story, gorgeous graphics, and challenging gun battles. The game has oodles of side quests and lots of collectibles like exotic cars and bikes, ensuring players stay for the long haul.
The game runs well on the Claw and averages around 40FPS with the graphics set to the Steam Deck preset. The FPS can dip to the low 30s, though, when involved in cop chases or gun battles.
Stardew Valleyis a charming farming simulator. Although the game is almost a decade old, it still receives routine updates. The story puts players in the shoes of a burnt-out employee working for an MNC. The protagonist decides to take a leap of faith and travels to Pelican town to revive their grandfather’s farming land.
In the process, players will also be able to help fellow townspeople by completing various quests and evenforming a romantic relationshipwith the eligible bachelors. The game’s sprites appear sharp on the MSI Claw’s screen, and the title runs flawlessly at 60FPS on the handheld.
Players looking for a relaxing restaurant/farming simulator will feel right at home withDave the Diver. The game’s pixelated graphics have a charming appeal, and its easy-to-understand mechanics make it a fun experience. As Dave, players must explore the ever-changing Blue Hole to catch different types of fish, which will help expand the restaurant’s operations.
During their playthrough, fans will also be roped into the broader overarching story, which - without giving away any spoilers - involves saving a long-forgotten species. The game runs well on the MSI Claw and averages 60FPS consistently.
