The Future of RPGs: Looking Forward to 2011

With 2011 stacked with a plethora of RPG releases, G4 has published a new “The Future of RPGs” feature that profiles many of the heavy-hitters scheduled for release within the next twelve months. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Dragon Age II, Diablo III, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Mass Effect 3, Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Hunted: The Demon’s Forge are all included:

We don’t know much about The Elder Scrolls 5, except that it’s finally actually coming out, and will arrive on 11/11/11. Perhaps the best news of all around the announcement of the game was the fact that it would be using an entirely new engine, rather than the beginning-to-show-its-age Gamebryo engine. Plus, when you have Max von Sydow narrating your game trailer, you don’t really need that many details about your game.

We’re sure that more information will be forthcoming in the new year, but we do know that the game will feature Dragonborne characters. The name Skyrim refers to the northernmost provence in Tamriel, which is snowy and mountainous. Five of the world’s highest peaks are located here, and it’s been the site of many previous battles. It’s not new to the Elder Scrolls universe of course, but it sounds like the conflict that’s brewing there will be, dare we say, epic? Snow, mountains, dragons …. new engine? Count us in.

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CD Projekt’s long-awaited sequel has us excited for a couple of reasons. For one, beneath the painfully long load screens and somewhat unsatisfying combat of the original game was an expansive and rewarding RPG that, among other things, taught us just how sleazy fantasy realms can be (should a developer decide to populate the world with an endless array of fast and loose damsels in undress). For the sequel, the developers have focused a lot of attention on the non-linearity of the experience by giving players an absurd number of ways to progress through the game. For expample, one jailbreak sequence has over 600 possible variations!

The game’s combat has also been ramped up and is now bloodier and more visceral than ever. And if you thought the first game was massive, you’ll want to start getting into shape, because the game world is expected to be absurdly huge. As far as adult RPGs go, The Witcher 2 proudly asserts itself as one of the leading contenders, and we, as adults, can’t wait to embark on this dark and mature adventure.

Yessir, it’s going to be a great year.