This is shaping up to be one of the better years for PC gaming with around two dozen highly anticipated titles poised for release in the next 10 months. BioWare released a playable demo of Dragon Age II yesterday, a demo of Crysis 2 is due next Tuesday, and Bulletstorm hit retail shelves just this week (watch for our upcoming performance preview). Getting in on the action, DICE and Bethesda have released the first glimpses of their forthcoming titles, Battlefield 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
DICE only recently announced its latest Battlefield title, which is being developed with the company's new Frostbite 2.0 engine and is focused foremost on the PC platform. The game is said to feature co-op gameplay, four classes, more unlockables than Battlefield: Bad Company 2, character customization that doesn't rely on superficial cosmetics, as well as improved level destruction, character animations, and war sounds. The PC version supports 64-person multiplayer while the console is limited to 24.
Skyrim take places 200 years after the events of the last installment, Oblivion – though it isn't a direct sequel. Instead, the latest entry opens a new chapter in the Elder Scrolls series as players once again control an unknown prisoner who fulfills the prophetic role of the last "Dovahkiin," a dragon hunter tasked with defeating the god of destruction, Alduin. Naturally, the game will have fancier visuals including a HUD-less first-person view, revamped combat and leveling systems, and much more.