Upcoming RPGs of 2011

Five RPGs you should keep an eye out for this year.

As the industry ages, Role Playing Games continue to expand in size and scope allowing players to break free from reality while indulging their deep, dark secrets. Would you like to bed multiple women? Do you like slaughtering an entire village of people because you can or would you prefer being their saviour? The five RPGs we've lined up for you today, releasing sometime this year allow you to do just that - and a lot more.    Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox360, PS3, PC) Yeah... run away Bethesda has patiently listened to player feedback from Oblivion and incorporated the changes in Skyrim. Pretty much everything in the game be it visuals or combat has been developed from the ground up specially for this game. You have a brand new engine that’ll bring even the most powerful PCs to its knees, a robust dual wielding combat system reminiscent of BioShock 2 and dragons. Yup, that’s right. Dragons will be a huge part of the game and you’ll be able to kick their fire breathing asses to Oblivion (massive pun intended).  The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PC) I was staring at what now? A European RPG from lesser known Polish development studio CD Projekt, The Witcher never aspired to be the next Diablo. It did however perform well commercially, spawning a rabid fan base in the process. Even though voice acting was a bit on the cheesy side, the game bowled gamers over with an engrossing storyline, unique combat system and gorgeous visuals. For the sequel, CD Projekt has upped the visual ante with a proprietary engine that looks drop dead gorgeous. In addition to this expect a new combat system and a deeper, more mature story line.  Mass Effect 3 (PS3, Xbox360, PC) Is that intense or what? The Reapers have begun taking over the planet and only one man stands in their way. Sadly it isn't Kratos; it's Commander Shepard. Not much is known about the game at this point in time except that it is the final game in the Mass Effect trilogy and will release on all three platforms simultaneously.  Dragon Age II (Xbox360, PS3, PC) I knew I should have got a dog Dragon Age II’s announcement was met with dismay and excitement at the same time. The dismay stemmed from the fact that Dragon Age II would feature a brand new lead character, plotline and more importantly, players would not be able to import their characters or save games from Dragon Age: Origins (bummer). Another sore point for console gamers was that BioWare tweaked the control scheme to reflect combat from that of Mass Effect instead of the first game. There are doubts that this will simplify the game considerably but judging by BioWare’s track record I think we should be just fine.    Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Xbox360, PS3, PC) Damn! I need to sneeze softer next time Like Dragon Age, Deus Ex: Human Revolution’s announcement was met with a bit of a disappointment. A large chunk of it stemmed from the elitists who were miffed at the fact that the game would be going multi-platform and that it would feature a cover system. Gasp! Thankfully, developer Eidos Montreal eradicated all these doubts with gameplay videos that showcased an open-ended RPG with enough substance for both action as well as RPG fans.