The 40 most anticipated PC games of 2011

January 3rd, 2011

It was good to be a PC gamer last year. On the back of gaining momentum, this year looks to be just as good, if not better for multi-genre fans. Let us count the ways (in no particular order):

1. Portal 2 (Apr 20) - Craziest-looking gameplay I've seen in years. Do want. 
2. Crysis 2 (Mar 22) - Hi-tech shooter with forboding-looking enemies
3. Dead Space 2 (Jan 25) - Methodical Alien-inspired horror game back for more. 
4. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (Q4) - Game looks sick. Really intense gameplay environments with helicopters crashing all of the place, sweet cover, and invisibility cloaks!
5. Bulletstorm (Feb 22) Fast-paced gory shooter a la Unreal Tournament. 
6. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Nov 11) - The RPG you've all been waiting for, made by RPG experts Bethesda Softworks. 
7. Torchlight II ("early" 2011) - Diablo III backup, people. 
8. Bloodline Champions (Q1) - Faster-paced, more action-packed version of DotA.
9. DC Universe Online (Jan 11) - Fast-paced, beat-em-up MMO. 
10. Darkspore (Feb) - Diablo-style hack-and-slash from Will Wright's development company. 
11. Shogun 2: Total War (Mar15) - Japanese strategy, baby, Total War style. 
12. Rift (Early 2011) - Fantasy MMORPG with randomly spawning portals. 
13. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (May 17) - Underrated RPG series back for more. 
14. Star Wars: The Old Republic (Spring) - Feels like Mass Effect + World of Warcraft
15. Rage (Sep 13) - New shooter from the creators of Doom which is setting a new benchmark for graphical standards. 
16. F.E.A.R. 3 (Mar 22) - Co-op comes to the series that's been haunting us for half a decade. 
17. Brink (Apr 12) - Mirror's Edge armed with a gun. 
18. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Apr) - Action RPG "inspired by the first game while largely ignoring the disappointing second game..." From the creators of Rainbow Six Vegas
19. Mass Effect 3 ("Holiday") - Sequel to last year's "RPG of the Year," the shooter-based and massively popular Mass Effect 2. 
20. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Q1) - Innovative co-op heavy sequel to an already inspired action/adventure series. Better (although still not perfect) DRM too. 
21. Dragon Age II (Mar 8) - Proven albeit unsung RPG series for fans who like Willow settings more than futuristic Armageddon ones. 
22. Red Faction: Armageddon (May 12) - The third act of the explosive open-world action game. 
23. Shadows of the Damned (Q2) - New action-horror game from the creator of Killer 7 and No More Heroes.
24. Batman: Arkham City (Q4) - Sequel to the best superhero action game of all-time. 
25. Call of Duty (Nov) - It's not announced yet, but it's surely coming. To where? No one knows. But it'll be big. 
26. Duke Nukem Forever ("Early" 2011) - New developer Gearbox Software says its coming this year. I believe them. 
27. Test Drive Unlimited 2 (Feb 8) - Last year was extremely kind to PC racing fans. Perhaps this one can continue the welcome trend. 
28. Dirt 3 (TBA) - Ditto to the above. 
29. Trine 2 (TBA) - Sequel to the best (and most well-told) platforming game you've never heard of. 
30. Microsoft Flight (TBA) - Flight simulators are so 1980s. But who knows, maybe the world's largest software company can properly revive the once popular genre. 
31. DOTA 2 (TBA) - Valve-backed sequel built on the oh-so-nice Source engine could be one of the biggest PC games of the year. 
32. Driver San Francisco (April) - For you GTA fans. 
33. Tomb Raider (TBA) - Batman Begins-styled reboot for the venerable action-platforming series. 
34. Alice Madness Returns (Q4) - Trippy platforming game returns 11 years after the release of the critically-acclaimed original. 
35. Homefront (Mar 8) - Rad-looking shooter game from the director of Red Dawn. A favorite of mine from last year's E3. 

Uncertain release dates, keep your fingers crossed:

1. Diablo III (TBA). It's Diablo, people!
2. Guild Wars 2 (TBA) Quality MMORPG series without the subscription fee. 
3. Max Payne 3 (Q3) - Rockstar shooting maybe making its way to PC this year. Maybe.  
4. Metal Gear Solid Rising (TBA) - Slice and dice action game looks crazy. And really Japanese. 
5. Xcom (TBA) - First-person "suspense" shooter inspired by the critically-acclaimed original strategy game. 

Works cited: Game Informer, 1UP, CNET, Big Download, and my sound judgment

PS -- These high-res screenshots look hot. Happy New Year, everyone!