10 PC Games That Already Look Like Next Gen Titles

"E3 and other such expos are a time for looking forward more often than not. We see the upcoming titles that will define our future gaming experiences, and we continuously hope for that exciting surprise hardware unveiling, but this desire for updated processing power is often ill placed."

[solar]

There are no gens for a dynamic platform.....

[guitarded77]

Technically, no... but PC still has to go by standard chip architecture. They can't go making games that can't run on what is considered standard at the moment or they won't sell any games.

[Conzul]

PC is the eternity Gen.

[Irishguy95]

I beg thee not to give this article hits, as it is 10 pages

Their list ~

1: BF3
2: Arkham City
3: Far cry 3
4: Witcher 2
5: Crysis Series
6: Skyrim(Seriously Gamingbolt? This invalidates your list as even on PC it looks quite meh, good art, very meh graphics(Looks/nextgen/etc)
7: New hitman
8: Just cause 2
9: Max payne 3
10: Metro 2033

[Ducky]

They picked Skyrim because of mods.

It looks pretty good with them... http://imgur.com/a/CT8ZX

[Amplitude]

I would normally agree that 10 pages for 10 games in a list is incredibly annoying and stupid but this site loaded fast enough that i didn't even think about it while i was reading.

[ProGrasTiNation]

Come on,the point of N4G is so people can link to other sites news & stories & without them this site would be a blank website.
If you want to read about this subject than give the site hits because if everyone on this site didn't do that then you will have no right to complain when they're is no websites left to link to.

[HeavenlySnipes]

With those mods in particular, the game runs at 15 frames per second lol. Still, the regular graphic mods make the game look fantastic. The different texture packs for almost every facet of the game really make a big difference imo

[Eyeco]

HOLY COW

[HammadTheBeast]

No Planetside 2? I'm done.

[ProjectVulcan]

Not strictly generational yeah.

But I count gaming PC generations in terms of manufacturing process of graphics hardware. Graphics hardware is really the determining factor for maximum performance. This is because with every shrink, graphics hardware takes a leap.

Between process shrinks, you usually have revisions, sort of half steps which push that process to the limit and refines the current models.

So the first generation after the consoles was really the Nvidia 8800/Radeon HD 2k series, because it was the first leap on the 90 nanometre process that set itself over Xbox 360 and PS3. The first DX10 class hardware too. The half steps were the Geforce 9/Radeon HD 3k.

Then you had the next genuine step up, with new architecture on 65/55nm in the GTX2xx series and the HD Radeon 4000.

40nm arrives along with the GTX4xx/Radeon 5 series. The first DX11 class hardware. The revisions of 40nm hardware are the GTX5xx/Radeon 6 series.

Currently we have 28nm process, which are the GTX6/Radeon 7k series.

In about March/April 2013, we'll have the first revisions on 28nm. There is likely to be quite a jump in performance of those GPUs over existing parts, mainly because current 28nm designs are quite conservative while the next ones are more likely to push the process.

[fartdude420]

[My List (No order)]

Metro 2033
Crysis 2 with high res textures
Gta IV with ENB
Medal Of Honor Warfighter
Crysis with various graphics mods
Black Ops 2
Battlefield 3 with no filters
Hard Reset
Shogun
Witcher 2

[tigertron]

Black Ops 2? 0.o

[HammadTheBeast]

Take out Black Ops (lolwut) and put in Planetside 2.

[ninjahunter]

Planetside 2 looks terrible. and runs terribly on top of that.

[NovusTerminus]

They do look great... But this is my issue, I don't like any of the games on that list (Cept Witcher 2 waiting to play it still...)

I like Japanese games, and the PC has none, I would be more for the PC if it had the support from Japan, but it does not. So I stick to my consoles.

[RuperttheBear]

It does have Japanese games though. You need to be more specific.

[NovusTerminus]

BlazBlue, MGR:R, Metal Gear Solid, Monster Hunter, Gravity Rush, Persona, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, Soul Sacrifice, Tales Of, Dragon's Dogma, Demon's / Dark Souls, Smash Brothers,

I know some of those games have versions on the PC, but they are all very late, or I will get banned for playing them *stares at Monster Hunter*

Also, I know Dark Souls is PC, but that took over a year to come out.

Though I do enjoy some PC ports, DMC4 was great, but, the main reason for PC is modding, which Japanese devs to not launch the tools to make it so easy.

I am not bashing the PC.

Edited ASBR out... Forgot it was made in Cali... Whoops!

[pandehz]

Metro looks sick. If you got physx even a bit more with the fog n such.

Witcher 2 is also sweet.
BF3,Crysis of course

Max Payne 3 not so much next gen, Skyrim umm meh

[Eldyraen]

Skyrim's next gen status is entirely dependant on mods. The difference between launch and today's heavily modded and enbed Skyrim is easily a full generation difference. Hopefully Bethesda uses a better engine though for their next game so its not up to modders to modernize their games.

Still, without them Skyrim of today wouldn't be possible ;)

[aquamala]

that's if you consider the official high res texture pack a "mod"

[Are_The_MaDNess]

@aquamala

you wouldn't use the official one, it sucks
most guys that know what they are doing (and got the rig for it use the Texture Pack Combiner
http://skyrim.nexusmods.com...

that is a 4.7gig Texture pack and that is just the world and little of the clutter, meaning no armors and weapons. you can allways get other mods of that specific thing, but armors and such are more personal

[faizanali]

Metro is suppose to have all that FOG, It has to give that "Post Apocalyptic" look, Buy the game before you judge it, Its incredible.

[sourav93]

How is he judging the game? He said that the game looks good. And I don't see him complaining about the fog. Read the comment before bashing. It's enlightening.

[Are_The_MaDNess]

@faizanali
he was talking about the PhysX effects in that game

bellow there is some videos that promote PhysX from Nvidia and how it works and looks

[landog]

AAA pc games in general, imo, from the last few years look about what i believe next gen consoles will be able to achieve provided ms and sony make them with good quality parts

if they only make next gen consoles about double the wii u, then no, even ps4/nextbox will not look as good as pc games do today

also, resolutions and Anti aliasing methods high end pc's currently employ will NOT be available on console

ps4/nextboxes will not be doing 2560x1600p with 8x aa

but I believe ps4 and nextbox/720 will be able to achieve current, pc level games at 1920x1080p at 30 frames, some games will opt for 1280x720p at 60 frames, and a few will achieve 1920x1080p with 60 frames but a lowered visual fidelity

[FlameBaitGod]

"but I believe ps4 and nextbox/720 will be able to achieve current, pc level games at 1920x1080p at 30 frames"

All I have to say it LOL and I say that because I actually know about hardware and next gen consoles(which I will buy cus of its exclusives) wont match pc ever. Only because next gen hardware(Video cards) arrives every 2 years.

How much You think Sony and MS will spend on the vid card alone ? The best they can do will probably be around what the 8800GT vid cards can do if not a lil more(900 nvidia series).

I really believe people who game on console only are gonna be sad to see how next gen will look like on consoles when compared to PC.

[Reaper9937]

Guess George Reith has quite a low expectation on what next gen will look like...IMO I want next gen games to look like the Agni Philosophy tech demo (or better) and I have a feeling they will.

Like Sony stated earlier this year they won't release PS4 unless there is a significant jump in tech. I know this doesn't necessary mean a significant leap in graphics, but knowing Sony's history they're a sucker for such things.

http://www.computerandvideo...

[akaakaaka]

PS4 will be amazing i hope it launch next year.. it has to..
with that quantum leap grfx card
min of 8gb ram dedicated for games and why not 32gb ram is possible.
PS4 will be good!

[ambientFLIER]

Dude...most likely the PS4 will have 4gb of ram, and a MAX of 8, since developer kits are at 8gb, and they typically have twice as much. Dream on with 32. Lol.

[faizanali]

I bet the PS4 won't have more than 4GB RAM or less, My answer is logical, Think about it! If the PS4 had a GTX690 and a Quad Core Processor then it would cost even more than $800 and no one would buy it, Sony screwed the PS3 with their BIG ASS prices, Thats why today the majority of people who own X360 compared to PS3 is more, And that is also one reason why people won't complain about the Wii U, OFC NintenDONT pushed Wii U in the same boat Wii was in BUT the leap from Wii U to PS4 won't be that big either, It will be just like leap from Dreamcast to XBOX.

[akaakaaka]

The way you speack shows that you are a troll

Last time I check PlayStation update their ram by 16x every new gen.. and there was a delay, which means ps4 could get even better ram, over 8gb or better tech in general. It's for sure that from the 8gb ram maybe 1gb will be used for the apps.

Ps3 tech demos wow everyone and today we got even better looking game's then those tech demos and you will be amazed once next gen sony PlayStation start showing their next gen games..

If scuareenix already showed their next gen engine and it wow everyone, that's what next gen will do as a minimum, wait for santa monica, guerrilla games and naughty dog to show up their new engines.. o wow!

If you guys are cheap go buy a wii u or old gen console and wait untill next gen get cheaper.

[ProGrasTiNation]

Personally after getting a pc that can play games like modded Skyrim & modded Minecraft,i wont be supporting sony or any console maker ever again.
They have abused this generation & set back gaming by a large margin IMHO!
They have some cheek bringing out hardware that holds game devs to ransom for how ever long they feel a generation should last & should have looked at modular consoles the moment the tech aloud them,which was a long time ago.
As soon as the pc becomes like a console(steam box)$ony M$ & Nintendo will have no choice but to stop their shameful abuse of our beloved games industry,well here's hoping anyway!

[faizanali]

I more than agree man!
But the main thing thats pushing gaming back is definitely COD:
1. Its Overrated
2. Graphics aren't any better compared to modern day games
3. Its a lame trend to those Console Kiddies who think its "Cool" to have the latest COD
4. Every COD Dev does it for the money.

I just hope the franchise burns to death (Amen)

[porkChop]

Most of the games in this article don't look next gen at all. Just very shiny with lots of bloom. That is not next-gen.

[MRMagoo123]

They look next gen when you get all the mods that are made for them , which really shouldnt count because i am sure if ppl could mod console games they could get them looking better than the original games too.

[BitbyDeath]

No they don't, they're just slightly improved versions of current gen games even with mods.

[porkChop]

@MRMagoo123, Most of the games in the list don't even support mods, and the majority of PC games these days don't support mods either.

@BitbyDeath, Skyrim with mods is vastly superior to the console version. It still doesn't look next gen though, not even close. If we were to get these kinds of graphics next gen I would be very disappointed. They look better than todays console games, yeah, but not enough to warrant a purchase of a brand new console.

[BitbyDeath]

@porkchop,

Only in graphics, gameplay all the AI still act the same. Voices are still only done by a handful of people and animations are not improved. Quests are still limited in what you can do and nothing really major changes at all.

[porkChop]

@BitbyDeath, Well yeah, but this article isn't really talking about that. It seems to be just talking about graphics.

@FlameBaitGod, They don't look next-gen, plain and simple. And if the new consoles don't have better graphics I won't be that disappointed considering I'm mostly a PC gamer, and once the new consoles come out PC games will be far less limited than they are now. They won't have ancient hardware holding them back.

[FlameBaitGod]

If you think they don't look next gen, boy are you gonna be disappointed when the new consoles come out.

[OmniSlashPT]

For a machine that's supposed to be much more powerful than today's console, those don't look 7 years ahead of Uncharted 3 or TLOU for example. I guess in the end it all comes to the talent of the devs and not the hardware.

I cannot even imagine what ND could do with the next PS.

[Norrison]

Next gen would be lucky if it looked half as good as these games, Uncharted 3 is plagued with aliasing, low res textures, it's running at 30fps, 720p.

[Pandamobile]

Honestly, TLOU and Uncharted look great on an artistic level (everything is coherent, and the characters and animation look great), but on a technical level, they really are 7 years behind what we're seeing in PC games today.

We've hit a point in computer graphics where the pushing the bar a few inches forward takes a massive amount of rendering power. It's not like it was a 10 years ago where it was just a matter of increasing poly count and texture resolution. All the things than make an already beautiful game look 10% better takes more rendering power than you'd ever imagine.

[BitbyDeath]

Author has some low expectations for nextgen.

[nepdyse]

Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad looks amazing and is one of best mmofps I've ever played.

[younghavok]

clearly im not alone in not being particularly blown away by PC visuals that people seem to rave over. Yes they look better than todays consoles but at the price you pay for them, the improvements, imo, are not worth it. Im not expecting a lot from the next gen visually, graphics arent getting much better from these developers. Modders deserve a round of applause though

[josephayal]

Beautiful Graphics, too bad I can't afford expensive gaming computers