In the modern gaming industry, not a month goes by that a console release breaks some sort of sales record, and some developer steps up to say that they will be bringing the best possible graphics to consoles everywhere. But every once in a while, a PC game developer comes along to remind the world of what they do best. The latest batch of screenshots for CD Projekt Red’s upcoming RPG The Witcher 2 do just that, and are more than likely to get gamers’ mouths watering.

There’s no question that console experiences have gotten better and better looking, with id Software’s RAGE looking to set a new high watermark in terms of graphics. But even console developers acknowledge that PCs have the last laugh in performance, and from the sound of it, console developers won’t be looking to compete for some time.

The previous gameplay footage of The Witcher 2 was impressive, but leaked gameplay footage is nothing compared to the look of a game running on beautiful hardware. These screens featured on Videogame.it show that the game will definitely not fail to impress, and may just be bringing some of the most realistic visuals to go along with their branching narrative.

With role-playing games, story and character buy-in are the most important aspects of setting yourself apart from the competition, and one of the easiest ways of succeeding or failing among audiences is where visuals and art style are concerned. It’s still early days for the game’s marketing, but these glimpses of the game in action suggest that CD Projekt Red won’t have any problems in that department.

Don’t take our word for it, have a look at just a few of the latest screens:

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The game is already looking like it will be giving RPGs like Dragon Age 2 a lesson in real branching story and cause and effect gameplay, and was one of our most anticipated games of 2011 before we even saw these screens. Hearing the developers talk about their goals and intentions in terms of story is one thing, but actually getting to see the game’s impressive engine in action is proof positive that The Wticher 2 is a game to watch out for.

There is no question that PCs are free from one of the biggest drawbacks of a console game, that being the need to balance visuals with gameplay. While consoles have a limited amount of resources for everything, PCs can handle as much a their owner wishes.

Whether or not your own PC will be able to produce the same images above, the mere fact that the game is packing this much realism is a fantastic sign.

You can have a look at the entire gallery of images here, and have your own face melted by amazing graphics when The Witcher 2 is released on May 17, 2011 for the PC.

Source: Videogame.it (via CVG)