Epic Games pulled together a massively impressive tech demo for GDC, designed to showcase top-of-the-line Unreal Engine 3 features and give us a glimpse of what the future of games could look like.

The thematic presentation featured a character created specifically for the demo called “The Samaritan.” A gritty, nameless protagonist, his physical presentation was fashioned in a manner to best show off Unreal’s strengths.

The scene unfolds on a rainy night in an urban setting, the streets washed with reflections from neon lights. Somewhere amongst the rooftops the man sauntered over to a padlocked door before casually starting a blow torch – the light organically reflecting off his face – and going to work on the obstruction. Interrupted by the sound of sirens, he witnesses a group of armed guards assault an older woman on the street below.

Peering over the top of the building, the man’s face and body momentarily transform, coated in some sort of rock or metal. Stepping in to halt the attack, he jumps from the building and lands amidst the one-sided brawl. What ensues is brutal as he curb-stomps and blows the brains out of the armed combatants. As the dust settles, he walks casually away, working a still-lit cigarette in his mouth.

A massive armed mech approaches from the opposite end of the street. Not missing a beat, the man flicks the cigarette at the machine before rippling to his armored state once again. We see him take a swing at the giant before the screen fades to black.

Epic released a handful of screens showcasing the finer points of the presentation, some comparative in nature to best show off the features available to Unreal licensees. Check them out below.

Apparently Epic will be releasing the tech demo trailer sometime next week, and we’ll share it when they do. If you think the stills are impressive, wait until you see it in motion.