Dragon's Dogma: new trailer is full of hardcore Pawn action

Here's a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma, the new IP that Capcom is building up to add to its stable of franchises early next year. The clip demonstrates how the fantasy title bridges the gap between action and strategy, with your Pawns – AI team characters filling out your party – showing their mettle in a variety of showdowns. The non-human NPCs even narrate the clip, explaining that their role is that of ye olde cannon fodder – but they're down with that.

Above: It's not often that we hear from NPCs about their feelings toward their human boss

If that was all a bit grandiose and fast-paced for you (Grandpa), there's also a gameplay clip showing the battle against one of the game's enemies, the Golem. Plenty of lead-up lets you see not just how the game's fights play out, but the more traditional RPG-style bit where you say “well met!” to lots of townspeople. There's also plenty of new image of that encounter and more.

Capcom has high hopes for Dragon's Dogma, produced and directed by Resident Evil/Devil May Cry veterans Hiroyuki Kobayashi and Hideaki Itsuno respectively. Expect further glimpses ahead of the game's early 2012 release.