Dragon’s Dogma 2 review – chaotic, unpredictable fantasy fun

PlayStation 5 (version tested), Xbox One, PC; Capcom
This gloriously messy, medieval-flavoured silliness will give you the best adventure you've had in years. There's nothing quite like it

Let me tell you about my pawn, Bowie. He is, as the name might suggest, a beautiful, pale, slender mage with lots of makeup and big, red hair. He is an interdimensional being, and his job is to support me on my adventures as the Arisen, this kingdom's fate-chosen ruler, a role I unwittingly acquired when a dragon pinned me down, plucked out my heart and ate it.

Bowie is not very good at his job. He often forgets to heal me when harpies and goblins and ogres knock lumps out of me out in the wilds, forcing me to hammer the help!" button while being pinned down by a minotaur. When he travels to other worlds, he always comes back with morose tales of how often he fell in battle and how badly he suffered at the hands of other Arisen. I love Bowie anyway, because he is my pawn. Despite his failings, we've had some incredible escapades together.