It's been a while since I last demoed Pragmata, Capcom's unique action game that combines on-the-fly puzzle solving with fast-paced third-person shooting. I got a taste of what to expect during a Summer Game Fest demo last June, and while my curiosity was piqued, I still had questions about this long-gestating, mysterious title. Now I have a clearer vision. Recently, Capcom visited New York City to give me an extended two-hour preview of Pragmata's Big Apple-inspired level, where I explored the game’s systems, which included many new enemies, weapons, and hacking nodes—plus, an extended look at what goes on between levels. So does Pragmata impress? Or is it too weird for its own good? These are my takeaways after that lengthy Pragmata demo.
Welcome to The Shelter: Your Homebase for Gear and Serenity
The Pragmata preview began with a visit to a location simply called The Shelter. It's a section of a massive space station that acts as a hub for our two main protagonists, Hugh, the man in the suit, and Diana, the android girl on his back. At the Shelter, you're able to upgrade Hugh's suit and weaponry, as well as Diana's hacking abilities. You can also use currency found while playing to unlock new moves, suit modifications, and weapons.
The Shelter is more than just a pit stop, though. Sterile white walls offer quiet serenity, while a calm piano sets the scene. A small display projects a blue sky and clouds, flickering to remind you that it’s just a simulation. A gleeful Diana skips around as a normal little girl would, unbothered by her circumstances, as she bounces between the few toys scattered around the area. A friendly robot wearing a baseball cap hovers near the exit, offering a stamp rally that reveals enemy intel.
Surprisingly, the Shelter's stillness reminded me of Stellar Blade's moments of respite. Although that game leaned into the ruined beauty of its post-apocalyptic setting, Pragmata's setting is distinctly inorganic, as if it arrived fresh from a 3D printer. However, that doesn't mean it's not warm. In the Shelter, you can speak with Diana and give her gifts to build your relationship. Even at this early stage of the game, Hugh and Diana's dynamic is undoubtedly the story's heart.
As I made my way to the exit, I was offered one last chance to change my loadout and add modifications to my suit before entering the level. Aside from his pistol, Hugh can enter the fray with three additional weapons, each offering offensive and defensive options. However, the weapons are organized into categories, so you can't mix and match every weapon you find. For example, I replaced the shotgun with the chargeable rail cannon before heading into battle—I couldn't bring both.
(Credit: Capcom)New York, New York: A Graphical Showcase
Finally out of the Shelter and thrust into the campaign, I immediately noticed Pragmata's graphical richness. While the SGF demo (and the Pragmata "Sketchbook" demo) took place in a 2001: A Space Odyssey-style space station, the new demo took me to another section of that space station. This time, the station was a recreation of Times Square, complete with billboards, taxis, buses, neon lights, and unusual crystals that pierce the floors and seal off entrances and exits. Like Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata is a showcase of Capcom's technical prowess.
A crystalline structure that Hugh needs to contact Earth hung in the distance as my objective. However, the plan to visit it was immediately stalled by the AI antagonist, IDUS, who trapped me in the area by sealing a giant door with six locks. Unsurprisingly, I had to find each trigger to unlock the door while evading killer robots.
Pragmata is a fairly linear game, with tight, cleverly designed routes that feel like puzzle boxes, as in Resident Evil Requiem. But unlike Requiem, Pragmata's progress requires Hugh and Diana to destroy robotic goons. It was rewarding to complete a section and unlock a path that let me loop back to a previous section. And I enjoyed backtracking; it let me take in the gorgeous environments and pick up collectibles and hidden goodies.
By far, the most interesting thing about Pragmata is its combat. Hugh and his carry-on, Diana, work in tandem. By default, Hugh's attacks don't do much damage to the menacing robots. In order to inflict real harm on them, you must have Diana initiate a hack to bypass the robots' defenses. It plays out like a game of Snake; I used the face buttons to steer the worm to the exit to complete the hack. During the hack, I picked up nodes that boosted my damage output.
The cool thing about Pragmata is that this happens in real time, so you must bob, weave, and return fire while hacking. It takes some time to get used to—it's the video game equivalent of patting your head while rubbing your stomach–but when it clicks, it's immensely satisfying.
Pragmata also feels good to play. Hugh uses his suits' thrusters to dash and hover to avoid enemy attacks and handle the game's light platforming. You will occasionally encounter hackable environment sections that can be cracked via a short mini-game.
On the flip side, the gameplay hook makes combat somewhat formulaic. If you don't make your move during the hack's vulnerability window, you must initiate another hack. This is not too much of an issue on smaller, weaker enemies, but when you're dealing with bigger enemies, you must go through the motions a few times to knock them out. Perhaps I'll feel differently later in the game as Hugh and Diana grow more powerful.
I was also a bit disappointed by the objective, which, once again, was to unlock a giant door with six locks—the same as the previous demo. The preview was capped off by a fight with a giant robotic praying mantis, which was equal parts cool and frustrating, highlighting some of my frustrations with the combat loop. Hacking and shooting while dodging a screen-filling robot felt a lot clunkier than I expected.
(Credit: Capcom)Final Thoughts (for Now) and Release Date
Overall, I enjoyed my time with Pragmata, and I applaud Capcom's continued effort to explore new IP with unique gameplay elements. Still, I'm not sure how Pragmata will come together. The fun gunplay is hampered by occasionally clunky enemy encounters and trite mission objectives. I could see Pragmata being someone's flawed fave, while being another's game of the year. At the very least, I'm excited to play something that feels distinctly different than anything else on the market.
It remains to be seen if Pragmata will find its audience, but I'm looking forward to playing more of it when it releases on April 17 for PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series consoles.