Two Hours with Pragmata: The Six-Year Wait Finally Feels Worth It

Since Capcom first unveiled Pragmata in 2020, the project has been shrouded in a dense fog of mystery. Observers have spent years dissecting every frame: Who is this stoic spacefarer? Does the young girl harbor supernatural abilities? Why is there a replica of Times Square on the moon? A recent hands-on deep dive has finally started to peel back the layers of this enigma. While many mechanical questions have been answered, the game’s inherent strangeness remains as captivating as ever.

After a disheartening indefinite delay in 2023, fears mounted that Pragmata would follow in the footsteps of Scalebound—becoming another high-profile casualty of “development hell.” However, recent previews have revitalized confidence in the title. We have witnessed its rhythmic combat, which blends traditional third-person gunplay with tactical hacking, and observed its surprisingly fluid performance on the Nintendo Switch 2. This latest session, spanning the first two hours of the campaign, provides the clearest picture yet of the game’s true identity.

To settle the initial debates: Hugh’s companions have perished; Diana is an android rather than a psychic; and the setting is a sophisticated simulation. And for those still holding out hope for a secret crossover—no, this isn’t a stealth Mega Man revival.

Image: Capcom

The experience begins within a lunar sanctuary—a hub where Hugh and Diana can regroup. Here, players manage various resources to bolster their arsenal, refine suit integrity, and enhance Diana’s electronic interference capabilities. The depth of customization suggests a game heavily reliant on loadout optimization and passive stat boosts. It is, in many respects, a playground for those who enjoy meticulously tweaking character builds via complex menus.

Missions are selected from this central point, functioning as distinct stages. The journey kicks off in the “Mass Production Array,” where the primary objective is to restore a communication link with Earth following an unexplained catastrophe. As the duo navigates the sterile corridors of the lunar base, they suddenly emerge into a surreal, digital recreation of Manhattan.

Image: Capcom

This locale is revealed to be the “Urban Recreation Project,” a massive simulation designed to test city-scale outputs. It features uncanny facsimiles of iconic cities like New York, Seoul, and Madrid. Advancing through this faux-Manhattan requires bypassing six security beacons hidden among a vertical labyrinth of skyscrapers and residential blocks. The exploration takes cues from the Metroidvania genre; certain paths are blocked by crystalline structures that can only be cleared once Diana acquires specific upgrades, encouraging future backtracking.

However, the game occasionally leans on modern “hand-holding” tropes. Diana frequently prompts Hugh to use a scanning pulse that highlights the exact path to the next objective. While this prevents frustration, it somewhat diminishes the awe of navigating the “center of the universe.” Thankfully, the combat remains gripping. Engaging an enemy requires a dual-input approach: players guide Diana through a quick hacking mini-game via the D-pad to dismantle defenses, while simultaneously using Hugh’s firearms to exploit the newly revealed weak points.

Image: Capcom

Hugh’s equipment goes far beyond the standard shooter tropes. Alongside rifles and explosives, players can deploy stasis nets to immobilize threats or use decoy rays to manipulate enemy aggression. The most spectacular attacks, however, are environmental. Hacking station modules can trigger orbital, nuclear-powered lasers that incinerate everything on screen with astronomical damage numbers. It’s a high-risk maneuver; Hugh is just as vulnerable to these beams as his foes.

The burgeoning relationship between the two leads echoes the emotional resonance found in titles like The Last of Us. Hugh reflects on his lost team and their original mission to “The Cradle,” while Diana offers a detached, mechanical curiosity about human culture—even poking fun at Capcom’s own legacy with posters for fictional media like Resident Devil 3.

Image: Capcom

The preview culminated in a frantic boss encounter against a mechanical monstrosity—a skyscraper-sized hybrid of an ant and a hammerhead shark. Defeating it required a seamless rotation of Hugh’s entire kit: freezing the beast with stasis, diverting its attention with decoys, and delivering killing blows with the charge rifle. It was a stressful, exhilarating finale that highlighted the game’s combat potential.

Pragmata feels like a breath of fresh air in an industry increasingly dominated by safe sequels and established franchises. While titles like Metroid Prime 4 or Resident Evil remakes are undoubtedly welcome, they operate within known parameters. Pragmata, conversely, feels daring and alien. It is a bold, original IP that the current gaming landscape desperately needs.

Pragmata is scheduled for launch on April 17, arriving on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

Source: Polygon