‘Pragmata’s Unique Take On Combat Makes This Game Worth The Wait

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

We got hands-on with Pragmata, and now we understand why Capcom is taking its sweet ass time with this game because the potential is off the charts.

While we didn’t get to play Resident Evil Requiem and Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Pragmata was a hell of a consolation prize. Pragmata was first announced back in 2020 during a PlayStation State of Play presentation, with three years having already passed the game’s original release date.

It turns out that putting a game back in the oven, giving it more time to bake, might have helped it in the long run, cause this might be the most ambitious title coming out of Capcom in a long time.

Going into our demo, we had no idea what to expect from this game, armed only with the information we got from the trailer that premiered during Sony’s latest State of Play.

We had 20 (very quick) minutes with Pragmata, but it turns out that was more than enough time to restore our confidence in this game’s release.

Without giving away much of the game’s story, we meet the astronaut Hugh, who is down in a bad way, and is discovered by an adorable android named Diana, who repairs his suit, basically saving his life.

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

We learn that both Hugh and Diana are onboard a lunar space station that has been taken over by a killer AI. That becomes evident when the rogue AI sends out a robot drone armed with a laser sword to take them out with Hugh’s first instinct is to protect this cute ass android.

Pragmata Introduces A Unique Combat System

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

Hugh learns swiftly that the bullets he is firing into this robot are useless, and that’s where Diana comes in, as she has a unique ability to hack the robots, opening them up for more damage so Hugh can take them out.

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

On paper, Hugh’s combat system and Diana’s hacking ability working in tandem as a game mechanic sounds weird. Still, it turns out that the mechanic takes the game to another level, and might be its strongest feature, adding a unique puzzle dynamic that also heightens tension in those scenarios.

Once Diana targets one of the murder bots, a square opens up that players will have to navigate either quickly or with some urgency, depending on how far the enemy you are targeting is. The hacking square also has a bonus that, if you manage to navigate to it during the hacking procedure, will open up the enemy for more damage for an extended period.

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

The combat system also adds a bit of strategy, particularly when encountering areas that feature multiple enemies. For example, during our demo, we encountered a flying drone, a larger bipedal robot, and the smaller, human-like android we first met at the beginning of the experience. You must then choose which one to attack first based on their threat level.

Hugh Is Not Limited To Just A Pistol

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

Thankfully, Hugh’s arsenal is not limited to just a pistol; there is a weapon that, when fired, will encapsulate enemies in a shield, giving Hugh time to focus on other threats in the room.

There is also a shotgun-like weapon that provides more of a punch, you know, “for those close encounters.”

Source: Capcom / Pragmata

As for how Hugh’s movement feels, he navigates around the base smoothly. Even using the jetpack felt good during some of the platforming moments we experienced during the demo.

We walked into our session with Pragmata being low on our totem poles. Still, we left Summer Game Fest play days excited to experience more of this game, and hopefully, that will happen, as Capcom has announced that the game is coming in 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Hit the gallery below for more photos.