Pragmata was worth every second

Somebody cooked in here..

[spoiler free!]

Pragmata was first announced back in 2020 (I know it was so long ago), and it happened right during the PlayStation 5 live showcase. When the trailer was first introduced, I was immediately interested in what Pragmata had to offer, especially with an opener like that. The trailer, in its own way, only featured beta versions of Diana and Hugh, so very little was specifically shown, but for me, it was the atmosphere and the situations the characters were seemingly being put into that drove me to grow even more interested in what Capcom had been cooking up behind the scenes. For me, I often don’t get attached to games with cinematic reveal trailers because they don’t show the gameplay. Like, you know, those game ads where they show you this very in depth animation and then it switches to something completely different, yeah, that one. So this time, strangely enough, I was captivated regardless. Over time, 6 years passed, and my GOD, those 6 years were worth the wait.

From clean-up crew to robot dad:

The main star of Pragmata is obviously Diana, with her very sweet and bright personality. She’s bound to become a favorite among the masses. However, I found myself truly enjoying Mr. Spacesuit Man even more, yeah, I know im boring. Hugh, as a character, goes from “No, I don’t trust robots” to carrying Diana wherever he goes, which is hilarious because he switches up so quickly. But beyond this, I did feel like Hugh was a really well-written protagonist, a space dad, as they say, because the game doesn’t dump all of this lore on you and delivers it in small increments when it truly matters. He feels like a normal person with a normal life back on Earth, and through his dialogue with Diana, you’re left wondering what that looks like.

Getting into Diana, she is such a charming little character, and I had so much fun playing as her. I love how Pragmata gives an even balance between her and Hugh. As you know, most video games with two protagonists often sideline one or have one character do most of the heavy lifting, but Pragmata somehow found a way for both characters to coexist and fight alongside each other, which was such a unique gameplay aspect I enjoyed. And it was this duo that really worked well. I felt, with their conversations. Each one felt very natural, made this relationship believable, and made you feel connected and drawn in almost immediately.

A feature I think enhanced this dynamic, in particular, was being able to return to the hub, aka the shelter, as the professionals call it. It allowed optional dialogue with Diana after missions and the ability to gift any REM “read earth memory,” which are little toys Diana can play with within that space. I loved that I was able to make the area feel like a home in some way, and that each time we returned from a mission, the characters would reference the enemies we fought, the information we learned, or small observations from the journey. And I know, I know, it’s small, but I swear to you, it’s what made this game feel so alive and made the characters feel like they existed beyond the cutscenes that played.

Oh my god, help me. I can’t put this game down.

The gameplay, in my opinion, was the game’s biggest hook. Pragmata didn’t feel like a standard shoot-and-run, but the hacking system added an extra layer that made the gameplay feel more interactive. I had so much FUN experimenting to a horrendous degree with different hacking chips, weapon combinations, and upgrades.

And omg, one of my favorite aspects of the upgrade system is the animations it adds when applied to the characters. Diana’s and Hugh’s upgrade animations are adorable to see the two cheer each other on any time one of them has leveled up. I also had major big-brain moments when using different approaches against different enemies. I loved trying new guns and chips against each enemy I came across, which let me experiment and discover which knocked an enemy down faster.

However, like many games, it always comes to an end, and I felt devastated when I finished it. I’m saying that because I’m still feeling those emotions right now, and in every way you can tell how much love and care the developers put into this project.

I often brace for that very deep, lonely moment of emptiness after finishing a game, but if I couldn’t be any more emotional, the game would end up hitting me with extra content after the campaign, including unlockables, challenges, and extra areas. It felt, in a way, like the game was handing players one big farewell gift. Honestly, this is so rare, with so MUCH extra content. Usually, you get an art book full of concept art, or you just sit in silence and question all the decisions that led you here. But Pragmata approached this differently, and I love that so much because I can return to the world the devs built and put so much love into.

Let me wrap this up so I can play again

Overall, Capcom, I’m speechless. Pragmata is, in every way, such a strong new IP that isn’t afraid to try something new and run with it. The game has everything I could ever love, including lovable characters, fun gameplay, and a world I want to keep exploring. Going into the game without knowing ANYTHING was the best thing I could have done, and I hope more and more people try the game and give it a chance.

Thanks for readinggg! - lore <3