Pragmata review: We need more shooters like this

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Since its announcement, Pragmata has often been compared to “The Last of Us in space” due to the similar dynamic of an older man becoming a father figure. However, setting such high expectations might not be fair to Capcom’s new lunar adventure.

Pragmata doesn’t evoke the same strong emotions as Naughty Dog’s best work, and it isn’t aiming to redefine how stories are told in video games.

Honestly, Capcom has created something really special here. It’s a super fun sci-fi shooter, but it’s got this surprisingly heartfelt core that reminds me of those classic action games I grew up with – it feels like discovering a hidden treasure!

What is Pragmata about? 

Pragmata is a third-person shooter where you play as Hugh, a character sent to investigate a research station on the moon after it stops communicating with Earth. This station, called the Cradle, is experimenting with a strange alien material called Lunafilament, which allows scientists to 3D print almost anything – they’ve even recreated a complete version of New York City!

When problems arise and his team is destroyed by unexpectedly aggressive AI robots, he encounters Diana—an incredibly advanced android designed to appear and act like a seven-year-old child.

These two unexpected partners must work together to escape and return to Earth, where they can investigate the reason their systems failed.

Simple but effective story 

The heart of Pragmata is the charming connection between Hugh and his robot friend, and it’s captivating right from the start. Diana is fantastic as she gradually discovers what it means to be human.

Initially, she doesn’t understand why Hugh is trying to keep her safe, since she’s easily fixed. But she soon becomes fascinated with life on Earth, reacting to simple things like tents and balloons with the innocent curiosity of a child.

Hugh essentially teaches her about everyday human connections, explaining the feelings behind simple interactions. While the writing can be a bit obvious and occasionally overly poetic, it creates heartwarming scenes, such as his explanation of how sharing a meal is about connection, not just nourishment.

While Hugh serves as the voice of Earth, his character feels somewhat lacking in depth. We don’t learn much about his life before meeting the girl, and exploring his reasons for taking her in so quickly would have made his emotional moments even more impactful.

This story really revolves around Diana and the Pragmata program, as they’re the main reason the Cradle is falling apart. While the ending isn’t a huge surprise, it’s ultimately a feel-good story with a rewarding finish that kept me invested and eager to see what happened next. Which brings me to…

Hack them to pieces 

The combat in Pragmata is fantastic. Enemies are shielded, and you need to use Diana’s hacking skill to break through those shields and hit their vulnerable spots.

The game features a simple but clever challenge: you navigate a maze using the controller buttons. As you move through, you’ll find multiple pathways. Hitting more of these pathways extends the time they stay open, adding to the challenge.

What’s really cool is that all of this happens while things are attacking you, so you’re trying to solve the puzzle and avoid getting hit at the same time! It starts out pretty easy, but it gets seriously challenging when you’re dealing with bigger groups – you have to hack each one separately – or when enemies start blocking half the puzzle grid, making it way harder to see what you’re doing.

As you play, you’ll unlock special hack nodes that give you powerful advantages when you pass through them – like hitting multiple enemies at once or completely freezing them. Plus, if you hack an enemy you’ve already opened, you can activate special hacking modes that add even more effects, such as dealing extra damage to stun them and allowing you to perform a spectacular finishing move.

Hugh’s diverse range of weapons works seamlessly with the gameplay, offering everything from standard pistols and rifles to more advanced tools like the Statis Net, which freezes enemies for easier hacking.

The combat is brilliantly designed, challenging you to think quickly and react skillfully in every encounter. Each fight, whether against common enemies or huge bosses, is incredibly fun, and the game is a perfect length – it ends before it gets repetitive.

The best kind of throwback 

Pragmata feels like a return to the fast-paced, unique shooters of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 days – think games like Vanquish, Bulletstorm, and the original Bioshock. These games were focused, had a strong identity, and didn’t overstay their welcome. They delivered a fun experience without getting bogged down in extra features.

The game progresses in a fairly straightforward way, though there are occasional alternate routes. These paths always lead to something useful, like an upgrade or a new way to interact with the character Diana. The game helpfully shows you exactly what you’ve missed and where to find it.

After about 12 hours of gameplay – a good balance of exploring and doing side quests – the story ended, but there’s still plenty to do if you want to keep playing. It’s a welcome change to play a game that doesn’t overstay its welcome with endless tasks and huge maps.

Verdict 

Pragmata is a rare and engaging shooter. It’s fast-paced and delivers a lot of action in a short amount of time, making every moment count.

The combat is consistently excellent, and the game cleverly builds on its hacking mechanic to create quick, exciting, and suspenseful battles that remain engaging throughout. While the story is straightforward but works well, and includes some charming scenes, the protagonist isn’t particularly memorable.

Capcom is known for creating hugely popular game series, and if Pragmata kicks off another one, we’re definitely excited to see where it goes.

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2026-04-13 18:20