Six years on, and Capcom’s Pragmata is set to arrive this week. This might come as a surprise, but after spending the last few weeks with Hugh and Diana, I am obsessed with these two characters.
Both characters are disarmingly charming and easy to love. Their relationship begins after an unfortunate tragedy, but it leads them both to something that they both needed. Each conversation or interaction is worth paying attention to as Diana learns about humans from Hugh.
And through the nearly 20 hours spent with these characters, somehow, it was over in an instant. I needed more of these two characters. I wanted more of their dynamic to unfold. The relationship Hugh and Diana build is super heartfelt and one of the strongest in games this year.
It Came From The Moon
From the earliest moments of Pragmata, Capcom’s latest game works its magic to pull you into the world and refuses to let up until you’ve rolled credits. Somehow, Capcom’s streak goes unbroken as even a bold gamble on a new IP not only pays off but sets a new standard.
Pragmata’s sci-fi story is set in the near future, where the discovery of Lunam Ore paved the way for Lunafilament, a material capable of replicating almost anything. Hugh Williams was dispatched to the moon as part of an investigation team to learn what had happened.
After a lunar quake damages the facility, Hugh is separated from his team. He is then rescued by Pragmata, an android made from Lunafilament that resembles a young girl. Together, they fend off the station’s bots, and Hugh even gives the android a name: Diana. Together, the pair must learn why the moon’s AI, IDUS, is malfunctioning and where everyone on the base has vanished. And Hugh is stranded, so he’ll need to find a way home.
Pragmata’s Hugh And Diana: Friends To The End
The whole story starts off indeterminate, but as Hugh and Diana bond and continue exploring the moon base, you begin to fill in the blanks via commentary between the pair, plus dozens of tablets, computers, and the state of the base.
The story isn’t the most important part of Pragmata; instead, it focuses on building the bond between the two protagonists, which works surprisingly well. By the end of the game, I was obsessed with the pairing and appreciated Hugh and Diana so much more than when I began.
Similar to the situation unfolding on the moon, Hugh and Diana’s backstories are told piecemeal. One minute you’re learning about Hugh’s upbringing on Earth, and not long after, you’re discovering how Diana (D-I-0336-7) came to be. What sticks with me is how empathic Hugh is from the get-go, nurturing Diana’s inquisitive nature in equal measure. She’s constantly curious about the human condition and curious to learn what makes humans tick.
In one scene, Hugh explains that humans thrive on socialness and making memories with friends, which is a form of nutrition for the soul, after Diana asks why humans require sustenance. Moments like this are full of heart and are exactly why it’s hard not to find these two so wonderful.
Combat combines hacking and shooting into puzzle-like gameplay. During battle, a panel appears on screen when aiming at enemies. You move the cursor through the panel to take down enemy armour by pressing the corresponding button, and provide Hugh openings to take down enemy weak points by landing on the green power icon. This new system is designed to challenge players to think on their feet and overcome tight situations in battle. And to be honest, it’s pretty cool. I know the demo was pretty basic, but things get more advanced later on by adding obstacles, power-ups, and enemy interference.
Diana can use her hacking abilities outside of battle to access the facility’s systems and remove environmental barriers. Huge can use his suit thrusters to explore the lunar base, and together, by combining their skills, they can overcome obstacles that would be impossible for either of them to overcome alone.
While you’re not exploring or tackling enemy robots, you can rest and take a moment at Shelter, a base of operations where Hugh and Diana meet Cabin, a support robot that assists with the Shelter’s functions. These include the Cabin Stamp Club, where Cabin Coins can be exchanged for rewards from the stamp board. Cabin Coins are found through the levels, and Diana will even hand over a drawing she’s made to Huge.
I was expecting a third-person shooter, but this is where Pragmata shakes up expectations. It’s got a unique look that plays like a mix of Dead Space and Resident Evil, but with a lot less horror. The lunar base is effectively a test site for a new material called Lunafilament, which is being tested for use back on Earth.
And that idea plays throughout the entire base. You see massive machines capable of 3D-printing buildings, bridges, food, and anything else humanity might need. You’ll find finished taxis stuck to 3D bed covers and doorways blocked by failed test prints, often hiding secret items to collect.
What really comes as a shock is an entire downtown core meant to simulate New York City. Once Hugh and Diana have used the tram system to move through sections of the base, they find themselves in a nearly complete, walkable city filled with storefronts, cafes, public transit, and, of course, tons of Walkers standing in their way. The rogue AI constantly throws hurdles at you in various forms, from standard enemies
An Engineer on the Moon
Diana’s hacking abilities incrementally evolve in Pragmata through the addition of yellow nodes with various effects. One enemy might have exceptionally difficult armour, so you’ll want to use a corresponding yellow node that depletes shields to deal heavy damage from Huge’s cache of weapons.
Another instance might require using a multihack to bring a group fodder group’s shield down before using a riot gun to launch an area blast or a Robocop-esque ED-209, where the Stasis Net traps it in its place while Diana whittles its shields down.
Outside of combat, Diana’s abilities help Huge navigate the lunar base. Want to get up to the next objective? Diana’s ability can move platforms and open and close doors or beacons, sending out signals to enemies.
Similarly, Hugh’s Grip Gun is his starting weapon, but his arsenal grows to include tools for just about every situation. The Stasis Net is an underrated gem that helps turn the tide when enemies begin to appear in numbers, while the Charge Piercer is excellent at close range as it deals heavy damage to weakpoints. The Shockwave is a shotgun capable of handling almost any enemy. There’s even some environmental hazards you can use to take out enemies and later on, some smartly implemented zero-grav encounters that would make Issac Clarke proud.
Pragmata‘s combat appears far more linear from the demo, and it was a concern I had going in. However, this isn’t the case as my concerns were quickly put to rest. Capcom has hit an incredible stride and delivered something that really holds up in the nearly 18 hours I spent in this world. It’s wildly thrilling and often engaging, facing off against IDUS.
Ultimately, I’m happy with how Pragmata turned out. There is a lot riding on it, and things can go south in an instant. But that’s not the case here as there’s a genuine game that I hope finds an audience. Between the excellent use of hacking in battles and the exploration and core relationship between the two protagonists, this is a great game.
Verdict
Capcom has hit a stride that few developers achieve, continually delivering some of the best quality games in the industry. While there are some minor foibles around combat difficulty, Pragmata executes its premise well and delivers an excellent new game that offers something original. I’m more than impressed by how polished it is and how emotional the story can get. Don’t miss out on one of these experiences.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
