Pragmata Preview: Puzzles, platforming, action, and a highly accomplished setting

Pragmata is Capcom's new IP which, after suffering a couple of delays and an advance, arrives to show us that new IPs can also be good and that Capcom has more than enough talent to keep its longest-running and most beloved series afloat, without neglecting innovation and the creation of new experiences. In the preview session I attended, I was able to try out approximately two hours of what Pragmata has to offer at a point in its story after the Sketchbook demo available on all platforms, where I was able to see more of what this new game has to offer and delve deeper into its mechanics, which go beyond what I expected. Although other colleagues have already tried the Nintendo Switch 2 version, you can read more about it here.

Platforming and puzzles

My adventure began in the game's central hub, a base where we can upgrade Hugh, the protagonist, his arsenal and skills, as well as the hacking skills of Diana, our friendly artificial companion. To unlock these upgrades, we need various resources, some of which are more common and can be obtained by eliminating enemies, while others are hidden throughout the levels and must be sought out. Upon leaving the base, we can choose our next destination or even return to previously discovered areas and continue exploring. Each area has a percentage that indicates how much of it we have completed, so it's always a good idea to take a look at what we've left behind before moving on. However, in my test session, I could only access the new area, a futuristic-looking city where our goal is to reach the communications tower to send a message. Obviously, the path is blocked by six beacons that must be found and activated, and our preview session consisted of finding those six beacons and facing the final boss of that area.

Although at first the game gives you a rough idea of where to look, in slightly more linear environments, exploration soon depends entirely on my platforming skills and curiosity because the map is quite large and very vertical; it's not quite an open world, but the areas are quite spacious. While exploring the buildings in search of those beacons, I encountered numerous enemy ambushes, closed areas that do not open until all enemies are defeated (as in Devil May Cry), and lots of objects to find. Another important aspect of exploration is that there are numerous teleportation points to return to the base, the central hub of the game, where, as I mentioned before, we can acquire weapon upgrades and character skills. It's advisable to return to base from time-to-time to obtain upgrades and make it easier to defeat the most powerful enemies and, above all, the bosses. However, as in the Dark Souls series, returning to base and then going back to the teleportation point revives all the enemies and even reactivates the ambushes and blocked areas until we have defeated them all. It's important to choose the best time to return to base because it can be frustrating to have cleared an area of enemies and then have to fight again when you go to upgrade your character.

A different but addictive combat system

Pragmata has a very peculiar combat system. We have a main weapon with infinite ammo and throughout the game we find various additional weapons that occupy the three available weapon slots. Each slot is a different colour, and we can only equip weapons of that colour. For example, a shotgun-like weapon is the same colour as another weapon that paralyses enemies, so we have to choose whether to carry one or the other, and we can even swap them if we find the weapon lying on the ground while exploring. Once we have found a weapon, we can unlock and upgrade it at the base so that we can start the area with that weapon equipped if we want. However, we must be careful because these weapons have limited ammo, and if we run out of bullets, it may be a long time before we find more ammo or another weapon of that colour to replace the one that has no bullets.

However, it's not all about weapons and shooting: hacking is key. The enemies are incredibly resistant to our weapons, and the only way to damage them effectively is by hacking them, which is Diana's job. To do this, when you point a weapon at an enemy, a puzzle appears on the screen in which you have to move a block across a grid to the goal (a green block) by pressing the face buttons on the controller (on Nintendo Switch 2, for example, these are the A, B, X, and Y buttons). This puzzle must be solved in real-time, while enemies are approaching me and without releasing the aim button. Although it may seem complex at first, I soon got used to dodging, running, and shooting while solving the puzzle on the screen, which breaks the enemy's defences and allows me to do critical damage. These puzzles become increasingly complicated, and sometimes blocks appear that prevent you from passing, or power-ups that force you to change the fastest route in order to do more damage or stun the enemy for longer. It's a combat system that adds depth and feels fresh, but after several trips back to base to improve my skills and after dying a couple of times (you also respawn at base when you die), I found the mechanics a bit repetitive when facing the basic enemies again, although I really enjoyed the more complex enemies and the area boss.

Another marvel of the RE Engine

Although I don't want to go on too long about my impressions of the game, I must say that the version I played was on PS5 Pro and the level of detail was impressive. The crystal-clear futuristic corridors, the reflections and lighting effects, Hugh and Diana's suits... everything was beautiful and had a shiny, glossy finish, like a freshly waxed car. I was also surprised by the sound, with futuristic elements mixed with well-chosen sound effects, and in my case, very good Spanish dubbing.

It's still too early to know if Pragmata will be one of the games of the year, but I do believe it will be one of Capcom's most unique titles and one that will surprise everyone. It has left me with a very good impression and wanting more, and I am glad to see that Capcom remains open to new ideas and experiences beyond its iconic franchises.

Pragmata will be released on 17th April on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Have you tried the demo yet?