Pragmata Switch 2 Version Preview: Dead Space, Bloodborne, and Bioshock Without the Creepiness?

We have seen third-person action countless times over the years, and it seems that this genre has not undergone any major changes, at least not for a very long time. However, Pragmata aims to challenge that image and adds a new layer that activates a completely different part of the brain in a setup that challenges my view of the genre. Because why does an action game have to be limited to aiming and shooting? The answer is, of course, simple: it doesn't have to be at all.

The premise is that I am stranded on an abandoned moon base filled with violent androids and other mechanical nasties that need to be mowed down with various futuristic versions of classic automatic weapons. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the machines' built-in defence systems render my weapons virtually useless against anything that comes my way, which means I need to think one step ahead to survive. This is where a mysterious cyborg girl enters the picture and proves to be an invaluable companion along the way. With her help, I can hack all my opponents' firewalls and thus make them fully susceptible to good old-fashioned space lead.

It is precisely this ability that adds an extra layer to Pragmata's action sequences. While I deal with my mechanical opponents through classic weaponry, I must also perform simple mini-games to hack the robots' defences. At first, I thought it wouldn't change much, but in the heat of battle, it turned out that the extra mental effort messed with my muscle memory and resulted in an unexpected challenge that became really entertaining once I got into the rhythm. Dodge attacks Bloodborne-style, while some enemies need to be hacked and others shot, offered surprisingly entertaining gameplay that impressed me greatly during the hour or so I spent with Pragmata.

During my time with the game, I managed to test three different shotguns, the main weapon being a semi-automatic variant that dealt just the right amount of damage. Occasionally, I found a shotgun that was very effective at close range, but its use was limited to the small amount of ammunition it was already loaded with. It was therefore important to conserve cartridges, as ammunition was not collected in piles as in other action games. If I wanted to shoot more, I had to find a new one. The third weapon was more strategic in nature and proved useful for balancing battles with many evil robots at the same time. With an extended force field, it allowed me to paralyse affected enemies for a short time, which opened up opportunities for both hacking and sniping in a slightly calmer environment.

When, at the end of the session, it was time for a boss fight against a larger metal man, I got to apply everything I had learned so far in a slightly longer battle which, despite its size, did not offer much resistance. Here, however, I became acquainted with a new type of powerful attack that works in much the same way as in From Software's latest titles. After I had dealt enough damage, my burly opponent went down on his knees and I was able to hit him a little extra hard, which wiped out a large part of his health meter. Shortly afterwards, I emerged victorious from the battle and the demo was over.

The demo was played on a docked Switch 2, and although I can't say how Pragmata will fare on other formats, I'm afraid I have to say that the graphical experience I was offered wasn't particularly impressive. The environments were a little pale and generally I found the level of detail to be rather weak compared to other games. In terms of performance, however, I have no complaints, as the battles ran smoothly without any technical glitches, which I assume has been Capcom's intentional priority since Pragmata is such an action-based game.

What I take away from my hour or so with Pragmata is an experience whose sci-fi-based environments bring to mind a horror-free version of Dead Space, whose third-person action draws some inspiration from the dodge mechanics in Bloodborne combined with an integrated and simplified version of the hacking mini-game from Bioshock. The result is entertaining, but for Pragmata to continue to entertain beyond the hour or so I spent on the abandoned moon base, it will need to incorporate more variety than what I saw. There is a good foundation here that needs to be built upon as the game progresses. Hopefully, that is exactly what Capcom has done, and we will know for sure on 24 April.