Let's dive into the world of Pragmata, a highly anticipated new IP from Capcom, and explore why it's a must-play for story-driven gamers.
The Story Unveiled
Pragmata takes us on a thrilling journey with Hugh Matthews, a space explorer who survives a lunar disaster at an abandoned research station. Here, he meets Diana, a robotic girl who becomes his companion on a perilous journey back to Earth. The story delves into the mysteries of rogue AI systems and experiments on the moon, creating a dark and intriguing sci-fi narrative.
Your mission is clear: return to Earth. But to do so, you must uncover the reasons behind the AI and robot rebellion, and piece together the secrets of the lunar station. Diana, a key part of the Pragmata project, leads you to uncover the details of this scientific endeavor, which involves creating intelligent, human-like robotic children.
Game Mechanics and Gameplay
Pragmata offers a cinematic, linear story experience with elements of exploration and a strong focus on battles, environmental puzzles, and hacking. It evokes a similar feel to Sony's PS4 titles like Uncharted, The Last of Us, and God of War, prioritizing an engaging narrative and character relationships.
The combat system revolves around firearms, with R2 for aiming and L2 combined with other buttons for hacking as Diana. Hacking allows you to distract enemies, temporarily disable their protection, or even link them together for group attacks. The variety of firearms, from precision weapons to heavy launchers, adds a dynamic and unprecedented layer to the battles.
Environmental puzzles involve moving objects to progress and are particularly important in the game's later chapters and post-story exploration. The intelligent level design and environmental puzzles make for a satisfying challenge.
Visuals and Storytelling
Pragmata boasts impressive visuals powered by the RE Engine, known for its use in recent Capcom games. The attention to detail in facial expressions and the rich, diverse environments create a realistic and immersive world. The physics and character animations, especially the hair and clothing movements, are particularly noteworthy.
The story is beautifully crafted, with noble and heartfelt human moments. The evolving relationship between Hugh and Diana, and their side conversations, offer a unique and emotional experience rarely seen in gaming.
The narrative is straightforward and easy to follow, and the game's length, at around 10 hours, is just right. The blend of combat and hacking is an innovative and respected feature, giving Pragmata a unique identity.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Pragmata excels in its diverse enemy designs, keeping combat fresh and engaging throughout. The skill tree and development options in your shelter, where you can have side conversations and gift Diana, are some of the kindest and most thoughtful moments in gaming.
However, the game's main missions become repetitive after a while, with a cycle of combat, puzzles, and exploration that can feel tedious. The game's length, considering its six-year development, could have been longer to offer more content. Visually, the environments lack variety.
Final Thoughts
Pragmata is a promising start to a potential long-running series. It caters to fans of narrative-driven games and dramatic, human moments. Despite its flaws and shorter duration, Pragmata is a unique experience in the gaming industry, and I believe it's worth a playthrough.
