Pragmata's action is saved by its hacking

Pragmata is Capcom's latest standalone sci-fi title, and while its setting and the guardian-child dynamic won't surprise anyone, its combat stood out during a hands-on preview. At first glance it reads like a familiar third-person shooter, but the game leans on a hacking system that changes how encounters play out.

The player controls Hugh, a suit-clad human armed with futuristic weapons, and relies on an android companion, Diana, to hack robot enemies before they take serious damage. Hacking brings up a navigable grid: on controller the D-pad felt very intuitive, while mouse-and-keyboard play introduced a small flick when switching from hacking to aiming and restricted camera movement.

Balancing shooting and hacking has been central to development. Director Cho Yonghee explains the team wanted to add something beyond a basic shooter, and the goal has been to make hacking feel rewarding rather than optional or tedious. Producer Naoto Oyama adds that upgrades let players shift that balance toward shooting or hacking as they prefer.

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