Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores, but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, all whilst including some lengthy gameplay, to give you, the reader, the chance to form your own impressions and views while reading and watching.
In this explanatory review, we’re covering PRAGMATA by developer, Capcom:
PRAGMATAÂ (Nintendo Switch 2)
Hot on the heels of the release of Resident Evil Requiem and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections earlier this year, PRAGMATA is a brand new IP from Capcom that has the potential to be a true GOTY contender for 2026. If you were to take the protective narrative from the likes of The Last of Us, the stylised combat of Nier Automata, and the sci-fi atmosphere of Dead Space, and put them all together, you would get the foundations of PRAGMATA.Â
In PRAGMATA, the ambitious Delphi company has set up an extensive 3D printing installation on the Moon thanks to an abundant resource found there called Lunafilament. This unique ore can be used to replicate all kinds of man-made structures and objects that can then be shipped to Earth to satiate humanity’s ever-growing need for commodities and necessities. When the facility suddenly goes silent, the Delphi company sends an investigative team to find out why. However, violent moon tremors shake the facility, causing structural damage and killing most of the investigative team, except one.Â
You play as Hugh, the lone survivor of the investigative team, who is trying to find his way back home. He becomes acquainted with a very friendly little girl, of whom there is more than meets the eye. The girl reveals herself to be a Pragmata, a highly sophisticated AI called DI03367 (to which Hugh then refers to her as Diana for ease of remembering) created with Lunafilament, and possessing the personality, curiosities and appearance of a six-year-old girl. Hugh is sceptical of her at first, as the entire facility has succumbed to a rogue AI that has turned all its sythentic work force into killing machines. The Pragmata assures Hugh that she was created to be unaffected by the rogue AI and can help Hugh escape the facility.Â
The unlikely duo makes quite the team. The player takes control of both characters simultaneously: Hugh can walk, run, jump, and shoot his way around the lunar facility’s many obstacles, and Diana can hack terminals and enemies. In combat, Hugh’s weapons are ineffective against the rogue robots, but thanks to Diana’s hacking ability, she can open them up to reveal weak points that Hugh can then shoot at to deal damage. The weak points differ between enemies. In the early game, the walker enemies take more damage when shot in the head. For other, more robust foes, you will have to hit the canisters that appear on their bodies, which could be behind them or on some other part of their mechanical bodies.
Hugh starts armed with a single, pistol-like firearm as his primary weapon, but can eventually find much stronger secondary weapons that are listed in three different categories: Attack, Tactical, and Defense. Attack weapons do more damage. Tactical weapons help with hacking enemies or pushing them back when things get too crowded. Defense weapons can provide a much-welcome distraction or shield against enemy projectiles and attacks. All of the weapons that you find in the game can be upgraded to make them stronger, like increasing ammo capacity or improving their firing rate. To do so, you will need to collect Lunafilament by destroying enemies and opening crates. Once you have collected enough, you can then head to the shelter via unlocked escape hatches and use the terminals there to upgrade your weapons, as well as your other gear, like mods and skills you have acquired.Â
Hugh’s suit integrity (health), primary weapon, and Diana’s hacking ability can also be upgraded at the shelter, but these require a different resource: upgrade components. These are hidden around the lunar facility and will require some exploration to find them. As for the shelter itself. It acts as a hub of sorts that links all the other areas of the facility together via the tram line. Aside from upgrading your gear, you can also take on training simulations to acquire certain rewards, and it also provides a brief respite from fighting violent machines that are trying to kill you. You can also change Hugh and Diana’s outfits here and check the database on enemies you have encountered. Also, during your travels, you will find special items in the form of REM (Read Earth Memory) that you can then replicate in the shelter to give to Diana. She can then interact with them whilst learning about their functions on Earth.
When PRAGMATA was announced, I was certainly interested in its premise. The hacking and shooting gaming mechanic was certainly an interesting blend, and I wanted to see how it played. As soon as the demo dropped on the eShop, I downloaded it immediately, and to my surprise, I didn’t click with it at all and was slightly disappointed with it. The visuals were stunning, and the gameplay was good, but I felt it was lacking something, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. Then, when the opportunity came to review the game, I decided to give it another chance, and I am really glad I did. This time around, I learned more about the characters and their motives, and got a better handle on how to hack enemies while fighting them off with Hugh. I also understood how the game’s mods worked to help turn the tide in combat, using their effects to keep enemies open for longer, freeze them in their tracks, or even get them fighting one another. PRAGMATA finally clicked for me to the point that I just could not put the game down.Â
Having rolled credits on the game before writing this review. I can say with full conviction that PRAGMATA is a game well worth playing. It has a rich story with a deep meaning, and the gameplay mechanics are a lot of fun once you get the hang of them. The reluctant father and orphaned child trope may be a little overused at this point, but this game does such a good job of bringing these two characters together that you will soon find your own sentiment mirroring that of Hugh’s as you do your absolute damnedness to keep the precious and endearing Diana safe.Â
In short. Don’t turn your back on PRAGMATA. This is one game you should definitely play if and when you get the chance.
Game Specifications:
Developer: Capcom Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2 (Physical)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Shooting
No. of Players:Â 1 (Single System)
Release Date:Â April 17, 2026
Price:Â $59.99
File Size: 13.2 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
