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Pros

🚀 Synergy between Hugh and Diana that feels incredibly rewarding.

🧠 Training room pushes your reflexes and think outside of the box.

🌕 Gorgeous lunar aesthetic that only CAPCOM’s RE Engine could pull off this well.

🔄 The upgrade loop feels addicting, replaying in New Game Plus mode feels like a new experience.

⏱️ You’ll likely finish the whole game in one sitting or a weekend due to the story pacing.

Cons

📉 Steep learning curve initially when managing two characters at once.

A Dual-Threat System That Actually Works

Let’s be real: when CAPCOM first teased PRAGMATA, we all thought it was just going to be another “escort mission” game. The dual-control system between Hugh and Diana is the beating heart of this experience, and it’s surprisingly reminiscent of The World Ends with You.

You aren’t just protecting Diana; you are operating as a single, lethal unit. Hugh handles the heavy lifting as the gunner, but he’s essentially firing blanks unless Diana is doing her thing. Playing as Diana requires you to hack through enemy defenses via rhythmic, precise button inputs. Once she hacks through the enemy, Hugh can lock on and deliver the killing blow. This combat synergy is satisfying in a way few action games manage to achieve. It’s not just about button mashing; it’s about a synchronized dance between Hugh and Diana.

The Grind is the Goal

I’ll admit, the story is shorter than I expected given the price tag. But CAPCOM clearly designed this with high replayability in mind. The game practically begs you to dive back into previous areas to hunt for resources and aim for completion.

The upgrade system for skills and attributes is deep enough that you really feel the difference between a base-level Hugh and a fully kitted-out hunter. Every time you revisit a sector, you’re faster, stronger, and more efficient.

Pushing Your Limits in the Training Room

PRAGMATA’s Training Room is designed to test your limits through its pre-equipped hacking skills and weapons.

Playing on a blind playthrough can feel repetitive, if you’re aiming for a perfect run on your first try to get the most of the rewards. Given that most of the training rooms have its own set of time limits, efficiency is the key to mastery.

One of the training rooms stood out because one objective required me to avoid an invisible enemy entirely. Rushing in without paying attention meant instant failure. I had devise a strategy to use the provided defensive equipment and hack through the invisible enemy.

Another training room made me use a different approach. Instead of taking enemies down myself, I had to make them attack each other by hacking one of the support drones. My usual approach didn’t work, so I had to pay attention to how each enemy behaved and time my hacks properly.

A Cinematic Sprint to the Finish

The lunar surface feels immersive and as someone who loves space-themed stories, it feels like home to me. The narrative pacing of the story felt brief without fillers. The game felt bittersweet for me. The emotional parts of the story between Hugh and Diana’s relationship sticks with you.

Conclusion

PRAGMATA as a space enthusiast is enjoyable as a whole as long as you manage your expectations given the price point. If you can get past the initial steep learning curve of the game’s intro, you’ll find an action-puzzler with innovation.

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