Arguably Pragmata’s most unique and defining feature is its combat system that blends hacking and shooting gameplay. While some people applaud Capcom for taking risks, others have expressed concern about the fusion of puzzles and action potentially deterring players who may have an aversion to either of the genres. In an interview with Famitsu, director Cho Yonghee and producer Naoto Oyama explain how the development team has accounted for different preferences by allowing players to create builds that fit their playstyles.
According to Oyama, the early hours of Pragmata were designed for players to enjoy an equal balance of hacking and gunplay. As players progress and discover their preferences, more advanced custom modules and unlockable abilities allow them to fine-tune their experience.
“Depending on how you build your setup, a single hack can sometimes deal more damage than a single shot from a gun, so I think playstyles will vary quite a bit depending on the player,” says Cho.
As proof that the systems work as intended, the developers confirmed that there were attendees at a March media preview event who completed the demo solely through hacking. Oyama and Cho also revealed their own contrasting playstyles:
“I prefer a hacking-focused approach,” says Oyama. “Since you can deal damage by chaining hacks together, I’ll usually chip away at an enemy’s health using that method. When I want to deal massive damage, I’ll use powerful weapons or use multi-hacks to overload several enemies at once. While I do consider what’s most effective depending on the situation, I tend to rely heavily on hacking.”
On the other hand, Cho considers himself the complete opposite, preferring gunplay over hacking. “I play Pragmata like an action game and often fight using strategies that emphasize the action mechanics. That said, I sometimes focus on hacking later in the game. By combining hacking techniques, you can use the Multi-Hack ability to put several enemies into a Finishing Blow state. I really enjoy unleashing a barrage of Finishing Blows to take down hordes of enemies.”
Given the flexibility of Pragmata’s systems and Capcom’s penchant for adding New Game+ modes in its single-player titles, it’s likely that players will spend a lot of time experimenting with the various ways Hugh and Diana can take down their robot enemies.
Pragmata is set to launch on April 17, 2026 for Windows (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X❘S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The Sketchbook demo is currently available on all platforms.
