In under two months, Capcom has managed to put out three major releases with its newest IP, “Pragmata,” arriving just 49 days after Resident Evil Requiem and 35 days after Monster Hunter Stories 3.
“Pragmata” was originally announced in June, 2020, during Sony’s PlayStation 5 reveal stream, but was delayed twice due to challenges in balancing game mechanics and character design changes. At the 2025 Game Awards, the game was set for an April 24 release but was later brought forward to release officially on April 17, 2026.
For a game that spent years in developmental limbo, “Pragmata” has already reached critical acclaim with a 86/100 score on Metacritic and a 97% "overwhelmingly positive” score on Steam. The game also surpassed 1 million copies sold in just 48 hours upon release.
“Pragmata” follows the story of Hugh Williams, an astronaut who was dispatched to the moon along with a team of fellow lunar explorers to investigate a research station after it lost contact with Earth.
As the team investigates and grows more weary of the silence around them, a moonquake rattles the station hard enough that poor Williams is left as the crew's only survivor.
Wounded in a nasty fall, Hugh finds himself woken up by a strange little girl, dubbed Diana by the astronaut, who reveals herself to be an android. Together, the found-family duo works to find answers and escape the tyrannical wrath of an onboard AI system, IDUS, which sends robots to dispose of the pair.
The concept alone is interesting but what makes this game truly special is the combat. Setting itself apart from other third-person shooters, “Pragmata” introduces a hacking mechanic that is available for players to use simultaneously with the shooting.
Here's how it works: Hugh handles the physical combat side of things by shooting and dodging at enemies. Perched on the back of his space suit, Diana hacks into the enemy robot's defenses to expose weak points and, with certain upgrades, to confuse and freeze them, among other things.
Throughout the game, Hugh can also upgrade his arsenal with a variety of different guns, the most notable being a decoy gun that distracts enemies and a hard-hitting shockwave gun that staggers enemies. The dual-action system offers players a chance to juggle action and puzzle-solving in real time, making encounters feel intense but rewarding.
Similarly rewarding to the combat is the growing relationship between Hugh and Diana throughout the game. At first, it seems Hugh will be the stereotypical grumpy old man who begrudgingly allows the sweet, bubbly girl to tag along but instead, Hugh is just as much of a sweetheart.
Sharing stories from his life on Earth, what it was like to grow up adopted and what it means to be human, Hugh forms a father-daughter bond with Diana that avoids cliché thanks to his relatable anecdotes and her believable child-like curiosity.
With its clever dual-action combat, surprisingly heartfelt story and a world that rewards curiosity at every turn, “Pragmata” stands as one of the most refreshing new shooters to come along in years. Of course, it would be premature to call the game a masterpiece on first impressions alone but it's hard not to see how 'Pragmata' sets a new bar for original IPs to come.
“Pragmata” is available for purchase on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2 for $59.99.
