The one thing which can hook me instantly onto any media is an unexpected Father and his unexpected Daughter dynamic. There's a reason why games like The Last of Us hold a special place in my heart. Pragmata does the relationship between our two protagonists so well, with Hugh fitting the loving father almost instantly, always trying to protect Diana and her wonder of all things Earth-related. Hugh and I were on the same wavelength, protect Diana and keep her happy at all cost! I have to admit I spent maybe too many hours at the Shelter just talking to Diana making sure I got all of her dialogue options. Every Escape Hatch was was taken even if I was full health and had barely anything to do there apart from talk to Diana.
Their relationship is the core of Pragmata, but it's not the only thing that makes this game great! It is visually stunning, fun, and challenging. And it's set in Space on the Moon! Lots of Moon Joy for me, though not for all of the other members of Hugh's crew (sorry guys) which get taken out at the start of the game.
A Father - Daughter Duo After My Own Heart
Games set in space have the wonderful freedom to make their setting as unique as possible, on impossible planets we could never even think of, but Pragmata sets it's story on the Moon, on a space station gone rogue. It's close to home but still far away that it's not a quick trip, especially with the rogue AI threatening your very existence with every step. The story is of a struggle to make it (or make it back) to Earth, but through Hugh and Diana, we also relearn the joy of Earth, the little things which we usually take from granted, like Balloons, or sitting around a warm Campfire during Summer nights. Diana's childlike wonder, enjoyment of all things Earth, and her growing relationship with Hugh really triggered fatherly instincts in me (despite me not being a dad or even a man for that matter).
Another thing to note is that the world of Pragmata is beautiful, but you can tell the Humans at the Moon Station missed Earth as well. From the REMs, to Times Square, scientists created what they missed most, but it feels somehow empty. While the first view of the street, for example, is visually stunning, the stores lining it are empty and there are no humans to actually enjoy it, only enemy NPCs ready to take you out. The AI created a perfect replica, but one that feels slightly off and doesn't have that human touch to it. Feels familiar?
What I can also appreciate about the Pragmata story from a technical standpoint is that this isn't a more-cutscene-than-game kind of game. A lot of the lore you get will also be through the environment. As you find secret data files, audio notes, even your chats with Diana, you will piece together the story of what exactly happened at the Moon Station. The story of Pragmata isn't convoluted which is why it doesn't have to hold your hand and show you what's going on. Even if you miss an email, you will still know the story. It's just a bonus for completionists that want to get everything (me included).
Run, Gun & Strategy For The Win!
Pragmata is an action game and combat is what it does, and it does it well. The combo of Hugh's shooting and Diana's hacking can feel too complicated at the start, but the game will ease you into it. At some point it becomes muscle memory, but when you get surrounded by multiple AI rogues, it can still be panic inducing when you fail a Hack. And you can't just skip out on Diana's hacking, since just shooting will never do enough damage for you to win efficiently in fights. Hugh and Diana work best as a team, so make sure you upgrade both of their skills.
The AI enemies start off small, but by the end you'll be fighting bigger and stronger enemies, often-times not well-equipped from the start. There were many a time when I'd run back to the Shelter to heal and figure out a better loadout, which is where I think the game shines. You could try to push through with an inferior setup (as I've done a few times out of spite), but you can also go back to your base to work out which weapons work best for Hugh, which Hacking nodes you want to equip on Diana, as well as get some pretty essential upgrades on both.
It's not just run-and-gun, you have to analyze the enemy patterns and figure out the best weapons and mods that will work for a specific section of the game. Failing to plan properly made me irritated, but getting to come back for revenge made it all the sweeter. Capcom has certainly managed to make the combat in Pragmata fun, but they have also made it somewhat frustrating when you revisit an area and the enemies spawn back in. At that point you are usually pretty OP compared to them, so I don't mind it as much, but I do keep forgetting that this is a thing that happens and get jumpscared. Foiled by my own goldfish memory!
There's Always More to See
Easily one of my favorite things of the game is that you can always go back to a previous section of the Station. The in-game map provides you with clear pointers on how much of an area you have explored and if you've found all of the collectibles. It's a fun challenge to figure out not just how you can get to the next part of the game and escape back to Earth, but also if you can spot another Holo Wall, Mini Cabin Figure, etc.
My entire purpose for a lot of the game was to find all of the REMs so that I could decorate the Shelter for Diana and see her happy. While not essential to collect them all, it was an important part for me as Diana's DadTM to make everything as perfect as possible for her. Especially once you get that Lim Eraser, going back to previous sections was essential for me. Again, this is something that people can choose to skip, but I do love seeing that 100% on each section.
Verdict
Pragmata comes at a time of a lot of space joy, with the Artemis II mission as well as the Project Hail Mary movie. It honestly settled itself up there with the best space games to exist for myself. It's action, it's puzzles, it's terrifying enemies, inspiring (and fear-invoking) new technology, it's a dad and his daughter trying to survive and still finding little bits of joy in a world that's currently out to get them.
Capcom has so many beloved franchises under their belt, that I can only hope Pragmata can in some way become one. I think they've managed to hit that space genre perfectly and it would be a shame to not get to experience any more of it. While I can only dream about more Hugh and Diana (or another set of Human and Android found family trope), I couldn't recommend this game more to people who enjoy a good relationship, challenging gameplay, and beautiful visuals!
[Disclosure: A free copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purposes.]
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