Pragmata is the newest game from Capcom, gaming’s most consistent studio of the 2020s. When it comes to games today, there are a lot of safe choices being made out of fear that shareholders might start to doubt the creatives behind new releases. Capcom, on the other hand, delivers an incredibly bold sci-fi experience just weeks after the release of a hit Resident Evil game. While there’s not an innovative story that’s never been told before at its core, Pragmata is a blend of so many things that work well. From memorable, human-centered storytelling moments to combat that’s equally satisfying and addictive, there’s so much to love in this latest action-shooter.

You arrive on the moon at the start of Pragmata as Hugh, an astronaut ready to investigate some strange happenings in a Lunar base. After things go very wrong, you encounter Diana, a mysterious child-android. As you begin to uncover mysteries at the base, you realize that Diana has a deep connection to the base’s systems. That means, as you shoot through spaces, Diana sits atop your back and hacks into the robots attacking you. This is carried out in combat, with button-pressing sequences in a particular order to hack while you shoot, like a traditional action shooter. At first, it’s a tad overwhelming. Then, when it begins to click, it’s an impressively simple yet effective mechanic I can’t get enough of.

The hacking you can do broadens as you move through Pragmata, including the ability to hack multiple enemies at once and even turn enemies on one another. In terms of gunplay, you have your combat weapons, defensive weapons, tactical options, and heavy hitters. Different varieties are chosen before you head out from your hub station, like loadouts. While you might be able to min-max your abilities, you can really choose whatever you like best to play through Pragmata. As you play through the story and continue taking on extra challenges to gain extra currencies to upgrade your arsenal, Hugh and Diana become a dynamic duo for the ages.

There’s an interesting enough story here to play through Pragmata without rolling your eyes, but nothing narratively feels particularly fresh or innovative. That said, I love that this game doesn’t fall into the trope of a father-daughter combo and what it means to care about someone you’re meant to care for. This could have slowly become a lesser version of The Last of Us, but instead, we get interesting explorations of consciousness, what it means to be human, and even the responsibility we have to utilize the technology we invent and discover responsibly.

While there is so much to enjoy in Pragmata, it really is just a good old-fashioned AAA video game. I hate the other reviews claiming this is some callback to the 2000s, when we seemingly had 50 action-shooters release every year, to varying levels of quality. Calling this game a throwback is a lazy way of saying that, in 2026, it’s impressive when AAA games aren’t disappointing. Beyond first-party Sony studios and the variety of indie darlings that catch our eye, we have fallen into this fallacy that quality experiences are few and far between. It’s like the impossible expectations of shareholders have seeped into our enjoyment of games.

The fact of the matter is, Pragmata feels familiar because of its story and because it’s a great Capcom game in every sense. As you work through the game’s levels, for example, you can track down special upgrades and collectibles. There’s even the ability to see what you missed in past areas, encouraging you to go back and try to find every last thing. It’s gaming at its most unapologetic, which I think is exactly why Capcom is so celebrated for their recent efforts with Monster Hunter, Resident Evil, and Street Fighter. These creatives that make up the Capcom team are given space to do what they do best with the goal of creating memorable experiences, and it’s working beyond expectations.

Pragmata succeeds in every aspect of a modern AAA game. With Capcom elements like in-game collectibles, fun puzzles, and rewarding combat, every moment spent in-game is a treat. Plus, with a brand-new world to develop in future titles, one of the most successful game developers today continues to deliver on its ongoing series and new IP. I was amazed at how great Resident Evil Requiem was, but far from surprised. I hope this isn’t the last time we see these game mechanics and concepts. Based on early sales numbers and fan response, I think we’re likely to see this world fleshed out even further. Nevertheless, the first chapter in this franchise is a masterclass.

An Xbox Series X review copy of Pragmata was provided by Capcom for the purposes of this review.

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Pragmata

$59.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Incredible real-time puzzles mixed with a shooter
• Diana and Hugh are great characters
• This is a fun world, albeit terrifyingly eerie

Cons

• A tiny bit of Capcom jank in the controls distract in a few moments