Capcom breaks with the classic action mantra: In "Pragmata," simply holding down the trigger won't be enough. A new interview with director Yonghee Cho and producer Naoto Oyama makes it clear that shooting and hacking are inextricably linked.
The developers behind the sci-fi title faced a problem common to many hybrid games. Given a choice, players often opt for whatever delivers the fastest bang – usually a gun. Cho openly admits that earlier prototypes were either too passive or players simply ignored the hacking mechanic.
The solution in “PRAGMATA“It’s radical: systemic constraints by design. If you try to solve a fight solely with brute force, you’ll fail or at least undermine the game’s concept. The goal is a seamless experience where you constantly switch between manual hacking and precise shots during combat. This isn’t a nice gimmick, but the core mechanic for making the enemies vulnerable in the first place.”
Hacking as a complex puzzle system
Instead of reducing hacking to a simple button press, the team has transformed it into a self-contained puzzle system. Naoto Oyama emphasizes that this provides the necessary depth to avoid feeling like an annoying interruption.
For theorycrafters, hacking isn't just a support skill. Oyama confirms that you can specialize your character through upgrades to such an extent that hacking damage even surpasses the output of firearms. This shifts the game's world structure away from a shooter and towards a tactical action RPG where the environment is your most powerful weapon.
The risk of playful paternalism
Capcom is taking a gamble here. Players usually hate having a playstyle forced upon them. But the approach of making hacking so powerful that it can become the primary source of damage takes the frustration out of it. It's not about slowing the player down, but about giving them a tool that—if mastered—is more efficient than any bullet.
If the controls are as intuitive as Oyama promises, "Pragmata" could redefine the dynamics of combat encounters. If they're clunky, it'll feel like work—and that's currently my biggest concern. While the hacking was... playing the demo Innovative, but even in that short time it already felt repetitive after the first opponents.
The interview dampens the expectations of those who were anticipating a pure third-person shooter in space. "Pragmata" positions itself as a sophisticated hybrid. The confirmation that hacking builds are viable is a huge plus for replayability and individual playstyles. However, skepticism remains regarding the implementation of the "puzzles" in the heat of battle – this will have to prove itself in the flow of gameplay.
Would you risk a build that relies entirely on hacking, even if it means solving complex puzzles under time pressure in hectic boss fights?
"But even in that short time, it already felt repetitive after the first opponents."
It was the same for us… we're actually keen to pre-order the title and start playing right away, simply because Capcom is finally releasing a new IP, and the title is single-player and NOT a JRPG. There are hardly any Japanese action games left that aren't JRPGs or Soulslikes, etc.
But the fear, or let's call it concern, that the game will quickly become repetitive and simply lacks variety is holding us back so far… I'd just like to know if there's more depth to come.
There will definitely be a build where the hacking happens automatically or as an optional feature.