Pragmata PS5 Hands-On Preview – Capcom’s Sci-Fi Epic Delivers Promising Combat Loop

Pragmata PS5 Preview. My first thought when nabbing the controller during my hands-on with Pragmata was, “blimey, I’m actually playing this thing?” After all, Capcom’s sci-fi romp was announced way back in 2020, and has gone dark on more than a few occasions, seeing multiple delays in the process. Having finally resurfaced with a vague 2026 window, I was able to play nearly 30 minutes of Pragmata on PS5, and it’s definitely something you’ll want to keep on your radar. Yes, there’s plenty of the usual sci-fi trappings to be found, from its clean, crystal white hallways to futuristic technical gubbins that at one point reminded me of Dead Space, but its combat loop is uniquely brilliant.

The demo opens with mech-suited hero, Hugh Williams, waking up with to a hearty slap from Diana, an android designed to look like a young girl who just happens to be a dab hand at hacking and fits snugly on your back. Your pint-sized companion and Hugh are quickly attacked by a mechanised baddie, and it’s here that we’re introduced to the meat-and-potatoes of combat. You hold L2 to aim at your foe, at which point Diana hacks your target and a quick mini game opens; here, you must use the face buttons to move the cursor to the green node, thus rendering your foes vulnerable to attack.

From here, you can use your standard guns by squeezing R2 to fire at your enemy’s weak point, allowing you to inflict major damage. Try capping your foes without Diana’s hacking expertise, and you’re in for a rough ride, as your attacks barely scratch them. While this might seem gimmicky on the surface, Pragmata’s bread-and-butter combat is both intuitive and satisfying. The action doesn’t pause while you hack; you must think on the fly, navigating the grid while keeping an eye on your enemy at all times.

As such, encounters are intense, pulse-pounding scraps that ooze a real sense of urgency as you attempt to hit that vital green node. The gratification of ploughing through a hacking segment and then leaving your adversary a smoking heap of junk on the floor is palpable to say the least.

Capcom has added further wrinkles to combat by including special bonuses in the hacking grid that can give you an edge in combat. These are entirely optional, but add a nice layer of strategy to hacking as it takes more time and dexterity to navigate the grid to collect these extra nodes, all the while trying to avoid attacks.

Hugh is thankfully quite agile despite his hulking appearance. R1 is used to dodge and X allows you to jump, which can get you out of sticky situations and is paramount when surrounded by multiple foes. However, doing so will reduce your thruster gauge, so you have to monitor it carefully.

Pragmata also applies it hacking mechanic to environmental conundrums, as you use various panels to manipulate parts of the scenery, such as shutting off laser traps or raising platforms. It’s basic stuff, but allows the game to bask in its more appealing mechanics that little bit more.

The RE Engine flexes its visual prowess once more here, and it’s fair to say Pragmata is a stunning-looking offering as a result. Particle effects like explosions and electricity pop with vibrancy, environments look clean and sophisticated, while enemies come in all shapes and sizes and are full of intricate little details. Oh, and Diana is a little star; it’s clear the relationship between her and Hugh is going to be a major focus of the narrative, and I’m eager to see how it develops.

Quite how the combat will pan out in the long run and evolve is anyone’s guess right now, but from my hands-on, I’m getting nothing but positive vibes from Pragmata and can’t wait to play more of it come launch.

Pragmata is due out on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S in 2026. Thanks to Capcom for the opportunity to go hands-on with the game.