[TGS2025] PRAGMATA Preview – Hacking Meets Action in Real-Time Combat

At Tokyo Game Show 2025, we got our first hands-on preview of PRAGMATA, which showed off its unique blend of hacking and action gameplay. The game follows Hugh, the main character, who teams up with a young robot girl named Diana as they fight against lunar AI forces while trying to get back to Earth.

Core Gameplay

The game’s main challenge is multitasking. When you hack into an enemy’s defense system, time keeps moving – enemies don’t stop attacking just because you’re solving puzzles. This means you need to pay attention to two things at once: solving hacking puzzles (which use grid-based movement and logic routes) and watching enemy positions to avoid surprise attacks.

One interesting twist is that targeting enemy legs often works better than going for the head. Taking out an enemy’s movement gives you more time to hack and deal damage. When you hit a weak spot, that part of the enemy glows orange, making it easier to spot vulnerabilities on different enemy types.

Players start with just one repair device for their suit – basically one healing item. Once you use it up, you have to go back to your shelter to get more. The shelter also lets you upgrade to carry more repair devices. Hugh starts with a basic gun that has unlimited ammo. During exploration, you can find other weapons in crates, like a powerful pulse rifle that hits hard but takes a long time to reload, and the Stasis Net, which creates a semicircle energy field to freeze enemies in place.

Exploration and Progression

The game ran smoothly during exploration with no stuttering or frame rate drops. Moving around felt good, whether running, jumping, or using the dash move after a mid-air jump – which is especially helpful for avoiding environmental dangers like laser traps. Yellow crates scattered around the map give random items like healing supplies, weapons, or upgrade materials. Besides combat, there are also puzzles like unlocking doors by connecting four circuits within a time limit.

Players can unlock checkpoint stations that work as save points and let you return to the shelter. At the shelter, Hugh can restock supplies, upgrade equipment, and interact with Diana. Diana responds to gifts and plays around with the player, adding some warmth to the otherwise dark setting.

Upgrades work for both the suit and main weapons, while a unit printer lets you make weapons from blueprints you’ve collected. Attachments provide extra benefits, like increasing hacking damage or improving health recovery.

Boss Fight

The demo included what appeared to be a mini-boss that switched between charging attacks, bombing runs, and ground slams. Hacking during these fights means staying alert to attack patterns so you can dodge or jump away at the right time. If you need to stop hacking to avoid an attack, you don’t lose your progress – you can pick up right where you left off.

Combat fills up a special gauge, and when it’s full, Diana takes over. Her all-out hacking causes a devastating system overload that temporarily disables the enemy, letting Hugh deal heavy damage. When enemies are stunned, a purple circle appears, triggering a cinematic move where Hugh jumps onto the target and plants an explosive charge for massive damage.

Final Thoughts

PRAGMATA combines action and puzzle-solving in a way that works well for players who like combat but might not want purely action-focused games. The hacking system isn’t just added on – it’s built into the core gameplay, constantly making you balance different priorities and adapt quickly. The unique gameplay loop, creative boss design, and Diana’s role as both companion and powerhouse make this title stand out as a distinctive action experience to watch for.

Available Now

On Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, PS4 & Steam

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