Pragmata is a really interesting new franchise from Capcom and if my time with the Sketchbook Demo is any indication, it is going to be a fun ride going on this adventure. Capcom has classified Pragmata as a sci-fi action-adventure game that mixes puzzles and action elements. During the portion of the game that I was able to go through, I got to experience some of the combat, some of the platform, and some of these puzzles that will no doubt be placed throughout the game.

The combat in Pragmata is especially interesting. You play this guy and you are helping this android girl named Diana. The demo starts with her creating a piece of art on the floor while her companion, Hugh, tries to save both of their lives by fighting off enemies. The interesting twist about combat in Pragmata is having Diana hack the enemies before you attack them. This is done in a mini-game where you have to navigate a puzzle to exploit the weakness of your enemy. Once you do that, unload on him with everything that you have available to you. If you try to attack the enemy before he is successfully hacked, you might not do much (if any) damage and you will make things much harder for yourself.

During combat you will want to utilize different weapons depending on the enemy who is attacking. Just because a machine gun worked on one of the more basic enemies, doesn’t mean it will be very effective with a higher ranked enemy. You need to be able to balance your weapons and your hacking skills with Diana to be successful. It is a refreshing change of pace for me and I have come away from this demo excited for the retail verison.

In addition to the combat in the game, there are also environmental puzzles to solve. One of the demos, includes getting through a locked door. I had to find a number of different power switches so that I could power the locks and the door would open to let me through it. I have no doubt there are going to be similar (and different) puzzles thrown at me once I am going through Pragmata in its entirety.

The short time I spent with Pragmata was enjoyable, and I can imagine the different types of puzzles and combat strategies I will need to solve the mysteries that await. Pragama is set to be released on April 24, 2026.