PRAGMATA vendeu milhões de unidades em dois dias! A filha AI Diana conquista os jogadores, e ainda prevê que os robôs vão roubar empregos aos humanos?

Capcom’s new game “PRAGMATA Human-Machine Maze” sold 1 million copies in just two days! Combining shooting and hacking puzzle gameplay, it is praised for the impressive performance of “AI daughter” Diana, and the storyline showcases a future where robots replace human jobs.

PRAGMATA sells one million copies in two days, Capcom’s completely new title receives positive reviews

Capcom’s completely new game “PRAGMATA Human-Machine Maze” was released on April 17th this year, and within just two days, global sales exceeded 1 million copies. Currently, on the Steam platform, player reviews have surpassed 12,000, with an overwhelming 96% positive rating.

The setting of “PRAGMATA” takes place on the surface of the Moon in the near future. Players will play as astronaut Hugh Williams investigating a missing facility on the Moon, who is rescued after an accident leaves him seriously injured by an AI robot girl, Diana.

This wonderful duo must work together to fight against the crazed AI on the lunar facility and find a way back to Earth. The main gameplay involves a bit of left-brain and right-brain battles, because players first solve grid puzzles to activate Diana’s hacking functions to break through enemies’ defenses, then control Hugh to shoot enemies for maximum damage, while also dodging attacks at the right moments.

Image source: Official PRAGMATA images

Besides the unique gameplay, I also felt that the development team put a lot of effort into Diana’s character. Whether in cutscene CG animations or in-game graphics, Diana performs many realistic girl-like actions, making players involuntarily relate to the “old father” role.

PRAGMATA predicts AI will take over human jobs, leaving humans with nothing to do?

In the early part of the game (also available in the demo), you can see a residual image of two humans discussing walkers (AI robots) handling everything from chores to major tasks, all managed through the IDUS system, with robots arriving on command. So, what can humans do? One conclusion is: think creatively and explore entrepreneurial opportunities.

Image source: Player’s game screenshot

Another letter mentions that the work of entry-level employees at power plants in the game has been reduced to managing robots, clocking in daily with nothing to do, only pretending to be busy, and envying those on the front lines of development.

Image source: Player’s game screenshot

With the recent explosion of generative AI, there are many voices about AI replacing white-collar jobs. Therefore, although “PRAGMATA” depicts a future after the widespread adoption of AI humanoid robots, it also easily evokes current events.

PRAGMATA development concept: blending old and new generations without focusing on game length or huge maps

As a completely original new IP, building a world from scratch is a new challenge. However, this game has actually attracted many players’ attention years ago, not because Capcom announced the game, but due to a trailer released when the 2022 launch was delayed, as follows:

Before the official release, the “PRAGMATA” development team was interviewed by Japanese gaming media “Famitsu” and “Shueisha VJump,” revealing the development system and design concepts.

Producer Naoto Oyama said that the development team combines young and experienced veterans. The team includes senior staff who participated in the development of “Resident Evil” and “Devil May Cry” series, helping the younger generation to unleash creativity and jointly create a new gaming experience.

Game director Zhao Rongxi mentioned that to differentiate in sci-fi action games, the team combined traditional shooting elements with hacking puzzle systems. Therefore, the core concept of Hugh and Diana’s cooperation has remained unchanged from early development.

The development team spent a lot of effort balancing shooting and hacking gameplay, aiming to ensure players make autonomous decisions on when to use hacking skills, then enjoy the thrill of shooting and destruction. Players can upgrade equipment in the base, and as the game progresses, freely choose combat styles leaning towards shooting or hacking.

The team also considered modern players’ gaming habits, setting the main story completion time around 10 hours and adding rich exploration and multiple playthrough elements.

Automaton review: PRAGMATA’s gameplay and narrative are a double-edged sword

“PRAGMATA” took 6 years from announcement to release, enduring the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It successfully attracted players’ attention, but the gaming media “Automaton” believes there are still some regrets.

“Automaton” pointed out that the biggest highlight is that players can adjust the intensity of combat themselves. They can also strengthen specific abilities by resource consumption, developing their own extreme tactics, and gaining a sense of achievement from high-intensity multitasking.

However, the concern is that hacking puzzles and shooting lack deep synergy. Additionally, since the main story lasts about 10 hours, the plot development feels compressed, and the emotional changes between the two protagonists are somewhat rushed, and the sci-fi setting mostly serves visual dramatic tension, failing to deeply resonate with the game’s world view.

“Automaton” concluded that overall, “PRAGMATA” is a game that compensates for some narrative shortcomings through high freedom of gameplay customization. Although its structure feels somewhat cobbled together, it still offers solid fun and can well serve as a new IP.

“PRAGMATA” currently has a score of 86 on Metacritic from media reviews, and a player score of 9, receiving generally positive praise.

Image source: Metacritic PRAGMATA’s media and player reviews on Metacritic