“The Last of Us,” “BioShock Infinite,” and “God of War Ragnarok”. What do they all have in common? Their stories center around a central father figure protecting a young companion, whether it’d be a son, daughter, or an important character they come across. It’s a popular trope that works both narratively and gameplay-wise. You play as one character while your companion tags along with you, helping out in some fashion.
Capcom’s “Pragmata” is joining that fold, but with a compelling sci-fi setting, as well as touching character moments and engaging gameplay that makes it one of the best games of 2026 so far.
“Pragmata” follows an astronaut named Hugh and an Android named Diana as they attempt to escape from a lunar station after disaster strikes. In the meantime, they have to deal with a rogue AI system called IDUS that’s hellbent on eliminating them. What makes the story work are the interactions between Hugh and Diana. Diana acts like a curious child, wondering what life is like back on Earth, while the childless Hugh plays the role of an adoptive father, looking out for her. Hugh himself is adopted too, so he’s able to share his perspective with Diana about forming bonds and families with those who aren’t blood related.
Outside of cinematic cutscenes, small interactions between them are brimming with humor and charm. For example, she learns about how humans consume food, but thinks that they’re inefficient considering they have to eat 2-3 times a day. Hugh explains that it’s not just the process of eating, but eating together with family or friends that also nourishes the soul. Moments like these push their father and daughter dynamic forward, making their bond feel natural. I also love their character designs. Ironically, Hugh is wearing a giant suit. With his helmet on, he’s the one who looks like a hulking robot whereas Diana simply just wears a blue jacket and you can constantly see the human-like expressions on her face. It’s a clever twist that makes them stand out as characters.
The gameplay also shines due to equal participation from both Hugh and Diana. In games like the “Last of Us,” Joel has almost all of the player control agency while Ellie is mostly relegated to NPC control. However, in “Pragmata,” Diana has the ability to hack enemies and expose their weak points for Hugh to shoot at. Hacking plays like a puzzle game where you navigate a puzzle and move the cursor to a execution spot on a grid, while picking up bonus nodes along the way. These optional nodes include effects such as confusing enemies so that they attack others, stunning them, or just doing extra damage.
What makes the gameplay captivating is that you have to do the hacking in real-time while dodging attacks. Battles become suspenseful and chaotic as Hugh waits for Diana to finish hacking in order to deal any meaningful damage. Progression is well-paced and organic. For example, Hugh can level up his suit to gain more HP and defense, while Diana can improve her hacking such as increasing the duration enemies are exposed. You can also beef up Hugh’s repertoire of guns permanently to deal more damage. It’s a really straightforward system that’s easy to understand.
The game’s dungeon design has a slight Metroidvania aspect to it, so when Diana unlocks a new story ability, she and Hugh can revisit previous areas to find new mods and nodes. Exploration is greatly encouraged as you’ll also find computer chips and holograms of items from Earth that can grant Hugh and Diana with new special skills. Furthermore, there are challenge rooms scattered throughout and time trials available in the central hub to take on and earn more rewards to help you get through the game.
“Pragmata” can be completed in about 10-15 hours, which is shorter than I expected, but works in the game’s favor as it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The gameplay evolves enough by introducing new hacking tiles for Diana to toggle through and weapons for Hugh to use. Combined with the relatively short run-time, these factors prevent combat from becoming stale by the time the credits roll.
Capcom has had a stellar 2026 so far, with the releases of the excellent “Resident Evil Requiem,” “Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection,” and the “Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection.” “Pragmata” continues the streak with its emotional characters and enthralling gameplay. It’s one of the best games of 2026 so far, and it’s one that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.
The publisher provided a review copy of this title on Xbox Series X|S. It will also be available on PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2 on Friday, April 17.
