PRAGMATA sells over one million units in two days! AI daughter Diana captivates players, and even predicts robots will take over human jobs?

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

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

Since its release on April 17th this year, Capcom’s brand-new game “PRAGMATA: Human-Machine Maze” has surpassed 1 million copies sold worldwide in just two days. Currently, on the Steam platform, player reviews have exceeded 12,000, with an overwhelming 96% positive rating.

The game is set on the surface of the Moon in the near future. Players take on the role of astronaut Hugh Williams, who investigates a missing facility on the Moon. After an accident leaves him severely injured, he is rescued by AI robot girl Diana.

This unlikely 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 battling—solving grid puzzles first, then having Diana activate hacking functions to break through enemies’ defenses, followed by controlling Hugh to shoot enemies for maximum damage, while also dodging attacks with timely movement.

Image source: PRAGMATA official artwork

Besides its 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 scenes, Diana makes many realistic little girl movements, making players naturally empathize with the “old father” role.

Robots taking 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 replay of two humans discussing walkers (AI robots) handling chores to major tasks, capable of doing everything just by managing through the IDUS system. Robots arrive on demand, so what can humans do? One conclusion is: think creatively and explore entrepreneurial opportunities.

Image source: Player’s game screenshot

Another letter mentions that frontline workers at power plants in the game only manage robots, clock in daily with nothing to do, just pretending to be busy, and envy those working on the development front.

Image source: Player’s game screenshot

With the recent explosion of generative AI, there are many voices claiming AI will replace white-collar jobs. Although “PRAGMATA” depicts a future where AI humanoid robots are widespread, it’s quite easy to associate it with current events.

PRAGMATA Development Concept: Blending Old and New Generations Without Focusing on Playtime or Large Maps

As a completely original new IP, building a world from scratch was a new challenge for “PRAGMATA.” However, this game had already attracted many players years ago, not because Capcom announced the game, but due to a trailer released when the release was delayed in 2022, as shown below:

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 veteran developers. The team includes experienced staff who participated in “Resident Evil” and “Devil May Cry” series development, helping the younger generation unleash creativity to 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 hacker puzzle systems. Therefore, the core concept of Hugh and Diana working together has never changed since development began.

The development team spent a lot of effort balancing shooting and hacking gameplay, aiming to ensure players make their own 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, they can freely choose combat styles that emphasize shooting or hacking.

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

Automaton Review: PRAGMATA’s Dual-Edged Gameplay and Narrative

“PRAGMATA” took 6 years from announcement to release, surviving 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 consume resources to enhance specific abilities, developing their own extreme tactics and gaining a sense of achievement from high-intensity multitasking.

However, the concern is that hacker 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. The sci-fi setting mostly serves to heighten visual drama, but fails to deeply resonate with the game’s world view.

“Automaton” concluded that overall, “PRAGMATA” is a game that compensates for some narrative shortcomings with high freedom in 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 reviews from media and players