There’s not much better than when a big AAA publisher takes a risk on something new. In an industry packed full of annual releases, sequels, remakes and remasters, it’s great when an entirely new big budget experience comes along. That’s why for the whole of 2026 I’ve been excited for Pragmata, especially because weird new Capcom games are often an absolute treat. In the past this would mean people who owned powerful home consoles and gaming PCs would have something fun to play, but now we live in a world where Switch 2 owners can join them on this delightful hacking adventure.
Pragmata begins with main character Hugh and his buddies heading to investigate a research facility in space. When they arrive they find an eerily silent place, and a whole lot of danger. Thankfully Hugh avoids the fate of his crew thanks to Diana, a child android with a kind heart (or I suppose the robotic equivalent). This dynamic duo are the heart and soul of this sci-fi romp, both in terms of the story and the gameplay.
You actually play as both Hugh and Diana, and they have very different roles when 3D-printed foes come charging at you. Hugh is very much the muscle, who shoots an array of futuristic firearms and dashes around in his robot armour. Diana can help deal with enemies too though, because she has the power to remotely hack bots to damage and disable them. This means that while engaging in third person combat you also need to use the face buttons to navigate a little maze of nodes. It takes some serious multitasking, and getting used to this in high pressure situations takes some time. When it clicks though it’s magic.
Read our full, scored Pragmata review here
There are so many cool ways the two combat systems interact as well, with special hacking nodes that help spread damage across crowds or weaken defences so Hugh can clean up with his shotgun. Hugh has lots of weapons that slow and distract androids too, which makes it easier to do some hacking. As you progress through Pragmata you’ll find many more strategies you can use to cope with combat, and even explore previously inaccessible places in a pseudo Metroidvania style.
Many of your new skills will come from your hub area, where you can upgrade your suit, equip mode chips, craft weapons, and so much more. There’s even a little Bingo robot who rewards you with bonus upgrades for filling in lines of a grid, which is as charming and silly as it sounds. The best thing to do when you’re away from the action though is to chat with Diana, and get to experience the joy of this little Android girl learning all about a magical place called Earth. I can’t remember the last time I was this charmed by a relationship in a video game, and I’m sure the masses will want to keep Diana safe and happy no matter what just like I did.
Our fully scored review from the ever handsome Mick Fraser will tell you all about the wonders of Pragmata, so really I should get to talking about the Switch 2 version of the game. Pragmata is a gorgeous game with a seriously unique setting, and Nintendo’s handheld more than does it justice. This is likely one of the most impressive looking games you’ll play on your Switch 2 this year, even including the ones Nintendo create themselves. If you have other consoles and prefer the highest resolution on your ridiculously sized telly then obviously you’ll see an improvement, but for handheld junkies like me this is an exceptional port.
This is also the case in terms of framerate and other technical downgrades. Pragmata runs at a smooth framerate throughout, and I really couldn’t find any faults with the Switch 2 version of the game whatsoever. I actually forgot I was playing on a less powerful system as I was blasting and hacking, and even Resident Evil Requiem and Final Fantasy VII Remake couldn’t pull the wool over my eyes quite that much.
Pragmata is a fantastic and creative new Capcom game, and the Switch 2 is a great console to experience it on. I am still not used to getting to play new AAA titles on a Nintendo console the day they release, and Capcom have proven themselves masters of this.
