PRAGMATA sells over one million units in two days! AI daughter Diana captivates players, and also 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 called the “AI Daughter” Diana, who performed brilliantly and received praise. The story also showcases a future where robots replace human jobs.

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

Capcom’s brand-new game “PRAGMATA: Human-Machine Maze” was released on April 17 this year, and in just two days, global sales surpassed 1 million copies. Currently, on the Steam platform, player reviews have exceeded 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, who investigates a missing facility on the Moon. After an accident leaves him severely injured, he is rescued by an AI robot girl named Diana.

This wonderful partnership 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, because players first solve grid puzzles, then have Diana activate hacking functions to break enemy defenses, then control Hugh to shoot enemies for maximum damage, while also dodging enemy 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. Whether in cutscene CG animations or in-game scenes, Diana makes many realistic little girl actions, making players involuntarily relate to the “old father” role.

Robots take 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 everything from chores to major tasks, all managed through the IDUS system, with robots arriving on demand. So what can humans do? One conclusion is: think of innovative concepts 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 is limited to managing robots. After clocking in daily, they have nothing to do, can only pretend 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. Therefore, although “PRAGMATA” depicts a future where AI humanoid robots are widespread, it’s quite easy to associate it with current events.

PRAGMATA Development Concept: No focus on game length, blending old and new generations with smaller 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 because of a trailer released when the game 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 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 hacker puzzle systems. Therefore, the core concept of Hugh and Diana working together has never changed since development began.

The team spent a lot of effort balancing shooting and hacking gameplay, aiming to ensure players will consciously decide when to use hacking skills and then enjoy the thrill of shooting and destruction. Players can upgrade equipment at bases, and as the game progresses, they can freely choose combat styles leaning toward 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 multiple playthrough elements.

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

“PRAGMATA” took 6 years from announcement to release, surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, and successfully attracted players’ attention. However, the gaming media “Automaton” believes there are still some regrets.

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

But the concern is that hacker puzzles and shooting lack deep synergy. Additionally, since the main story lasts about 10 hours, the narrative development feels compressed, and the emotional changes between the two protagonists are somewhat rushed. The sci-fi setting mostly serves the visual drama, failing 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 player scores are as high as 9, receiving generally positive reviews.

Image source: Metacritic PRAGMATA media and player reviews on Metacritic