Medlemsinnlogging
Capcoms nyeste IP viser at utvikleren Resident Evil og Monster Hunter fortsatt har evnen til å skape noe helt nytt og like spennende.
"Pragmata, Capcom's newest IP, shows us that the Resident Evil and Monster Hunter developer has more than enough talent to keep its longest running and most beloved series afloat without neglecting innovation and the creation of new experiences. In our latest preview session we played approximately 2 hours of Pragmata at a point in its story after the sketchbook demo which is available on all platforms. We delved deeper into Pragmata's mechanics which go beyond what we expected. Our adventure began in the game's central hub, a base where we can upgrade Hugh, the protagonist, his arsenal and skills, as well as the hacking skills of Diana, our friendly artificial companion. To unlock these upgrades we need various resources, some of which are more common and can be obtained by eliminating enemies while others are hidden throughout the map and must be sought out."
"Upon leaving the base we can choose our next destination or even return to previously discovered areas and continue exploring. Each area has a percentage that indicates how much of it we have completed so it's always a good idea to take a look at what we've left behind before moving on. However, in our test session we could only access the new area, a futuristic looking city where our goal was to reach the communications tower to send a message. Obviously, the path was blocked by 6 beacons that must be found and activated and our preview session consisted of finding those 6 beacons and facing the final boss of that area."
"Although at first the game gives you a rough idea of where to look, in slightly more linear environments exploration soon depends entirely on your platforming skills and curiosity because the map is quite large and very vertical. It's not quite an open world but the areas are quite spacious. While exploring the buildings in search of those beacons we encountered numerous enemy ambushes, closed areas that do not open until all the enemies are defeated and lots of objects to find. Another important aspect of exploration is that there are numerous teleportation points to return to the base where we can acquire weapon upgrades and character skills. It is advisable to return to base from time to time to obtain upgrades and make it easier to defeat the most powerful enemies and above all, the bosses. However, just like in the Dark Souls series, returning to base revives all the enemies and even reactivates the ambushes and blocked areas until we have defeated them all again. It is important therefore to choose the best time to return to base because it can be frustrating to have cleared an area of enemies and then have to fight again when you go to upgrade your character."
"Pragmata has a very peculiar combat system. We have a main weapon with infinite ammo and throughout the game we find various additional weapons that occupy the three available weapon slots. Each slot is a different colour and we can only equip weapons of that colour.
For example, a shotgun like weapon is the same colour as another weapon that paralyzes enemies so we have to choose whether to carry one or the other and we can even swap them if we find the weapon lying on the ground while exploring."
"Once we have found a weapon we can unlock and upgrade it at the base so that we can start the area with that weapon equipped if we want. However, we must be careful because these weapons have limited ammo and if we run out of bullets it may be a long time before we find more ammo or another weapon of that colour."
"However it's not all about weapons and shooting, hacking is key. The enemies are incredibly resistant to our weapons and the only way to damage them effectively is by hacking them which is Diana's job. To do this when you point a weapon at an enemy a puzzle appears on the screen in which you have to move a block across a grid to the goal by pressing the face buttons on the controller. This puzzle must be solved in real time while enemies are approaching and without releasing the aim button. Although it may seem complex at first we soon got used to dodging, running and shooting while solving the puzzle on the screen which breaks the enemies defences and allows you to do critical damage. These puzzles become increasingly complicated and sometimes blocks appear that prevent you from passing or power ups that force you to change the fastest route in order to do more damage or stun the enemy for longer. It's a combat system that adds depth and feels fresh, but after several trips back to base to improve our skills and after dying a couple of times the mechanics were a bit repetitive when facing the basic enemies again, although the more complex enemies and the area bosses were really enjoyable."
"The version we played was on PS5 Pro and the level of detail was impressive. The crystal clear futuristic corridors, the reflections and lighting effects, Hugh and Diana's suits, everything was beautiful and had a shiny glossy finish like a freshly waxed car. The sound was good too, with futuristic elements mixed with well chosen sound effects."
"It's still too early to know if Pragmata will be one of the games of the year, but it is looking like it will be one of Capcom's most unique titles and one that will surprise everyone. It has left us with a very good impression and wanting more, and it's good to see that Capcom remains open to new ideas and experiences beyond its iconic franchises."
