With just a month to go until Pragmata launches on PlayStation 5 on April 17, I had the chance to spend a few hours trying out the game at a recent press event.
Diana’s hacking abilities and Hugh’s arsenal
This hands-on preview was set in the New York-like cityscape shown during February’s State of Play, allowing players to explore, fight, and upgrade as they pushed toward a boss waiting at the end.
Hugh can equip a variety of guns to blast away at enemy “bots,” but their tough armor means regular shots don’t do much on their own. That’s where Diana’s hacking skills come in.
When Hugh locks onto a target, Diana pulls up a grid-style Hacking Panel. Drawing a single continuous line through the blue squares triggers a successful hack, dealing damage and temporarily compromising the enemy’s armor. The more squares you connect, the greater the damage and the longer the armor stays disabled. Once their weak points are exposed, you can unleash Hugh’s firepower for some serious damage.
That said, enemies won’t just wait around while you’re hacking. You must stay sharp, deciding whether to push your luck and connect more blue squares or cut it short to dodge incoming attacks.
Break through shields and dodge missiles that disrupt hacking
Some enemy bots are protected by red, shield-like barriers that make them immune to Diana’s hacking. These shields can be destroyed with Hugh’s gun or other attacks, opening the enemy up to hacking once they’re taken down. You’ll be forced to prioritize either hacking or gunfire based on each encounter.
Some enemies fire homing missiles at Hugh, but those can be hacked as well. A successful hack allows you to take control and redirect the missile straight back to its sender.
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