Mastering the delicate balance between hacking and shooting is the core of combat in Capcom’s sci-fi adventure, Pragmata. As protagonist Hugh Williams and his AI partner Diana, the titular Pragmata, you must quickly learn to synergize Diana’s unique hacking abilities with Hugh’s expanding arsenal of weaponry. This dynamic duo approach is essential for surviving the hostile, robot-filled environments of the moon and progressing through the game’s emotional story. This guide provides a full breakdown of how combat works, from the fundamentals of the hacking grid to optimizing your loadout with the best units and mods for each mission.
Hack Enemies To Open Them And Deal Damage
One of the defining mechanics of Pragmata is the reliance on Diana to hack enemies before Hugh follows up with direct weapon fire. When you aim at an enemy, a grid appears on the right side of your screen. You control Diana as she navigates this short maze, with the goal of reaching a green mark to execute the hack. Passing through blue grid squares on the way adds extra damage to the hack. Successfully hacking an enemy deals damage from a distance, can stagger them, and, most importantly, renders them Open. Open enemies are more vulnerable and take significantly increased damage from Hugh’s weapons for a short time.
While hacking is not strictly mandatory—Hugh can always shoot—it is highly advantageous. The hacking grids start simple but grow more complex, incorporating obstacles and special hacking nodes you can equip. Crucially, enemies do not freeze while you are hacking unless you use a specific weapon or hack to immobilize them. You must dodge enemy attacks as you navigate the grid, balancing your attention between offense and defense to keep Hugh and Diana safe.
The strategic depth comes from choosing when to hack. Against stronger foes or groups, opening them up for amplified damage is often the key to an efficient takedown. It creates a satisfying rhythm: hack to expose, then unleash your best firepower to capitalize on the vulnerability.
Units Are Both Weapons And Defenses
While hacking sets up the enemy, Hugh’s weapons, known as Units, deliver the finishing blows. Your loadout consists of four Unit Types, each with a distinct role and placement on the equipment screen.
- Primary Unit (Gray): Located at the top, this is Hugh’s default, always-available firearm. It has unlimited ammo that consistently recharges after use. You receive new Primary Unit options at key story points.
- Attack Unit (Red): Positioned on the left, these are your powerful, limited-ammo weapons. Blueprints are found in each sector and must be fabricated at the Unit Printer in your Shelter before they can be equipped. These are your workhorses for dealing heavy damage, especially against Open enemies.
- Tactical Unit (Green): On the right, these auxiliary units provide vital combat support. Effects range from freezing enemies in place and reducing hacking grid size to creating decoys. Their versatility means you should choose Tactical Units that complement your preferred playstyle.
- Defensive Unit (Blue): At the bottom, this gear offers direct survival boosts. This includes deploying drones, shields, or decoy generators to absorb enemy fire and create breathing room in intense fights.
Early in the game, your loadout options are limited, but as you progress, you must actively manage it. Before boarding the tram to the next sector, you should always revisit the Shelter to review and change Hugh’s loadout. What worked in a previous area may be ill-suited for the challenges ahead. Always fabricate new unit blueprints at the Printer to add them to your available pool.
Ammo for Attack, Tactical, and Defensive Units can be replenished from enemy drops, but starting a mission properly equipped is crucial. The game provides a return to the Shelter before major encounters, allowing you to upgrade firmware, save manually, and fine-tune your gear.
Loadout Overview
The loadout screen is your hub for customizing every aspect of combat. It is divided into three main sections, allowing you to tailor your approach for maximum effectiveness.
Unit Selection
The first section is dedicated to equipping Hugh’s four Unit types. Here, you can compare all unlocked Primary, Attack, Tactical, and Defensive Units. Initially, you can only carry one of each, but permanent upgrades purchased with resources like Pure Lunum will expand your carrying capacity, allowing for greater flexibility and firepower in later sectors.
Hacking Node Loadout
Below the unit selection, you choose which hacking nodes to bring into the next sector. These are the yellow nodes you see scattered on hacking grids during combat. Passing through them during a hack activates powerful bonus effects. Available nodes can allow your hack to chain to multiple enemies, deal critical damage, confuse robots into fighting each other, or provide other significant advantages. Selecting the right combination of nodes for the anticipated enemy types is a key strategic layer.
Module Customization
The final customization layer is the Module screen. Modules are equippable mods that provide permanent passive stat boosts to Hugh and Diana. They are categorized into four types: Attack, Hacking, Defense, and Support. You can mix and match modules to enhance your preferred tactics, such as boosting hack damage, increasing weapon critical chance, or improving shield durability. Like your weapon slots, the number of module slots you can equip expands through upgrades purchased at the Unit Printer.
The overarching goal of the loadout system is to empower you to fine-tune combat to your personal preference. There is no single “correct” build, but success hinges on understanding how each component—Units, Hacking Nodes, and Modules—interacts and preparing a synergistic kit for the mission ahead. Regularly revisiting and optimizing your loadout is not just recommended; it is essential for mastering the challenges of Pragmata and uncovering the full story of Hugh and Diana’s journey on the moon.
