Pragmata Developers Faced “A Lot of Struggles” to Showcase Diana Android-Like Expressions

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Capcom recently shared that a key challenge in making the game Pragmata was how to convincingly portray one of the main characters, Diana, as an android to players in western countries. Director Yonghee Cho explained in an interview with Famitsu (reported by Automaton Media) that the team focused on giving Diana facial expressions unique to androids, aiming for a realistic and believable depiction.

As a big fan of Japanese games and animation, I’ve always noticed how creative character designs can be. But with Diana, it sounds like Capcom really had a tough time getting her design right. Apparently, they faced a lot of challenges, which is surprising given how much freedom artists usually have with these kinds of projects!

Game development often comes with restrictions that limit creative freedom. We specifically wanted Diana, as an android, to have a wide range of expressions that wouldn’t be possible for a human character. However, even designing her appearance proved to be quite challenging.

Animator Cho pointed out that Wonder Woman couldn’t perform the kind of outlandish physical gags seen in the manga Dr. Slump. He specifically mentioned Arale, a character known for detaching her head and carrying it around, noting how challenging it would be to replicate such a straightforward, yet bizarre, visual gag.

Cho also discussed how Pragmata was designed to appeal to players around the world, including a slightly rebellious tone. He admitted that even this proved difficult, as it required careful consideration of different cultural perspectives. He explained, “It’s surprisingly hard to get that ‘edgy’ feel right for a global audience.”

According to Cho, the goal with Pragmata‘s blend of gameplay styles is to carefully balance puzzle-solving with traditional combat. He explained that this approach is intended to prevent players from feeling overloaded while playing.

The developers aimed to create a sense of balance and tension by having players manage both Hugh’s fighting skills and Diana’s hacking, ensuring neither ability overshadowed the other. They designed the systems to work together seamlessly, creating a cohesive gameplay experience instead of feeling like separate actions.

The game Pragmata will be released on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on April 24th. Before the full launch, a demo is available on all platforms, letting players experience the puzzle and action gameplay, and get a preview of the levels and enemies. PC players can also see how path tracing technology improves the game’s graphics.

The game also received a trailer during this month’s State of Play event. Though it didn’t feature new gameplay footage, the trailer showed Hugh and Diana investigating a bizarre, holographic version of New York City. We also learned a little about Hugh’s past, including that he was raised in an orphanage.

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2026-02-19 16:41