The text below was published on the PlayStation Blog Brazil.
Capcom is set to make waves at Gamescom 2025 with three major releases scheduled for 2026: Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword. I had the chance to play all three—evading monsters, sabotaging robotic enemies, and slashing through demons. Let’s dive in.
Resident Evil Requiem
In the ninth mainline Resident Evil game, launching February 27, Capcom aims to return to where it all began: Raccoon City. The announce trailer focuses on FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft. I played the Resident Evil Requiem reveal demo in June, which directly ties into the trailer.
The hands-on demo lets players switch between first- and third-person perspectives. As a fan of Capcom’s intense survival horror experience in Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, I opted for first-person. It began with Grace upside-down, strapped to a gurney. After freeing herself, she found herself in an empty hospital room—where I took control.
Exploring dark, narrow corridors revealed locked doors and a gate that promised freedom in a clean, well-lit area. All I needed was a fuse to open it—classic Resident Evil, complete with keys to find and puzzles to solve. But as I crept through the claustrophobic space, a hulking creature in a strained hospital gown appeared, forcing me to hide in the shadows.
Just like RE7, you hear the monster hunting you through tight spaces as you gather vital items. I strained to reach a high toolbox using a wheeled cart, causing objects to crash down loudly. I found a bottle and tossed it into a far corner with Square, hoping to distract the beast before it spotted me.
Eventually, I needed to slip past it in a narrow corridor to access the fuse. I hit switches to cut all the lights, darting through undetected. But just as I grabbed the fuse, the creature dropped from the ceiling, grabbing Grace and sinking its teeth hard into her shoulder.
Luckily, I’d found a Green Herb earlier. I restored her health while dashing to the gate to install the fuse. When the demo ended, my knuckles were white and jaw clenched. This brief preview delivered immense tension and major scares—exactly like I loved in RE7.
Pragmata
Pragmata is a new IP from Capcom, releasing February 27. This third-person shooter puts players in a space suit as protagonist Hugh Williams, investigating a lunar station overrun by killer robots. Luckily, Hugh has backup from Diana—a girl-like android who can sabotage enemies.
Pragmata’s combat mixes frantic shooter action with quick-thinking puzzles. Robots Hugh faces resist weapons, but Diana can remotely sabotage them to disable defenses. The sabotage interface uses a grid: players must navigate to a green node blocking the target. You move a cursor with Square, Triangle, Circle, and Cross buttons, navigating specific directional paths.
Each battle tests reflexes, as you solve this in real-time while dodging attacks. It’s fun and tense—like disarming a bomb while playing dodgeball.
After minutes of puzzles to reach the bridge, the demo climaxes in a unique Gamescom-first boss fight against a massive robot with missiles and turbo thrusters. To evade attacks, I constantly dodged using Hugh’s limited thrusters while timing sabotage attempts. I succeeded thanks to an energy net launcher that slows enemies. When the opening came, I blasted the boss with a powerful shotgun. But beyond Hugh’s pistol, all Pragmata weapons break when ammo runs out—forcing scavenging alternatives.
Beating the boss required rapid repositioning and precise sabotage timing. This highlights Pragmata’s twist on third-person action: a minigame heightening both systems into exhilarating combat.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the fifth entry in Capcom’s long-running third-person action series. This inaugural hands-on showcased subtle combat mechanics players must master—and how cohesively they integrate into play.
Square and Triangle execute light and heavy sword strikes, but defense reigns supreme: pressing L1 just as an enemy attack lands parries them. You can also use L1+Square to deflect blows and destabilize foes. Alternatively, timing your strike to intercept an incoming attack triggers a high-risk, high-reward counter—the Issen.
Each defensive technique has unique utility: parrying upgrades your sword for stronger attacks, deflections drain enemy stamina, and zero stamina triggers a vulnerable Issen Break state for devastating executions. Issen counters deal huge damage but are hard to land (I nailed just one).
I fought through a Genma-demonic village assault, cutting down swordsmen, archers, and supernatural horrors. After learning the ropes, I faced Musashi’s rival: Sasaki Ganryu. Both wield Oni Gauntlets—powerful artifacts that absorb souls from fallen enemies. With enough souls, R1 unleashes a potent Oni Attack.
Sasaki was faster and tougher than any Genma, demanding quick reflexes and multiple parries. Deflecting his combos drained his stamina for Issen Breaks, synergizing defensive options: parrying to strengthen my sword amplified damage after a deflection-triggered execution. Boss fights even offer strategic execution choices—prioritizing massive damage or soul absorption for healing.
After swift parries and brutal finishers, I bested Sasaki. Onimusha: Way of the Sword’s blistering combat intensity delivered pulse-pounding demo battles that’ll make action fans sweat.
With three stellar demos, Capcom made waves at Gamescom 2025—and its 2026 catalogue will boast a fine selection of experiences.
