How to Solve Eight in Pragmata: A Complete Guide

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As you progress through Pragmata, the story begins to focus more clearly on its core themes. The rapid advancement of technology aimed at automating all human tasks eventually leads to machines replacing humans entirely. These machines, however, don’t understand why they are performing their actions.

In summary, this is the story of Idea and why they serve as the true final boss in the game. They are not driven by grand ambitions or personal motivation but are just machines following programmed instructions, trying to imitate human emotion. Your goal is to stop them.

Where is Idea Fought?

While not technically the last boss of the game, Idea is considered the final challenge that requires careful strategy to defeat. The encounter takes place at the very end of the Central Port Sector.

Fighting Idea is a significant difficulty leap compared to earlier bosses. After defeating them, the game automatically moves toward the ending, so make sure to finish any unfinished business before facing them.

How to Beat Idea

Many bosses in the game have multiple pseudo-phases, gaining new moves as their health decreases. In contrast, Idea features clearer phase changes, but some tactics remain effective throughout.

Timing your dodges is crucial. Idea attacks frequently and unexpectedly, so well-timed dodges will give you more safety. They are also covered in Dead Filament, which must be cleansed twice to remove.

Navigating their Hacking Matrix becomes more difficult in later stages, so bringing Sticky Bombs or a Code Generator is helpful. Additionally, avoid using Strike Hacking Mode often, as you want to keep the matrix open as much as possible, and it’s easy to miss opportunities to reopen it.

Phase One

In the first phase, Idea is still dangerous but less complex. Watch for their tentacle swings, which can be delayed and thus tricky to dodge. You need to cleanse the Dark Filament from Idea twice before you can hack and damage them.

Key Moves:

Tentacle Whip: The boss rushes forward, tightening their tentacles for a quick whip.
Front-and-Back Tentacle Slam: They lift their tentacles and slam in front and behind.
Dual Tentacle Sweep: They swipe with tentacles in a wide arc, then do it again after a brief delay.
Running Tentacle Sweep: At a distance, they widen their tentacles and sweep while dashing toward you.
Dark Filament Tracking Orb: They send out a slow orb, which must be dodged just before impact to avoid high damage.
Dark Filament Burst: They charge up, creating a red aura, then unleash a large explosion.
Charged Dash: They gather tentacles into a single point and dash forward quickly.

Phase Two

Once you lower their health sufficiently, Idea locks you in place and initiates a hacking mini-game to escape. They then enter their second phase, becoming more aggressive with expanded tentacle attacks, including new follow-up moves. They can also block your attacks.

Key Moves:

Dark Filament Suction Burst: They absorb Dark Filament, dragging Hugh along, exploding if you don’t run away.
Tentacle Whip Follow-Up: After the whip, they perform a quick second attack.
Dark Filament Spikes: They slam into the ground, creating red circles, then erupt spikes.
Front-and-Back Tentacle Slam: Similar to phase one but with faster, 360-degree sweeps.
Tentacle Shield: They block all damage, which can be canceled with a hack.

Lowering their health again causes them to lock you in place for another mini-game; this does not advance to phase three.

Phase Three

When their health drops below 50%, phase three begins. A quick cutscene shows them with a red circle behind them. They gain one new move but keep all previous attacks.

The major change is in their Hacking Matrix, filled with red sections that keep filling and shifting slots. Standing in a slot that fills completely results in an error that resets your hack progress.

Using Sticky Nodes and the Code Generator makes this phase easier. During blocking moves, the red areas covering the tentacles are more significant but less likely to shift, allowing you to plan your moves better.

Key Move:

Dark Filament Spike Deployment: They hover and send down spikes that remain as obstacles, removable with a cleanse.

The boss fight concludes after a final activation of the Overdrive Protocol, leading to victory and a short post-battle scene before the credits roll, serving more as a victory lap than a real challenge.