Pragmata's protagonists remind of an Indian myth

When I first caught a glimpse of Capcom's upcoming new IP and its two protagonists, I was immediately reminded of an image that most of us Indian kids grew up with - Vikram and Betaal. Drawing from Indian mythology, these two characters are the protagonists of Baital Pachisi, a Sanskrit text, which is more commonly known as Vikram-Betaal. Now, the comparison might feel far-fetched (and I don't claim otherwise), but the striking visual similarity amused me.

In Pragmata, players will take control of Hugh and Diana as they explore a lunar research station and contend with hostile robots and AI. While I did get to have a quick chat with the devs behind Capcom at Gamescom Asia 2025, I did sadly not get to posit the resemblance. With Pragmata finally releasing in 2026, I thought it was the perfect time for this article.

---

Vikram, Betaal, Hugh, Diana: Pragmata x Baital Pachisi

A summary of Baital Pachisi

In Baital Pachisi (a text comprising 25 short stories), King Vikramaditya (or Vikram) goes forth to capture a Betaal (or Vetala). The latter comes from Hindu mythology and hangs upside-down from trees. They are usually considered evil spirits and are able to take control of dead bodies.

The story loop of the text of Baital Pachisi is made up of Vikramaditya capturing Betaal, who then tells a story which culminates in a riddle. At that moment, the king has to answer if he knows the correct answer, in which case the spirit will go back to the tree. If he knows the correct answer and does not answer, then his head will burst. Only if he is unable to answer the riddle correctly can he keep Betaal. On the 25th turn, he is unable to answer the riddle and is able to break the cycle (source).

Where does Pragmata come into this?

Pragmata's unique protagonist combination of Hugh and Diana is one of the most interesting points of the game. During exploration and combat, Hugh carries Diana on his back. The latter hangs on and can hack enemies and environmental objects. While I do not know enough about Pragmata's story to analyze it, the visual of Diana on Hugh's back is strikingly similar to that of Vikram and Betaal.

The comparison between the two (Image via Capcom || Vikram Aur Betaal/Sagar Arts Ltd.)

On top of that, Hugh and Vikramaditya are both humans, but Diana and Betala are not. The former is an android while the latter is a spirit. Is this connection tenuous? From what we know currently, definitely. Nevertheless, the way Pragmata's protagonists are designed together would quickly remind anyone who knows of Baital Pachisi of the iconic duo from Indian mythology.