Games

More Agency Details

Spy MMO let's you create your own intelligence organization

By Andrei Dumitrescu, Games Editor

20th of March 2008, 09:47 GMT

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The Agency was announced last year as a shooter MMO coming to both the PC and the PlayStation 3. Sony Online Entertainment hasn't released any new details for a while now. But designer and lead writer Matt Staroscik laid out much of the game structure in a recent Eurogamer interview.

The Agency

is mainly a shooter in which the player, as an elite secret agency operative, is tasked with executing certain missions that usually involve taking out some bad guys bent on ruling the world. The game will feature other challenges at certain points, like covert espionage missions where stealth is key, and even some car races, but the main attraction of the game will be in its shooter aspect. There are two sides you can choose, UNITE or Paragon, and 3 different roles, which are the Agency's equivalent to classes, except that players can switch them at any time without penalties.

The part where The Agency wants to differentiate itself is with the option allowing players to set up their own intelligence agencies. After you've spent some time with the game you'll be allowed to recruit certain NPCs as your agents. They'll have various skills and abilities and fully fleshed back stories. More importantly they'll be able to work while you are not playing. They can research things while you are off-line, they can obtain intelligence data and can even aid in the combat portion of the game. This offers an extra layer of management and strategy on top of the shooter game, which should keep players well occupied as they get into the game.

The game isn't aiming for realism, according to Staroscik, but doesn't feel cartoon like either. It is over the top in the way it emphasizes the features of the agents and the threats posed by the bad guys, but that's really OK because, after all, we're looking at a game.

The main unknown regarding The Agency at this point is how the game will charge players. A business model has yet to be announced, but Staroscik thinks entry barriers should be kept as low as possible. Another unknown is whether PS3 players of the game will be able to interact with the PC players. But this will likely be made clear when the game goes in beta later in 2008.

TAGS:

The Agency | MMO | PS3 | PC | SOE

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