The Agency: Overview
SOE’s new Seattle office makes their debut on the MMORPG scene with their espionage themed MMORPG/FPS The Agency. The Agency is set in a stylized modern day world where you live the life of a super spy as part of two unique factions: U.N.I.T.E. (United Nations Intelligence and Tactical Experts) or ParaGON (Paramilitary Global Operations Network).
U.N.I.T.E. agents are a bit more discreet, inspired by the likes of James Bond, they make use of tons of gadgets, sneaking around and a bit more subtlety. When a U.N.I.T.E. agent carries out a mission, usually they are in and out and no one is the wiser.
ParaGON agents, on the other hand, are a bit more unconventional. Agents of ParaGON are more like mercenaries and will take the more straightforward approach when it comes to their missions. You’ll be going in guns blazing and making good use of explosives!
Gameplay options in The Agency are quite varied and range from tasks of assassination, mini games, and even reconnaissance missions where subtlety is key and raising your marks suspicions could spell dire consequences. Vehicles are also present in The Agency and serve as more than tools to be used in travel, expect the same sort of craziness found in your favorite spy movies as The Agency is inspired by things from all throughout the espionage genre.
Truly unique to The Agency are the concept of Operatives, or as Lead Designer Hal Milton likes to refer to them, “living loot” these Operatives can be collected throughout the game and tasked with various goals which they will act out regardless of whether you are playing or not. These operatives can be used in a pinch to help you get through an area during a mission, or for lengthier tasks, like acquiring a car for you. Operatives can also be traded with other players, and even be killed in action!
There are a series of philosophies behind The Agency, one being that of “Fun Now, No Waiting”. Much of the gameplay is designed around being able to get right in and play. Even if you don’t have the time to go on a full blown mission you can enjoy mini games available within the game world for some quick fun. The other is “You Are What You Wear,” switching classes in The Agency consists simply of changing outfits. If you need to sneak around, get into your stealth outfit, plan on going into all out combat? Get into your tactical gear. Even disguise like outfits called “aliases” are available within the game to be used in reconnaissance style missions.
Combat in The Agency is in real time, and consists mainly of FPS style gameplay. Lead Designer, Hal Milton has stressed that the gunplay present in The Agency will not be tacked on but will be fully featured and fleshed out, at it’s core the game is a shooter with RPG conventions layered on top of it, not a RPG with shooting mechanics tacked on. A headshot is a headshot in The Agency this applies to Player versus Player combat as well.
SOE plans to release The Agency for both the PC and Playstation 3.
