E3 10 Quick Impressions: The Agency

My first appointment at E3 was with Sony Online Entertainment and I was introduced to The Agency, a team based massively multiplayer online shooter.

The core design philosophy behind the gameplay revolves around the “you are what you wear” principle, as I was introduced to the Recon (sniper) class, a fast mover but hindered by weak vitality. One of the main features allows players the ability to tag and target an enemy player on the battlefield and make them visible to everyone on the team. The Oracle feature can be unlocked after accumulating a certain number of experience which can then pinpoint and detect all the enemy players on the map for a brief period of time. The ability is also shared amongst your teammates. In addition, the Hot Foot Tactical Insertion can utilize a teammate’s position in order to quickly provide cover support, get into the heat of action, and even a tactical revive.

Different game modes include PvP and PvE so far, allowing players to combat either enemy A.I. or people playing the game. Yet, the developers stress that The Agency really excels when playing with a live team. The Agency supports a variety of gameplay tactics and is seen in the diversity of the five different player roles and the structuring of the levels. After playing through a hands-on demonstration, it is evident that this is no longer the same title that appeared last year. I attacked one of the capture-the-point game modes through the PS3 version and the controls feel responsive and intuitive, not one action felt out of place and it was easy to pick up and learn after an accessible learning curve. The genre blend of RPG, shooter, and MMO are intertwined quite nicely. The game occasionally switches to a third person shooter when you enter cover, but the majority of the game is focused through the lens of a first-person perspective.

The Agency is available for PC and PS3 platforms.