SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Ever wanted to live the life of an elite agent in the world of international espionage? Thanks to Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), the world of jet-setting super spies and shady operatives comes to Facebook with today's launch of The Agency: Covert Ops (http://apps.facebook.com/AgencyCovertOps/), the company's first social action game.
A February 18, 2010 United States trademark submission for a design logo (Serial No. 77939244) seems to indicate that The Agency will be named The Agency: Covert Ops upon its release and indicates that the title isn't vaporware.
The Agency looks like a solid MMO shooter, with one or two stand out features that could help the game stand out from the horde of rival MMOs that are in the works. The Operative card game system certainly has our interest piqued, and the overall look and tone is pleasing to our critical eyes. Our only concern is with the combat, which could prove too basic for hardcore PS3-owning shooter fans. We'll know more when we get some hands-on with what's fast becoming the PS3's most promising MMO.
"The Agency is a new cross-platform massively multiplayer online game coming to the PlayStation 3 and PC from Sony Online Entertainment. While it may well be from the developer of EverQuest, this MMO game will swap the traditional swords, wands, and shiny armour for automatic weapons, dry martinis, and smart evening wear."
Players will enter a sharply-drawn, stylish, but none too serious world of intrigue as either a UNITE super-spy or ParaGON mercenary.
Eventually, you'll graduate to start your own agency, staffed with NPCs you can collect who will do much of the game's hard work - intelligence gathering, equipment creation - for you. We interviewed designer and lead writer Matt Staroscik to find out how things are progressing.
The odds are against PlayStation 3-to-PC cross-platform play for Sony Online Entertainment’s upcoming spy MMO, The Agency, CEO John Smedley tells Next-Gen.
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