Fresh Details for PS3 Spy Game The Agency

How clothes will make the man and what happens after you log off. First images.

Last week the first details for Sony Online Entertainment's new spy-themed online game The Agency hit the internet. On Monday, SOE confirmed work on the game and doled out a few more snippets of information.

As previously mentioned, The Agency starts you off as either a spy with the UN-backed UNITE or a mercenary with the opposing ParaGON private army.

SOE has jettisoned the traditional class system typically found in online games for something more visual. It calls this the "You are what you wear" approach. Essentially, clothing and accessories dictate your skills, letting you boost combat, support, stealth or cover abilities.

As you advance through the game, you'll build up a bigger roster of skills and be able to team up with other players to form your own agency. There are also non-playable characters called Operatives to recruit.

Operatives are persistent characters who work in the background, helping you through missions. They're persistent because they'll carry on performing duties (building vehicles, gathering intelligence, etc.) even if you log off. You'll also be able to keep track of them through e-mail or instant messages.

"Our goal," says SOE's Matt Wilson, "is to break from traditional online games and provide players with a 'fun now, no waiting' gameplay experience in a dynamic, ever-evolving online world."

The Agency is coming to both PC and PlayStation 3. You can find out more at www.theagencygameonline.com.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo