The Agency (PC)

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It's funny, and looks like loads of fun.

Supplementing the humorous tone is an accessible combat system that's heavy on the fun and light on the fiddling about. Yes, it's an MMO, with classes (called roles in the game) and avatar stat progression, but Sony has obviously worked hard on making the game as far from fantasy MMOs like WoW as it can.

To this end, there won't be any skill bars at the bottom of the screen. You'll only ever manage a couple of skills at any one time. The rest will be automatically detected by the game world. If you go up to a locked door, for example, it will check your equipment and abilities in order to determine what option to present to the player. You might have the option to pick the lock, or use a charge to blow it open, or simply kick it down, ensuring you won't have to fumble for tiny icons in order to trigger the action you want to perform.

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Sony actually likens the game to Call of Duty 4: Modern Combat. While you might baulk at the claim, what it means is that your actual skill matters - what you shoot at and how you shoot is just as important as the progression of the skills you acquire. You won't, for example, be able to sit back and rely on your superior statistics. A skilled shooter will give you a run for your money no matter how uber powerful your avatar is.

The Agency is more Call of Duty 4 than World of Warcraft

Missions are divided up into three types - A, B and C. A missions are The Agency's showcase missions, lasting up to an hour with elaborate events and effects. B missions last about half an hour, and have less stuff happening, and C missions are jump in and out, 15 minute max missions ideal for killing time and building up influence and experience.

So far we've only seen one mission live - a B mission in down town Prague. An organisation called Das Committee, made up of ex-KGB members who want to bring back the Cold War, is trying to attach bombs to four pillars underneath the German embassy. It's your job, along with some mates, to protect the pillars and prevent the brutal act of terrorism from happening.

The mission begins outside in the bustling city streets. You need to follow a bad buy without being detected in order to find out where they intend to strike. You can use a disguise to get in, or sneak in, or simply blow his brains out. If you do that, however, you'll fail the secondary objective but you can still complete the main mission.

Every mission has three completion ratings: bronze, silver and gold. A solo player will be able to get through any of the main story missions, indeed the entire game, and get a bronze rating, but the gold rating, and cool loot, can only be obtained if you bring some mates along, or you're just amazing at the game.

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