Ever since we laid eyes on our first James Bond movie, we've dreamed of being a secret agent, jet setting to exotic locations and killing enemies using high-tech gadgets. Numerous Bond games helped us fulfill our fantasies, but SOE's The Agency expands the concept into a massively-multiplayer online game in which you select a faction, customize your character and then complete a series of dangerous missions in a world populated by thousands of other players.

Unlike other MMOs, which feature laborious learning curves, SOE designed The Agency for all types of gamers, even the ones that can't sit still or just want 30 minutes of action. You go in, choose a faction (Unite or Paragon) and then customize your character, adding slick threads (a stylish tuxedo) and sweet equipment (exploding lipstick, perhaps). From there, you enter the game world and immediately begin life as a sneaky, secret agent, accepting missions and traveling to the game's three enormous environments (Europe, Central America and the Far East). When you feel the need to interact with people, there's always player versus player (PVP), where you hop onto a map and annihilate opponents in at the maximum 64 vs. 64 player skirmishes.

There are numerous reasons to love this game that go beyond the simple concept of being a spy. For starters, it comes with six character classes that you can switch on the fly. So instead of creating separate characters ala World of Warcraft, you can create one spy and simply switch outfits. Even better, each costume levels independently.

In addition, SOE plans to send you updates when you're away, either via email or your cell phone. Here's how it works. Let's say you assign an NPC to build you a sexy, tricked out sports car. When it's finished, this character will send you a text or an email. Taking it a step further, you can dispatch fellow NPC agents into the field (called the Operative System) to complete missions, and they'll let you know what happens, whether they successfully busted a drug lord or got captured and need rescuing. If that happens, you may receive a message asking if you want to save this NPC or let it die. Opting to save it may open up a new, in-game mission, giving you something to look forward to the next time you play the game.

We're also excited about the numerous badges. Instead of collecting achievements in Xbox 360 games, you earn badges. And to encourage replaying missions, SOE awards you bronze, silver and gold medals depending on your performance. The theory is players will want to go back and re-experience missions to score flashier medals and badges.

Bottom line, The Agency looks sweet and we can't wait to create spies and kill evildoers. Look for more sneaky coverage in the footage.

Related Links

The Agency (PC) Game Guide

The Agency (PS3) Game Guide