MMORPG.com writer Alan Smithee had some hands-on time with SOE's spy-based MMORPG, The Agency at their booth at E3.

At E3, we were able to get a new look at SOE's upcoming shooter MMO The Agency. The regular PvE experience was not on display; instead we got to see and play PvP multiplayer for the first time. The demo takes place in the Black Abbey, a three-point assault map, set in a monastery in Venice. Each of the three main areas (a courtyard, library, and a submarine drydock) are captureable and serve as respawn points. One side's goal is to detonate the sub (it's rigged with explosives) and "sink" the monastery; the other side tries to protect it.

Combat is fluid and fast and better than I expected - there was no noticeable lag, even when the screen was filled with multiple players and particle effects. The game feels indistinguishable from a regular shooter, with very few MMO conventions in evidence. Headshots are automatic crits. Players use WASD and a mouse to move and shoot, and Ctrl to get into cover... and that's about it. The cover system is handled very well, allowing players to duck and hide behind objects when under heavy fire, while still allowing them to peek/lean out and take the occasional potshot.

Read E3 Hands On Impressions.