Meet The Agency's two factions: ParaGON and U.N.I.T.E.
by Griffin McElroy 
on May 17th 2008 8:45PM
35
It has been our experience that all great spy organizations come in rivaling pairs -- take, for example, SD-6 and the CIA, CONTROL and KAOS, UNITY and H.A.R.M., and of course, the aptly titled Spy vs. Spy. Sony Online Entertainment's much anticipated MMO for the PS3, The Agency, appears to follow the conventions of spy fiction by including two main factions players must choose between: The United Nations Intelligence and Tactical Experts (U.N.I.T.E.) and The Paramilitary Global Operations Network (ParaGON).
The above trailer is a delicious morsel of the espionage-heavy atmosphere featured in the title, but it doesn't do much to persuade us to either side. We mean, enlisting in a spy organization is serious business -- does U.N.I.T.E. have dental? What kind of insurance policy does ParaGON provide? We've heard good things about U.N.I.T.E.'s retirement options, but can we afford to miss out on ParaGON's frequent company picnics to Dollywood? Decisions, decisions!
Reader Comments (35)
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:03PM LaughingTarget said
They'd better be careful about using the name United Nations in anything after what the real UN did to the web game Nation States.
Reply
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:15PM lessthankris said
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:26PM (Unverified) said
If it's for Playstation 3, why does it then show a PC platform icon at the end of the video just below the title "The Agency"?
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Posted: May 17th 2008 9:29PM (Unverified) said
its going to be released for both PS3 and PC...
Reply
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:34PM (Unverified) said
What the hell is wrong with the world...
We have people trying to boost their self-steem by posting "FIRST!1" even when at times they aren't....then we have people feel bad over what a videogame tells them....WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!
Next thing you know, we are going to be hijacking cars simply because we saw it on a videogame...oh wai...
Reply
We have people trying to boost their self-steem by posting "FIRST!1" even when at times they aren't....then we have people feel bad over what a videogame tells them....WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!
Next thing you know, we are going to be hijacking cars simply because we saw it on a videogame...oh wai...
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:39PM (Unverified) said
What the hell is wrong with the world...
We have people trying to boost their self-steem by posting acting better than everyone else even when at times they aren't....then we have people who over-analyze every single little thing....WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!
Next thing you know, we are going to believe everything fox news shoves down our throats simply because we saw it on a tv...oh wai...
Reply
We have people trying to boost their self-steem by posting acting better than everyone else even when at times they aren't....then we have people who over-analyze every single little thing....WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!
Next thing you know, we are going to believe everything fox news shoves down our throats simply because we saw it on a tv...oh wai...
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:43PM (Unverified) said
So it will have a Single player storyline too or those are NPCs?
Reply
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:44PM Dr said
And of course, soma fm's Secret Agent channel is required listening while you wait for the game...
http://somafm.com/play/secretagent
Reply
http://somafm.com/play/secretagent
Posted: May 17th 2008 9:53PM (Unverified) said
"does U.N.I.T.E. have dental? What kind of insurance policy does ParaGON provide?"
It's based in Europe, you don't have to worry about these things.
Reply
It's based in Europe, you don't have to worry about these things.
Posted: May 18th 2008 11:07AM GenGrievous said
Over here in Europe you still have to pay a monthly insurance fee, it's mandatory. I pay 110 euros a month.
Reply
Posted: May 17th 2008 10:24PM LaughingTarget said
Wow, check it out, Ronald McDonald fell in that spring Ranma did.
Reply
Posted: May 17th 2008 10:26PM (Unverified) said
Damn, I was expecting Elite Beat Agents 2 footage.
Wrong agency, I guess...
Reply
Wrong agency, I guess...
Posted: May 17th 2008 10:45PM (Unverified) said
Well, I don't know about u guyz, but that was a boring trailer ...
Reply
Posted: May 17th 2008 10:58PM Vegeta has a ps3 said
I do like how the game looks, but the actual gameplay is a bit mehish.
Yeah I realize it's an MMO, but it's just so disappointing when you go from a highly stylized cutscene, to slow MMO type gameplay.
Reply
Yeah I realize it's an MMO, but it's just so disappointing when you go from a highly stylized cutscene, to slow MMO type gameplay.
Posted: May 18th 2008 9:19AM (Unverified) said
Can I please be the first to point out yet another "let's nab popular ideas" bandwagon for Sony. Anyone see the chainsaw bayonet near the end of the video? Hmm where have I seen that before.
Originality Sony, that's what your missing.
Reply
Originality Sony, that's what your missing.
Posted: May 18th 2008 1:09PM uberartist said
How about all over Warhammer 40K for the past 2 decades? (you think chainsaws on guns are original?)
Reply
Posted: May 18th 2008 9:18AM (Unverified) said
Wow, it looks great (up until they show the gameplay footage, which looks generic. )
Its cool to see a MMO that seems to be actually modelling an entire city... I always wanted a fantasy MMO to go that route. (warhammer city rocked, you could RPG for decades without ever leaving that one city).
Plus I love anything remotely NOLF (in the absence of a new NOLF game :-( ).
Reply
Its cool to see a MMO that seems to be actually modelling an entire city... I always wanted a fantasy MMO to go that route. (warhammer city rocked, you could RPG for decades without ever leaving that one city).
Plus I love anything remotely NOLF (in the absence of a new NOLF game :-( ).
Posted: May 18th 2008 10:13AM WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco said
The trailer made the gameplay look weak.
And the whole "show someone cracking his knuckles four times in a row" thing isn't cool anymore.
Reply
And the whole "show someone cracking his knuckles four times in a row" thing isn't cool anymore.
Posted: May 18th 2008 10:29AM Jomolungma said
This is actually a tough choice. UNITE has Cassidy, but paraGON has TWO chicks, and Roundup dresses in chaps! I guess it comes down to which girls you'd rather bang, and which side gives you the best shot at accomplishing that feat. After all, haven't decades of James Bond movies shown us that that is really what being a spy is all about?
Reply
Posted: May 18th 2008 10:35AM Triforceowner said
Joystiq, you need to talk to whoever is setting up those ads on your website, because the one that is full screen when I want to reply specifically to someone's comment (the one with the hummingbird) does not allow you to continue on to your website. I love Joystiq and just want to improve the site through my input. I figure someone will see this comment in here.
Reply
Posted: May 18th 2008 11:41AM Korova Pamplona said
its really not working as an advertising. All it does is associate anger with the product.
FUCK IT, WE'LL DO IT LIVE!!!
Reply
FUCK IT, WE'LL DO IT LIVE!!!
Posted: May 18th 2008 12:37PM Lone Starr said
Are these seriously the best faction names they could come up with?
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Posted: May 18th 2008 3:06PM refinedsugar said
This line has been disconnected by order of UNATCO.
Reply
Posted: May 18th 2008 6:27PM (Unverified) said
I know you console players are probably pretty excited for this MMO, but don't get your hopes up. As a PC gamer who has played many SOE MMOs, they WILL fuck it up.
No ifs, ands, or buts. SOE has screwed up so many MMOs that it's pretty unbelievable.
Reply
No ifs, ands, or buts. SOE has screwed up so many MMOs that it's pretty unbelievable.
Posted: May 18th 2008 11:39PM (Unverified) said
Except... it looks like Team Fortress 2.
Wait a minute....
Reply
Wait a minute....
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