Agents of Mayhem Preview - E3 2016

In recent years, developers Volition have been busy creating the crazy open world Saints Row games. However, for their next project, the studio have decided to go for something a little different, albeit still set within their often-explored Saints Row universe. The game is titled Agents of Mayhem, an open world third person shooter set in a comic hero universe. We got a chance to have a first look at the game at E3, as well as play through a demo level.

Our demo was hosted by lead gameplay designer Ryan McCabe. We began with the lengthy reveal trailer, giving us a glimpse of the world in this new IP. Players take on the role of the Agents of M.A.Y.H.E.M. (the Multinational Agency for Hunting Evil Masterminds), a group of diverse Super Agents recruited to stop the evil organization L.E.G.I.O.N. (the League of Evil Gentlemen Intent on Obliterating Nations). As you might guess, this action game plans to mix humor and action just as the Saints Row franchise usually does.

The demo level took place in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the few places on Earth that has managed to rebuild after the attack from LEGION wiped out most of the civilized world. Here, the Agents of Mayhem try to maintain order and prevent further attacks. There will be 12 different agents, each with their own gameplay nuances; in the main game you are able to recruit and improve agents at HQ, interact with them and upgrade their abilities. Players choose three agents to bring on a mission; the agents' stats include range, damage, and durability. You're able to swap at any time between the three agents, so it is important to wield a balanced squad. When out of action, the two spare agents will automatically heal.

Having chosen three heroes - one balanced build, one sniper and one shotgunner, we deployed into the mission. Our objective - to protect a K-pop star AI that has arrived in Seoul, as LEGION is trying to capture her. It is as silly as it sounds, and just the sort of humor that fans might expect from Saints Row creators. Using our balanced hero, we fight through the streets - the third person shooting is surprisingly satisfying and responsive. We can use a pulse ability to quickly orient ourselves to the surrounding threats, and the special attack is a dash that lets us run through enemies, knocking them away.

As we fight our way down to a lab where the AI has requested our presence, it turns out to be a trap, and the AI wasn't really looking to be rescued. We manage to fight our way out of the building and into the nearby park where a Dark Matter Core is emitting some sort of danger. Fighting through waves of more enemies, we eventually do some platforming to reach the core and disable its defenses, later destroying it. During all of this combat, we frequently swap between characters, which is near-instant. Using the sniper for ranged combat, then the shotgunner for closer encounters. Much to the game's credit, each hero is voiced and has mission-related dialog, so it's as if all three of these heroes are actively participating, even though they aren't always on-screen.

We are informed that the AI is actually planning to marry a LEGION lieutenant called Steel Toe. This wedding must be stopped, so we make our way to the rooftop of a nearby building via convenient floating transport. Angered with our presence, the AI takes over the local electrical systems and infuses Steel Toe with strength, making him grow larger and stronger. Boss battle time! We use all three of our heroes constantly to deal damage and deploy special abilities until the large bad guy is disposed of. As the building begins to explode and collapse, we make a dramatic exit by jumping over the edge.

Heading into the demo, we weren't sure what to expect from Volition's new project. The reveal trailer and initial screenshots didn't paint an immediately engaging picture; however, having played a decent chunk of the game via our E3 demo, there is clearly some potential here. The Saints Row humor seems to be intact, while the gameplay is surprisingly fluid and enjoyable. The game's art style is also interesting to look at, mixing the likes of cel-shading and superhero cartoons. Look for Agents of Mayhem on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC in 2017.