The Secret World's Illuminati "all about the acquisition of power"

The Secret World Illuminati week has drawn to a close, revealing details of the power-hungry third faction's recruitment, ranking and character profile.

In a rundown on Illuminati recruiting and ranking missions on MMORPG.com, Funcom revealed that players will have to find their own way to the faction's headquarters in New York, having undergone psychological testing.

The Illuminati are ruthless and do not accept failure, so members need to outdo their fellows in order to advance. One ranking mission has players digging up dirt on an up-and-coming politician over whom the Illuminati wants control. What the player finds is a trap set by the Dragon - and the real test begins as they attempt to escape.

Speaking to IGN, lead content designer Joel Bylos said the Illuminati aren't supposed to be the bad guys of the game, despite their fixation on amassing wealth and power.

"The Illuminati are all about the acquisition of power and if that entails some ethical flexibility then so be it," he explained.

"All of the factions are engaged in the war against the rising darkness. This is the central conflict of the game and the factions will find themselves unlikely alliances as they battle this rising darkness. Even the Illuminati, who are perhaps the most openly selfish of the factions, recognize this threat to their plans for the future and stand firm against it."

Asked what sort of player might succeed within the Illuminati, Bylos said anyone who can live by the guideline "he who has the money, makes the rules".

"Anyone who believes that it is the right of the few who have seized the opportunity to decide the fate of the world for the many, anyone who has ever heard about the invisible puppet masters of the world and thought, 'Me too!'" he said.

Johnny's going to join the Illuminati when The Secret World launches in April, exclusively for PC. The Illuminati are the bitter rivals of the Templars, the VG247 guild of choice for everyone else.