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You WANT to love it but...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 15 / 17
Date: March 28, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Finally the long awaited Dark Sector has hit the shelves and sadly it just came short of meeting HALF of its expectations. Visually the game is phenomenal but unfortunately there's only so much scenery can do for the entertainment value of a game. The story is very cliché and lacks the ability to really get you involved and suck you in; for the most part Hayden (who you play as) comes off as a very one-dimensional character with your cliché "past that haunts him" so nothing new on that front. As far as game play goes, the movements are extremely stiff which makes aiming a really big pain especially when the enemy AI is hardly existent yet so hard to eliminate. The glaive; honestly, it's awesome the first few times you kill with it but sooner rather than later you'll get sick of it and it just becomes annoying to maneuver and even more annoying when you try to run up to an enemy to hit them with it and for some odd reason it does NOTHING the first 2 tries so you get hit THEN it works.
So overall I'm sad to say this game was a HUGE let down for me because I, like a lot of you I'm sure, have been anticipating this game since back when Xbox 360 was still labeled Xbox 2. Definitely worth a glimpse but I don't think it quite deserves it's spot on your shelve next to those other long awaited titles that actually delivered. Rent don't buy.

worth the wait!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 13
Date: March 26, 2008
Author: Amazon User

if you remember back even before the 360 launched, this was actually the very first next gen game announced. it was originally intended to be a launch title. 2 and a half years later we finally get the game. and believe me, it was worth the wait.

the cover system is very reminiscent of Gears of War with 3rd person shooter controls very similar to the previously mentioned GoW and Resident Evil 4. masterfully combine those shooter elements with upgradable supernatural abilities including a razor sharp disk that can decapitate enemies in a single throw. it can also be combined with different elements including electricity.

there is a very interesting story behind your character and the world around you. the planet is in such a dark and desolate state. how did the world come to this point? who or what are you? what role will you play in the events about to unfold? play to find out.

the graphics are stunning even on a SDTV. textures and lighting equal to any other AAA title on the system(CoD4/Bioshock). Animations run very smoothly with great effects to compliment it all. the sight of your electified blade is priceless.

there is online play, but i cant comment on that since i havent played that part yet. the single player alone is well worth the price though. mainly recommended to hardcore action/shooter fans.

Well done, but a lot of frustration...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: April 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I'll say this... Dark Sector reminded me heavily of a very popular game and movie franchise combined with a little known anime franchise.

Of course I'm referring to Resident Evil, and the anime is The Guyver.

The creators of the game seemed to have both of these in mind when they put it together.

The story is pretty basic. You play Hayden, a secretive special operative working for the CIA. You've been tasked with finding a fellow operative in a fictional country in Eastern Europe.

The prologue sets the scene for the rest of the game. After finding and `liberating' your fellow operative, you're set upon a strangely armoured figure (very reminiscent of the Guyver), and upon the orders of a man named Mezner, the figure infects Hayden with a disease that begins to mutate him.

His right arm, shoulder and part of his torso becomes metallic, and he gains a three bladed throwing disk called a glaive, which is an extension of his own body.

Ok, enough spoilers regarding the plot. If you want to learn more, you'll have to search online or play the game yourself.

The game is cut into ten specific chapters, each one of varying degrees of difficulty and length. Some I found very easy to play through, others were far more difficult and even considerably longer than others.

Believe it or not, that was one of the highpoints of the game for me. Most of the games I've played since I got my 360 back in Christmas of 2007 have been very short. Five to seven hours is what it typically would take me to beat most of the games I've played.

So, when I come across a game that takes longer for me to beat, I'm quite pleased.

Anyhow, as the game progresses, you learn to utilize your newly discovered powers in a varying of ways. Your glaive can absorb different types of elemental energy when it's encountered, such as fire, electricity and cold (is cold a type of energy? I thought it was lack of energy - sorry, I digress).

You can use this stored energy for a limited time and it will affect not only the enemies you encounter, but the environment as well. In fact, it will be necessary to use the elements around you from time to time to progress through the game.

The game does involve a little bit of puzzle solving. There are times throughout each level you'll have to figure out how to open certain doors, cross water, put out fires, or even keep the elemental power of your glaive on long enough to get to the next area.

It could get a little frustrating at times, especially when you have to do the whole `bullet' time with your glaive in order to control it's trajectory in flight so you can use it to unlock doors or absorb elemental energy.

Still, this whole bullet time where you can radically control your glaive has its uses, especially when you want to get the decapitation achievement.

You will also get a variety of weapons to use through the game, and you'll be able to pick up the weapons your enemy drop after you defeat them. This, however, has a major drawback. The weapons that you pick up from your enemies will last only a short period of time before they short out because of your condition and you'll be forced to drop them.

However, it is a great way to conserve ammo. Grab dropped weapons and then you can empty them, without burning through your limited supply of ammunition. And there are times you'll find yourself running out, and it can be very frustrating.

So, speaking of weapons, you can choose from a variety of handguns, assault rifles and shotguns.

You'll start out with a basic handgun to use in conjunction with your glaive, but as the game progresses you'll discover Rubles lying around in various spots on the map. You can pick the money up and use it occasionally in the underground black market to purchase different types of handguns and rifles.

Which brings me to weapon upgrades. On top of finding money, you'll find weapon upgrades (which appear as metallic attaché cases through the game) that you can use to modify your weapons in the black market. These range from increased fire rate, magazine capacity, stopping power and reload time. I know I'm missing a few, so please forgive the lack of complete information.

Oh, and lets not forget that you find grenades quite often. Perfect for forcing your enemies out into the open, or getting past them when they're hunkered down behind cover.

Before I forget, your glaive has one very handy feature. It can be used to snatch up items such as ammo, money or dropped weapons at a distance. Use it well, use it often. I loved that particular feature.

As for the enemies you encounter, it breaks down into four types... the mutants, the soldiers, the armour and the bosses.

Each and every type of enemy has its strength and weaknesses. Soldiers have the advantage of tactics and ranged attacks, where as the mutants can swarm and stun you. Bosses... the bosses are an exercise in both frustration and futility. I won't lie to you, I had to go online each time I ran into a boss to figure out how to defeat it.

Once you learn how, it's not too difficult, but good luck trying to figure it out on your own. And be prepared to spend at least an hour defeating the finale boss in the game.

The graphics were standard for what I've come to expect from Xbox 360 games. They were very well done. The lighting was terrible in places, and it only helped heighten the mood and feel of the game.

The environment looked exactly as it was supposed to... dirty, worn down, dark, old... it was perfectly done and suited the game wonderfully.

And, since I'm on the subject of graphics, I'll tell you right now, some of the kills you made with your glaive are very gory. You will lop off limbs, decapitate your enemy and the blood will fly.

If you're squeamish, this game won't be for you, I can tell you that right now.

Some of the games I've played recently had really good soundtracks. This game, there was nothing at all that struck me as memorable, so I can't really say anything about it other than it was simply there.

Oh, and I almost forgot, the ever present cut scenes. They definitely were well done, and I was quite surprised to see that the actor who did the voice for Hayden was none other than Michael Rosenbaum. You know, Lex Luthor from Smallville?

One last thing about the game play that I forgot to mention earlier. You do get to pilot a vehicle at least twice in the game, and unlike many of the games I've played where you pilot a car, tank, helicopter, boat, etc... this games vehicle controls were easy to handle and use. Kudos to the programmers on that aspect!

Ok, overall it was a slightly better than average game for me. I liked it, although it definitely lost marks for the bosses and the frustration that ensued in trying to defeat them.

Pros
- Longer than normal game play. Ten levels in total
- Really cool kills with the glaive.
- Lots of checkpoints.
- Well done cut scenes.
- The Glaive and the powers you gain as the game progresses.
- Easy to control vehicles.

Cons
- Extremely frustrating boss battles.
- Very little in the way of enemies to fight.
- No real destructible environment.
- End battle very long and frustrating.

Overall 3 out of 5

Beautiful....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: March 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game is gorgeous. The colors and lighting are absolutely incredible. I especially liked the lack of colors in the prologue. I felt it really showed off the game. However, as another reviewer commented, some in-game movies do look a little bit better than others. Also, I have noticed the occasional drop in frame rate.

The gameplay is very fun. My only complaint is that the controls are a bit awkward when you are steering the glaive. It just feels un-natural to hold down the RB and steer with the right analog stick. I also dislike the fact that you are unable to crouch unless taking cover. Other than that, the game is a blast to play. I played about the first three levels last night, and had to tear myself away from the game to get some sleep.

This game doesn't bring anything real innovative to the table. But if you are fans of GoW, then I would strongly recommend this game. It has a similar look and feel to it, and it is just as fun. And the glaive is an awesome new weapon!

Dark Sector: Must have for any action fan.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 14
Date: April 09, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I originally purchased Condemned 2: Bloodshot over Dark Sector because of the ratings over to GameSpot.com. Condemned received an 8.5 -- Dark Sector a 7.5.

I played Codemned for about an hour before I was bored out of my mind and I love survival horror. I have not played it since, so much for Gamespots reviews.

If you liked Resident Evil 4 then Dark Sector is right up your alley. Great graphics and fun gameplay make for an enjoyable experience. The story line is week and some levels were alot out of balance but it doesn't take away from the fun, usually after several tries you can get it. About 16-20 hours of gameplay too.

I liked it and if you're an action fan you will too. $60 well spent.

- Dan.

For me it's all about the Glaive

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 03, 2008
Author: Amazon User

In short, Dark Sector looks like Gears Of War, the same art direction, there's even a simular roadie-run. But that's where the comparison ends.
Dark Sector for me was very fun, but the game didn't start out that way,it grew on me ,then I found myself having a strong desire to replay it again on the hardest setting after I intially beat the game. At first I didn't like the game but I stuck with it and really thought it's a very good game.
Some of the boss battles at first will leave you scratching your head as what to do,but once I figured out there weak spots ,it was easy as gravy.
I actually like not being 'held by the hand' so to speak ,having the game give me hints on killing a boss.
For the most part you gotta figure it out without 'glowing parts' as hints on the bosses body, with exception the last boss.

I actually loved my second playthrough on the hardest setting ,it was pure gamer bliss.

One thing I highly,highly recommend is getting used to the 'Glaive' ,it will be by far your fav weapon in the game.
You unlock the Glaive's various abilities as you progress into the game.
I didn't find the Glaive hard to control at all,and it's really the hilight of the game.

Overall a very satisfying enjoyable game, with epic boss battles,and decent Gears Of War like scenery,Dark Sector is a solid game.

If you so choose you can use primarily use ballistic weapons ,all of which are upgradeable at various black markets you'll find in the sewers.

I like the fact that you can duel wield ,have a Gliave in one hand and a micro-machine gun in the other. I found myself using assault rifles for distance enemies ,because the Glaive does have limited range.
Think of the Glaive as a boomerang on steroids ,only it has very sharp blades. By far my fav weapon in the game.

A must play game for any gamer. PEACE

Wield the Glaive...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: March 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

First let me say that I love this game. It is extremely fun to play, the graphics are awesome (I love how the blood looks wet!), and the story/idea is intriguing. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I would like having a main weapon like the glaive, but all of the "evolutions" make it fun and interesting as the game goes on. The character changes enough throughout the game too keeps things fun as well. I do have two minor complaints. First, I wish you could crouch and I wish you could blind fire. It's funny how much you use blind fire while in cover. Second, the cutscene graphics are great sometimes, and not so great other times. Other then that, the games great. Also, don't get discouraged when you first start the game. The first three chapters are really short. After that though they are really long. The achievements are fun to try for too. Give it a try, I think you'll love it.

Much more than just a deadly boomerang

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: March 27, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have been anticipating this game based solely on the fact that it was something new and different. I originally thought the games only weapon was the glaive but I was suprised to learn that there are many other guns such as 9mm, shotguns, bust pistols, smg's and a few others. All of the guns handle really well. Force feedback and recoil feel just right. The shotgun is a beast and fun to use. You can even upgrade them in the underground market.

Using the glaive is fun too. You can behead people, cut off limbs or even jsut cut through their entire body. Blood is plentiful and the screams really make you think the soldiers had a family. Awesome. I loved lighting the glaive on fire or electrifying it and then unleashing that on the soldiers. I didn't find it as effective on the undead as I would have liked though, it didn't seem to hurt them much. The "aftertouch" kill was one of my favorites. At first I didn't think I would use that feature much but then I found myself using it a lot just to get those brutal decapitations.

The puzzle aspect of the game is subtle but challenging. I found myself on several occasions wishing I had bought a strategy guide. The boss battles were also a bit of a challenge but fun nonetheless. I didn't die a ridiculous amount of times and the finishers on the collossus are amazing. The finishers on all the soldiers are equally so. You will have a few "damnnnnnnn, that was crazy" moments when you get some good kills.

Overall I was ver satisfied. Plenty of playtime, blood, challenges, and evolving throughout the game make for a really good game that is more than enough to hold me over until GoW2. A limited (5 map, 2 modes) online gameplay adds a bit more fun as well. Go buy it!

What a great game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 18, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Great game, the online play isn't the best because of the servers. But the actual gameplay for single player campaign mode is awesome, a great story with twists in it. Gameplay is fun, I figured it would suck because of the weaponary but its above all fun. If you like Action games like Gears of War type this is a game you should check out, by far worth the price it is used.

Excellent, Fun Game, but has its flaws

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: June 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Put simply, Dark Sector is a fun game. The game has unique puzzles that incorporate the various abilities of the glaive, this unique weapon that your character "Hayden" uses throughout the game. The glaive eventually gains an ability called "aftertouch", which allows you to steer the glaive toward your enemies or objectives by taking on the third-person view of the glaive itself -- you travel along with it, in slow-motion, until it hits its intended target...and better yet, you get to see the results up-close.

The game has really smooth gameplay, and I did not encounter any bugs, defects, or poor framerate issues. The voice-acting is superb, and the sound on this game rates as "one of the best" I have ever encountered. The controls are well laid out, and as Hayden obtains more and more abilities as the game progresses, the controls never become overwhelming or confusing.

The weapon upgrade system in this game is somewhat deficient. Once an upgrade is applied to a weapon, there appears to be no way to remove it. The "blackmarket" upgrade sites are few and far between, and once you swap out a weapon from your locker, you're stuck with whatever you have, until you either backtrack or get to the next location.

The environments in the game are a mixed bag. Ultimately, this game plays a lot like Resident Evil 4, in terms of the controls and the underlying game engine. At times, the levels feel like a mix of Condemned, Resident Evil 4, Tomb Raider, and sometimes even Bioshock. Some of the levels, especially the later ones, look much better than others, a sign that development may have gone off in several different directions until they brought the final game together.

The game has a good save system, so you won't find yourself repeating sections tirelessly.

The AI is not advanced. At times, it seems all the enemies just rush you. Some of the enemies have special abilities that make them more difficult to defeat. However, the enemies come at you in very predictable waves. By the time you're 50% through the game, you can predict the patterns. Melee combat is weak.

There's a loosely woven story that keeps the game moving along. The cut-scenes are well-done. What doesn't make sense, at times, are the number of bosses that appear in the game, which seem totally unrelated to anything that is going on from Hayden's viewpoint. Most of the bosses are extremely time-consuming to figure out -- they are puzzles themselves. There are no health meters on the bosses, so you never know if what you're doing is actually working.

From a replay-value perspective, you may be compelled to play the game at least twice, since completing the single-player campaign unlocks the "brutal" difficulty, worth an achievement. There are a few achievements dedicated to online play, which this game supports. However, the online population for this game has been very small.

This game has probably been overlooked by many gamers. The environments, bosses, and gameplay may seem dated, but the glaive and its unique abilities make the game rewarding and fun. I'm glad I picked it up.

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