- Publisher: D3Publisher
- Release Date: Mar 25, 2008
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 3
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Dark Sector can best be described as a game born out of a formula. To create this game, you will need 2 parts Gears of War, 1 part Resident Evil, and a dash of X-Men. It is totally easy to rip this game to shreds based on this description. But as you play this game, something unexpected happens: you find yourself having an amazing amount of fun.
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One should go into the title with the knowledge that there isn't much of a story, and some of the gameplay can get pretty frustrating.
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So much effort went into replicating the glaive's flight and awe-inspiring kills that every other aspect of Dark Sector took a noticeable hit in quality and polish, save for the visuals. Remove the glaive, and this game's appeal drops below mediocrity into a rinse-and-repeat nightmare.
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Dark Sector goes for gore and glory, but does better spattering blood than it does applying polish. Despite a number of original elements and a fairly solid gameplay core, the game isn’t able to add substantially to the formula and mechanics it’s borrowed from other games in the genre.
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyThe first few levels drag a bit, but by the time you hold your full suite of special abilities, the combat really clicks. [May 2008, p.80]
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Outside of the glaive, the game boasts little that feels original, although Hayden’s sprinting ability is intentionally difficult to control, which adds makes the simple act of running more challenging.
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GameplayerAll the pieces are there, it’s just missing that magic spark that turns a good game into a great one.
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Dark Sector's ultimate error is that it still can't quite shake off its tag of "just another generic action shooter." But it sure as hell gives it a try. [Apr 2008, p.82]
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games(TM)There’s plenty of fun to be had here, but we’re pretty sure you’ll forget all about it once Epic’s hugely anticipated sequel arrives later this year. [Apr 2008, p.120]
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Dark Sector isn't a bad game but its considerable potential is squandered thanks to some iffy design decisions and inconsistent gameplay.
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Dark Sector is bipolar rollercoaster ride that tops out at gorgeous, innovative, and striking (glaive, visuals, virus powers) and bottoms out at a bland, unoriginal, and buggy (gunplay, storyline, melee attacks). The extremes are both high and low, but at least Digital Extremes has a solid base moving forward to the inevitable sequel.
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Dark Sector is a good game that has some great hooks, such as the wonderful glaive and a powerful shotgun. It's unfortunate that other elements, such as unpolished combat and some very generic NPCs, undermine its ambition (though they don't render the game unplayable).
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X-ONE Magazine UKThe game lulls into tedium's lukewarm embrace far too often for its own good. [Issue#31, p.85]
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What should have been a solid enough third-person action title is ultimately let down by game design glitches and AI bugs, not to mention an over-reliance on the glaive that cheapens the experience.
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So in essence then, Dark Sector contains some good ideas, some quite obviously stolen ones and for a game that has spent 4 years in development it feels a tiny bit disappointing and seriously lacking in fine tuning or play-testing.
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Edge MagazineA Frankenstein’s monster that actually works. Its mind is sound, its looks beautiful, its sutures invisible and its stolen parts functional in all the intended ways. It has no soul, of course, nor distinct personality, but that’s the nature of the beast. [May 2008, p.88]
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Play MagazineShooter fans may not respect it, but they will enjoy it. [May 2008, p.54]
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The game has some nice action, original weapons and funny endbosses. The game isn't very original though, and it's more of the same. So if you are bored to death and have some money left, then Dark Sector could be a nice solution. But don't expect an earthquake in this genre.
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You might get three days of amusement out of it instead of only two. Wouldn’t that be something? Not too shabby for game built around a prop from a twenty five year old movie that nobody’s ever heard of. Not bad at all.
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What it lacks is the spark that elevates a merely decent game to greatness, but it's still a fun time for people who dig the duck and shoot style gameplay.
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It does exactly what a game is supposed to: It entertains throughout its duration, it flexes the muscle of both the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, and above all it squeezes your testosterone gland just enough to make the gaming experience enjoyable.
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Definitely the type of game to park your brain in neutral, play and enjoy without expecting too much from it.
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Xbox World 360 Magazine UKLacks the punch or variety to be a serious contender in the crowded shooter genre. [May 2008, p.86]
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Dark Sector just has so much unfulfilled potential. The ideas are there, they just aren’t executed well.
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There's no real need for repeat playthroughs, nor will the urge be there once you've finished it the first time. Multiplayer is a great addition, but it surely won't attract the crowds that Halo and CoD consistently pull in, thus making it a (most likely) unfortunate dud.
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The main problem is that the online modes take the one element that everyone will want to muck about with - the glaive - then all but remove it from the equation.
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Unless you are a die hard shooter fan who craves any and all titles, this game, while not a must have, is still an enjoyable title that would be a good addition to your library.
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It's initially quite good, until the horrible story and unnecessary puzzles drag it down.
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Dark Sector assumes you’ve played a metric ton of games. And even if you have, you’re still likely to get confused and frustrated. Some kind of hint when you’re clearly not grasping it would’ve gone a long way toward easing the pain.
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The Glaive works well and is rather satisfying to use but this is offset by the old school use of ammo crates and parts of levels being sealing off, making it as linear as they come.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 95 out of 155
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Mixed: 38 out of 155
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Negative: 22 out of 155
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AndrewS.Apr 2, 2008
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Mar 8, 2011
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Jan 24, 2011