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Dark Sector Review

by Chad Crawford March 25th 2008 2:40 PM CDT1 Comments

When games are in development for a long time, high expectations are expected to come with it. It's these same expectations that can ruin a game, but usually, great games can overcome them. Dark Sector, a game that had its beginnings in 2004, has carried that same level of hype as it has pushed towards its release.

However, Dark Sector doesn't live up to the standard put upon itself. While the game is heavily influenced by some of my favorite games ever, such as Gears of War and Resident Evil 4, Dark Sector misses that video game magic (the only way I can put it really) that those games possessed. Whether it be numerous control problems, an unsatisfying multiplayer mode, or the fact the framerate is pops in and out throughout the course of the game, Dark Sector just doesn't have that "it" factor to put if above other action games. However, the game finds its own unique identity early on, and for the most part, can be solid gaming experience for those who are craving a single-player action game.

Dark Sector's single-player is undoubtedly the game's focus, and luckily, a nice plot comes packaged with it. What starts out as a secret agent mission (similar to some games of Tom Clancy yore), quickly mutates into a zombie-filled "save the world" tale. Fast pacing and interesting twists are found in bundles, allowing the story to entice you, and immerse you more into the game than most of its actual controls will. While that sounds great for the story craving gamer, it may not be the best for those who are dieing for some superb cover-based gameplay.

Now as stated before, Dark Sector takes a lot from Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War respectively. Throughout my play with the game, constant parallels to both games were noticed. The cover mechanics of Gears is present (but not quite as effective) as well as simplistic shooting of Resident Evil 4 (but not as fun). What does seperate the game from the others though, is the eventual mutation of Hayden (the game's main character), which offers up some fun abilities and most importantly, the glaive; a three-edged boomerang that is the game's show stealer.

The glaive is the game's centerpiece, as it does more than just decapitate and split enemies into two. The glaive has many uses from collecting, protection, and the aforementioned head-slcing. The glaive controls well, and produces some of the most satisfying moments the game will lay on the table. The actual control of the glaive is handled as the camera follows it, giving you a sense of complete guidance of the weapon as it approaches its kill. It is this feature that gives the game its own identity, and will be the weapon you become the most attatched to.

The appeal of the game's weapons is due less to the way they are manipulated, but more to the sound effects they release. From the sound of a skull crunching as you pull off a headshot, or the effect that releases when you cut someone's guts wide-open, the audio front of the games keeps you driving forward. Not only that, but the game's moody music and environment effects are excellent across the board, adding a sense of immersion that kept my hands stuck onto the controller.

Thanks to the glaive, the game does have some fun, immersing, controls. But the true problem with the single player comes down to the game's enemies, which are for the most part, borderline retarded. The standard enemy affair tends to jump out of cover, take one or two shots, return to cover, and repeat the process continuously until you put them out of their misery. As the stronger adversaries come into the play, it seems the dumber they get. Sure, you can get one or two real challenges every so often, but the only true tactical parts of the game come in short bursts.

The game's environment gives it a true distinct feel that separates it from others on the Xbox 360. The dark, neon, effects reminded me of last year's The Darkness, but Dark Sector even takes that stellar effort up a notch. While the game is pretty linear, it does also open up some puzzles pertaining to the glaive every so often, and while this clearly isn't the Legend of Zelda (nor does it try to be), the simplicity of the puzzles offers a nice change of pace.

However, one fatal flaw to the game's visuals is its framerate, which tends to pop in and out alot. When larger firefights start coming, and heavier weapons reach your arsenal, the larger the framerate drops become, resulting in a very disjointed feel to the game.

As for the game's multiplayer, it's nothing to keep you interested for more than a few matches. The game has essentially two reworked modes based around Halo 3's "Infection" and Gears of War's "Assassination", and neither of them work that well. Both Infection and Epidemic (the two name of the Dark Sector's multiplayer modes) are based around the ploy of infecting each of the other players around you. While the objective does sound fun, the actual execution is rather shallow. Eventually, the multiplayer winds up becoming very underwhelming, and I'd suggest you stick to Rainbow Six Vegas 2 if you recently have made a purchase on that game.

Still, past all of its problems that keep it from becoming the AAA title we all hoped it would be, Dark Sector prevails as a solid action game. Anyone who loves single-player shooters should definitely take a look (especially if you like a good story) and anyone else who likes single-player games in general should give Dark Sector a go as well. But if you're looking for something to hold you over until Gears of War 2, then you should search elsewhere, because Dark Sector isn't it.