| | |  | Hardware & Accessories | Home » » » Dark Sector | | | | | | | Description: | | A new kind of weapon for a new kind of hero.Dark Sector is a third-person Action/Shooter that thrusts players into a sci-fi flavored nightmare scenario set in the post Cold War era. Playing in the role of Hayden Tenno, an unscrupulous covert operative sent on an assassination mission into Lasria – a fictional Eastern European city on the brink of ruin and rumored to be contaminated by a mysterious and frightening plague, Hayden takes out his mark, but before he can escape is attacked by an unknown enemy. Not killed outright as expected, he is instead infected with the virus that is causing the plague.
New weapons, a new hero |
Hayden Tenno and his glaive.
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Hone your skill with the glaive.
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Take on enemies the old-fashioned way.
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Duel-wield glaive & gun.
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The Technocyte Virus and Hayden’s Evolution
Just as with the other victims swarming the street of Lasria, the Technocyte Virus imbues Hayden with powerful, inhuman abilities. These abilities are not static and as they progress they cause severe, accelerated pain; pain that eventually drives their hosts insane, turning them quite literally into monsters of superhuman power. Hayden possesses an unexpected resistance to this maddening pain, but his body is not spared the mutations caused by the virus. The first of these are metal armor that grows from his body and a three bladed, throwable weapon called a "glaive" which explodes from his right arm and can regenerate if lost. But these are only the beginning. Eventually players may also gain the power of limited invisibility, the use of a bulletproof shield and an assortment of deadly melee attacks.As Hayden slashes his way through the mutants overrunning Lasria he stumbles upon a plot by a rogue operative and his private army of henchmen to harness the power of the strongest of these mutants for some dark purpose. No longer entirely human, but not a mindless mutant Hayden must make a decision whether to use his own new powers to stop this plot or look the other way. But regardless of his choice, he has become the target of both the blind rage of his fellow mutants and a shadowy paramilitary group that seeks to control them.Weapons: Glaive, Guns and the Black Market
Dark Sector is far from the traditional third-person shooter. The glaive is the game’s signature weapon and as players gain experience they will come to see that it is not only a stylish weapon, but also much more versatile than the traditional firepower available in-game. It is of course deadly as a slashing weapon and can be thrown great distances, but as Hayden’s powers evolve the glaive can be used in unexpected ways, ranging from siphoning and focusing elemental features like fire and freezing cold on enemies, to opening doors and retrieving items from inaccessible areas. But this doesn’t mean that players can shun the conventional weapons scattered throughout the game, quite the opposite.To be successful players must successfully journey underground to the game’s ‘black market’ where they can purchase new weapons with scavenged rubles and also upgrade their existing weapons. Some of these upgrades include increasing a weapon’s firing rate, larger ammo clips, the ability to fire two simultaneous rounds and a ‘puncture ability’ that allows you to shoot through any enemy to hit another standing behind him. Finding the entrances to the black market are important because firearms in the game are biologically sensitive to mutant powers and unless altered to ignore the existence of altered DNA are useless to the mutated Hayden.Gameplay Modes and Features
Not only does Dark Sector contains a deep singleplayer story mode, but in addition it features multiplayer functionality allowing players to harness Hayden Tenno’s mutant powers in two different ways, both in awesome 10-person online multiplayer combat. The two modes include:Infection Mode: Think of this as ‘tackle the guy with the glaive.’ In this timed mode one player assumes the role of a fully-powered Hayden Tenno, complete with shield, invisibility and melee capabilities, while the other nine play as human operatives trying to kill him and take his place. The player in the role of Hayden receives a single point for each kill made, while the soldier that takes him down gets 2, plus the right to wield the glaive in the next go around. Players making assists in the slaying of Hayden receive one point as well. The player with the most points at the end of the round wins.Epidemic Mode: In this team-based mode, with a set number of rounds per match, two teams, each made up of one Hayden and a group of soldiers, battle to kill the other team’s Hayden. A single point is awarded to each team per kill of the opposing Hayden. Each Hayden begins at full strength and the team with the most points at the end of the round wins.Other features available in both multiplayer modes include voice chat and global leaderboards.The Birth of a Superhero
Whether in singleplayer or multiplayer modes the developers of Dark Sector have endeavored to link every action of the player to the mutant evolution of Hayden Tenno. This means that as players progress through the game defeating bosses as well standard enemies they increase Hayden’s mutant abilities and advance his disease. It’s a catch-22 that with every victory Hayden becomes less human, but one that the game’s storyline relishes as the one-time hitman slowly and unsurely morphs into a hero. | | | Features: | |
• Evolution powers After infection by the bio-weapon parasite, Hayden will gain incredible superhuman
• Cinematic and immersive experience Through the use of no HUD, intuitive controls and a 3rd-person ov
• Engaging main character Hayden Tenno is a coldblooded character who has superhero type power and res
• Innovative multiplayer component
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 7.5 inches | | Product Width:
| 5.5 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.75 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.26 pounds | | Package Length:
| 7.5 inches | | Package Width:
| 5.3 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.6 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.2 pounds | | Release Date:
| March 25, 2008 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 62 reviews |
| | | Game Information: | | | Platform:
| Xbox 360 | | Media:
| CD-ROM | | Item Quantity:
| 1 |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 62 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 34 found the following review helpful:
 You WANT to love it but...Mar 28, 2008
By Jairo Lopez
"Blood of Hatred"
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.
14 of 16 found the following review helpful:
 worth the wait!!Mar 26, 2008
By Raul Duke
"Gonzo HST"
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.
8 of 9 found the following review helpful:
For me it's all about the GlaiveJul 03, 2008
By W. Newberry
"agent_47"
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
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Excellent, Fun Game, but has its flawsJun 22, 2008
By Turtle502
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.
12 of 15 found the following review helpful:
Well done, but a lot of frustration...Apr 18, 2008
By Chris Van Deelen
"Chris Van Deelen"
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
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