Dark Sector opens with a stylized approach. The world of Hayden Tenno is black and white it is not until after the first level when Hayden is infected with the Technocyte virus that color is injected into the game world and Hayden’s path and purpose become less clear. I liked this simple visual clue as a story mechanic because it highlights the main focus of the game which is the technocyte virus. While the game’s story wasn’t as deep or detailed as Bioshock’s, the designers do a good job containing the game’s fiction and implementing it in a way that made sense. There is no doubt that this is a game though and not a cinematic experience so let’s dive a bit further into Dark Sector.

The fictional Soviet-Bloc country called Lasria is not a colorful and vibrant world but a dark and almost apocalyptic setting. Biohazard waste bags that contain bodies or body parts of the citizens of the town are scattered throughout the area. The only real survivors are the Lasrian military who have been working for years to contain the infected citizens of the town and clean up the mess caused by Technocyte virus. In the first level where Hayden infiltrates one of the military’s strong holds he enters a room filled with seats facing a screen with a projector playing slides and a voice given instructions on the situation in the town. Later these projectors can be found in different locations each giving the player a new hint on how to deal with the infected. The biohazard bags, projectors, and the fact that all the soldiers wear protective face masks give the impression that the air borne Technocyte is nothing to be trifled with. After the first few levels the game’s setting starts to change based on the story and while each level is unique they all fit into the same atmosphere and dark setting of the game.

Level design was well thought out for the most part. There are a few situations where it was difficult to use the glaive behind cover or progress through a level because the enemies were difficult to shot at. Choke points or shooting galleries give the player relative safety while shooting at enemies from behind cover. This is not a squad based game though so don’t expect any routes to flank the enemies. Because the AI almost always focus their attention on Hayden it is very difficult to sneak up on them or flank them. However soldiers and infected alike are relatively easy to take down from behind cover so as long as you don’t mind hiding like a little girl (or being smart depending on your view) the level design won’t drive you batty.



There are light puzzle elements in the game but they mostly are simple and require very little thought. That doesn’t mean they don’t require some skill to solve though. The Glaive can become charged with elements of ice, fire, or electricity when they come into contact with various objects in the game world and the puzzles mostly consist of using these elements to unblock a passage so Hayden can continue on his mission which can become difficult when trying to guide the glaive to its target while being attacked.

Weapons and abilities are what separate Dark Sector from other third person shooter. One particularly shiny weapon is the Glaive. While shooting and dodging bullets are still central to the game play the most lethal weapon in Hayden’s arsenal is the boomeranging bladed Glaive that grows from his infected Right arm and used in melee or thrown. The Glaive can rip enemies to shreds up close and from a distance and the ability to slow down time as you guide the Glaive towards your intended victim (a la Heavenly Sword) makes for very satisfying and gore producing kills. Other weapons include rifles, shotguns, pistols, and grenades b...