darkSector, just an excellent game , you feel like an unstoppable bada$$, but story is Linier and almost non-existent...

User Rating: 8.5 | Dark Sector X360

The STORY starts off with you infiltrating a base on what seemed to be an island. It's at this point that the trailers and dev diaries about the black and white intro make sense. It's also at this point were I wouldn't expect to know much about what I'm to do or what the heck is going on however; I wish I could say that by the end of the game you find out. Not saying there isn't a story here but there isn't one really worth mentioning, I played through the game twice (in order to get the achievement for beating the game on brutal) thinking maybe the story would open up better, but alas no. What story there is, is revealed to you via CGI cut scene and verbal hallucinations, neither of which help put the puzzle of this game together. At the end of the day you know that this game won't be winning any awards for ground breaking story telling. My Score a 7.25 / 10 - needs improvement.

Lacking Story aside, the CONTROL SCHEME takes only moments to adapt to and once you're good you're good! The duck and cover system of gears in my opinion was better then the advent of sliced bread and the aim system feels just slightly off, but agreed with me since Hayden uses his off hand to shoot allowing for smoother game play since you don't lose any time in weapon changing screens. The camera work and character movement all feels right. Dark Sector, feels familiar thanks to it's borrowed mechanics, but in no way are you board or disappointed because of this, but instead grateful for the complete control you have over Hayden and his abilities. As the game progresses your given / develop new powers and each arrive at just the right time allowing you to fully understand the power and implement its use with surgical precision, Power Throw + After touch = Pure Satisfaction squared. However a quick word on the games mechanics. The only issue wasn't a lacking "A.I" but the fact that your enemies would get stuck in door ways or stop acting all together. The Zombies and Bosses became almost too predictable, but this fact never took away from the game play itself. They used what works, could have taken a chance at something original but hey when something works it works! My Score is 8.5 / 10 - The game play, A.I and mechanics all worked; however those moments it didn't would take you out of the atmosphere.

When it comes to the GRAPHICS, darkSector gets a gold star. The textures on all the chem. suits, zombies and all the other bosses and what not are just incredibly good! At no point do I look at any object and feel that it could have been redone! I actually was amazed at how clean and polished everything looked, even when turning the camera to look around, felt like I was there looking at what Hayden was seeing through his eyes. The frame rate was never an issue regardless of how much was going on scene. 8.75 / 10 - I loved everything, nothing looked bland or thrown together! The levels however seemed too familiar, now borrowing the controls of GoW is one this but to almost feel like the levels were almost borrowed is another!

The SOUND in dark Sector simply adds to the feel of the Game, the voice over's are done well and the effects of everything from the eerie voices in your head to the monster sounds that come from this hallway, or was it this hallway.... However to all that have played and witnessed the sound of the headshot up close will agree that the crunch that makes is the most satisfying. Dark Sector Delivers on the sound and you feel fully surrounded by the environments atmosphere and feel, something that seems lacking in todays would be great games! - 9 / 10 - you feel there! Owning surround sound is a must, get immersed!

All in all I'd say this game is what I expected to play as a matter a fact its more. If you haven't played this, you're missing moments that no gamer should be without! I urge you to not only play this but give it a second go with the brutal difficulty the 110 achievment points at the end are truly worth the play! The multiplayer, it would seem is actually fun and doesn't feel tacked on, I actually find myself enjoying that as well, although like GoW again the Achievement points are based on a million kills and hours to achieve you points! Have fun, don't miss out on darkSector, I hope for a part two sooner than later!