First of all, do you have any idea how difficult it is to "copy" something? They don't just copy and paste the code, they have to re-develop it and come out the other side with the same feel.

Secondly, ever play a great RTS that didn't "copy" some older RTS? Does it make the game worse because they realized people liked a mechanic, and iterated?

Anyways it's not an innovative game, but it is tonnes of fun. I believe that's good enough for what it is.

Snake726

Loved the glaive in general - aftertouch was much fun.

Liked the way the skills progressed quickly and added to the overall dynamics of the gameplay, *possible spoiler incoming* though it was enormously disappointing to get the "super suit" near the end of the game that added... nothing other than a new outfit??? wtf is that

Hated the lack of enough game currency to really try out several weapons. I didn't use any type of guide, but I believe I searched each area pretty well, and there is no way in hell you can get enough money to try out more than 2-3 weapons.

Hated the melee system - absolutely terrible.

The final things that killed this game experience for me were:
(1) The supremely retarded final boss fight(there is a difference between extremely challenging and extremely LAME)
(2) The ~30 second CG finale you get from finishing the whole game... way to really cap things off on a pathetic note.

I wanted to like this game, really seemed to have potential - but overall I feel like I paid $60 for a buggy, half-assed attempt at a TPS.

Coffee Ninja

I agree, one-hit kills for every enemy would be Boooring!

aevanko

HaydenTenno

artofwar420

And DarkSector did not? DS was a RE4/GoW wannabe with a lot less polish.

"it, had glitchy gameplay"

Pot calling the kettle black, eh? Dark Sector had more glitches than any game in recent memory that I've played.

A Heavenly Sword vs Dark Sector arguement is not my intention, I was refering to only the aftertouch (which works better in HS since you don't sit there guiding your projectile only for it to come back because you're out of range). I know it's pointless to tell that to someone who's user name is "HaydenTenno" but it's simply my two cents.

Ignited_Impulse

HaydenTenno

Ignited_Impulse

Mukman

Mech_Master

@HaydenTenno: Yeah no countermeasures = omfgno. D:

Its still kinda hard when you got 3 guys firing RPGs at you at the same time outside. ;D

Witzbold

HaydenTenno

The glaive being "weak": Every Trooper and Howler in the game can be killed in one shot, every Stinger and Chroma in the game can be killed in 2 shots, or 1 plus a few bullets. You just have to use the power-throw, which does 4x damage. If we'd made the glaive any stonger, everything in the game would be a 1 shot kill, which we felt would make it boring.

Charges on powers are indicated by the lights on Hayden's upper right arm. The Shield, Cloak, and "buff explosion" all use 1 charge.

Being a "Gears clone": We were well under way in our current form LONG before gears came out. We weren't inspired by them any more than they were inspired by us. We were BOTH inspired by games that came out 3-5 years ago or more.

DarkSectorQA

foodnaptime

foodnaptime

people need to open their minds some.

dafthero

I'm having a lot of fun with the game. Yeah, the story isn't the best which is often the case with these types of games, but the gameplay is fun. The graphics are stellar.

Everyone comlains about the shooting system, and I can agree with some of the points, but there is one thing they did that I really love. They made headshots worth trying to get. In most shooters, a few headshots will take down an enemy but for Dark Sector, most fall with ONE well-aimed headshot, making it much more gratifying. Good design idea, not to mention the sound effect is superb.

Everyone seems to dislike how weapons go inactive after a small period of time, but I enjoy it. It really makes you panic and have to think about when and how to grab a shotgun and use it effectively. You can't just hold onto it, and the only weapon you'll have at all times is the Glaive, which helps make sure that players will have to use it when they go through the game and not just rely on weapons. Dark Sector, after all, is a game built to have fun with the Glaive (IMO).

aevanko

I kept playing the game in hopes of a thickening plot, easily able to over-look flat characters and cliches. however, the plot stays flat, and practically nonexistent. There are dozens of questions left unanswered by the time you finish this few hours long game and the ones that are answered aren't answered very clearly.

If there is a sequel, I'll rent it, but I won't buy again after the let down I got from this first one. I enjoyed the game, it played fine, I never had any huge problems. I mean, controls could be tightened and refined, but I am pissed that there was no story. The Game ends with a single line of dialog that doesn't wrap up anything. The story is never fully fleshed out and with all the time they had putting the game together, they didn't really do anything other than release a trilingual let-down.

ChrowX

Brian Crecente

Syndicated Terence

Neer'mo

HaydenTenno

zanzibarlegend

ManjiKengo

Ok bought it Thurs. about halfway through + or -

I would have liked to see levels that were a little less 2 dimensional. the levels were a little flat, in the sense that you really couldn't get really above your enemies or for that matter below them, It would have been nice to climb a box while being swarmed, not that you're really swarmed, but yea I wanna climb shit..

Glaive = way cool, I want one (or five...)

but it needs a little more balance. (I think it should bounce off bad guy normal throw. and then rip through with the super shot.)

AI = worked most of the time , but sometimes they just stand there. and wait to have their heads taken off.
and how about some sort of airborne enemies . Throwing the glaive into the air is fun and all but it would be nice to actually hit something up there other than telephone polls.

Overall from what I've played I like it , but needs a little less Gears feel and more Ninja G.

later........

Zatoichi666

Brian Crecente

TheNthDegree

The game mechanics just feel so unpolished. Anything will cancel a reload and make it finish instantly i.e. rolling, catching the glaive. Animations don't transfer smoothly, roll out from cover and Hayden automatically ducks behind another cover but he doesn't stick to it! You have you press A again to make him stick to cover that his animation seemed like he did or else he'll just stand up and get peppered by bullets. Also the GoW pressing forward against cover and holding A to run out in front and instantly roadie run has the same bad animation transfer. Hayden tries to run out but instead of going straight into the run, he instead, stops for a second and then starts to run.

Also you can't keep your weapons on another game which is just silly considering how little money you get in the game or how pricey the weapons are, which ever one the devs weren't thinking about.

But moving on to the most pressing issue of mine, there are just SO MANY FUCKING ENEMIES. And it doesn't help that later on certain enemies can just jump from one floor to another and subsequently get behind you without warning and on top of all that CLOAK. When I say "So many fucking enemies" I mean optional rooms you do in Ninja Gaiden to get an item, the kind where it doesn't seem like it will ever end. I musta walked into the graveyard and killed 25 or so monsters (that spawn in threes) with the Glaive power throw only to walk into the next area and have to kill 15 more. While that doesn't seem like a big deal it doesn't help that you can't blind fire from behind cover. I have to stand out of cover for a second getting wailed on by 10,000 bullets just so I can try to throw the damn glaive.

Not to mention halfway through the game I fought a boss who killed me with these beams, which if it didn't kill me by hitting me would cause a ginormous explosion nearby killing me instantly. While this didn't bother me too much, after dying to him an umpteenth amount of times I find it annoying that he was harder than the last boss.

The game just comes off as an unbalanced incomplete mess in which the game only peaks into slightly interesting too late.

@Witzbold:

Well for the shield and other technique you get later there will be 3 sections of Hayden's shoulder lit up that indicates how much more of those two skills he can use with each skill taking one segement at a time. The element explosion I didn't even notice had a limit on it.

Dudemeister

Atheist Jew

Whatever made them decide to scrap that whole idea, we'll never know, but I still believe it was the wrong decision. A definite renter, but oh what could have been...

elocanth

The basics of the premise are also a bit of a problem, since they're putting powers and classes into the gears model, which was built around a classless generic 'pure' kind of approach (which I think worked great, and is alot of fun). I enjoy more varied and complicated approaches, but because of the way the game is locked down on cover and this (again, for lack of a better term) 'pure' kind of experience, ultimately, it will feel alot like a disconnected fighting game, where you joust with enemies, knowing, for instance, that this person can be invisible for *this* many seconds, and they have to be *this* close to do a killing blow, and you have to avoid their shield mode for *this* long before using a rifle on them.

At a basic level, the idea of having some players that want to close up against players that want to keep the range open is interesting, but without a more 3d kind of maneuverability, it devolves to who sees who first.

In some ways, the MP reminds me of the old tank game on atari, and might be better served by that kind of perspective, since that's the basic setup--3d movement isn't really a part of it.

If I had it all to do over again, or a magic lamp, or whatever, I'd rub it and wish for this to be more like splinter cell, with the spies replaced by the biomechanical guys, and the mercs taking the various soldier and mech suit roles.

deathbunny

liquid_kore

Also, you put a negative because the main character just happens to have a scene haircut, although you said it was "emo"...

HaydenTenno

Ehardergardens

Dark Sector was the first next-generation title announced, but was the wait truly worth it? Read my review and find out for yourself.

Story:
The story of Dark Sector focuses around the main character, Hayden Tenno. He is a man that has done many unjust things in the past, but ends up becoming a savior through his actions. Dark Sector is a superhero tale.

To get to the nitty gritty, Hayden has to stop a virus from spreading. I won't go too deep into it, because I don't want to spoil much, but there's really not that much to spoil. Dark Sector's main problem is its storytelling. It's paper thin. The player will have to piece together everything if they want to know the what's going on, which can be annoying.

Digital Extremes really needs to learn how to do storytelling better. Pariah had the same problem and failed ultimately because of it. It's not that the stories bad, it's that the storytelling is weak and will leave gamers wondering just what's going on.

Design:
The level design is very solid. The environments are mapped out perfectly for the gameplay in Dark Sector. I hate to compare it to Gears of War, because that's been happening far too often, but the level design is very similar. The cover spots on the maps are placed in all the right spots, so that Hayden can take cover and become a more efficient killer.

The character designs are also one of the games positives. Hayden is a very well created main character, and he's not the typical hero. Although, his animations look odd and Chucky-like in some of the cinematics. It's a small complaint, but I hope they get rid of that in a sequel. The enemies are all top notch and there's a varied selection of them. You'll never feel like you're fighting the same foe, because they'll constantly be switching it up.

Gameplay:
Dark Sector is a 3rd person shooter/action game. The gameplay is the best part of Dark Sector. Hayden is easy to control and using cover is very simple. In Dark Sector, when you sprint towards something, you won't automatically stick to it and get locked in a cover position. You'll have to press the sprint/roll button again when close to the object you want to use as cover.

Throwing your Glaive, or using one of the many weapons you have in your arsenal is the real joy in Dark Sector. The guns feel right and the Glaive controls very well, even when in Aftertouch mode. On the 360, you'll control the Glaive in Aftertouch mode with your analog stick, but on the PS3 you have the option to use the SIXAXIS motion controls. The motion controls work well, but I still found the analog stick to be easier when gliding the Glaive through a more complicating obstacle. It'll all be down to player preference when choosing which way you'd like to use the Aftertouch feature.

You can also use your Glaive to snatch an enemies weapon, but his weapon will notice that you're infected, then you won't be able to use it. It'll work for a good 20 seconds before this happens, though.

Also, there is a weapon shop, which you can enter throughout the game. From the cash you collect in the game, you'll be able to buy and upgrade your weapons. You can also sell your weapons.

You'll also come across a lot of elemental puzzles and boss fights throughout Dark Sector. They all use the Glaive in an inventive way and make you think about how you're approaching the foe.

Both versions have Achievements, while the PS3's "Achievements" are actually called "Entitlements", but they work the same way, minus being tied to a gamer score number.

Overall, I don't have many negatives on the gameplay front. All the gameplay mechanics work well.

Presentation:
Dark Sector is a gorgeous game. From the great bump mapping of the textures, to the excellent lighting, to the great looking character models, it's all eye candy.

Some clipping will happen and some enemies will become glitched in the environment. It only happened to me about 2 or 3 times, so it's not a buggy game at all. It's actually quite polished.

The framerate is at a consistent 30fps and I didn't notice any dips in performance on the PS3 version, which I must congratulate Digital Extremes for. It shows they really tried hard and learned the complicated architecture of the PS3 hardware.

Multiplayer:
Dark Sector only includes 2 multiplayer modes, Infection and Epidemic. The first mode, Infection, will have one player playing as a fully powered and evolved Hayden Tenno. The other players will have to work together as Hazmat Troopers to take down Hayden. The player who takes out Hayden will then become the "infected" and will be playing as the fully powered and evolved Hayden. The cycle goes on and on. It's a fun mode, but it won't become your multiplayer addiction. The fun is short lived.

The second mode, Epidemic, will have 2 teams fighting each other, but this time, both teams will have their own fully powered and evolved Hayden Tenno. The teams main goal is to take out each others Hayden. This is a fun mode, but it's short lived, also.

As you can see, the online is nothing to write home about and it definitely won't keep you entertained for long.

Overall:
Dark Sector is a very good single player experience, but it's a shame the story and multiplayer portions weren't as strong as the gameplay and graphics. Dark Sector is definitely Digital Extremes most ambitious title to date. It's also their best title to date. But the game could have used better storytelling and a richer multiplayer offering.

If you're looking for a very rewarding and fun single player experience, then give Dark Sector a look. But if you're looking for your next online multiplayer addiction, look elsewhere, Dark Sector is not for you.

B-

HaydenTenno

Slatz_Grobnik

Is it fun to play? I enjoyed every minute of it.

First off, it's visually stunning and an equal to Gears in that regard. Very impressive.

As to bugs, I experienced none playing on the 360.

The score and sound effects are good and appropriate for the game.

The story is typical and nothing to write home about, but be honest, who's buying this for the story?

I found the gameplay, to put it simply, incredibly fun and addictive. The glaive is just bad-ass and implemented well. There are many different ways to use it, some are quite creative. Guiding it with aftertouch is a blast. The close-up melee combat is a joy to watch but could have been done much better, it's just too difficult to tell when you'll be able to use your finisher move. A simple hand-to-hand combo based system with more variety and control would have been a welcome addition. The weapons are good, not great but decent and the rpg aspect of leveling them up is a nice touch.

The boss battles are impressive to say the least.

I thought the cover system worked well for the most part and is on par with GOW, not as good as RSV. At least it has a cover system. (cod4 anyone?)

Bottom line is, I had a great time with it. Understandably some people are disappointed - the game could have and should have been much more. It had plenty of time in development. But still a game of the year contender in my opinion with a few tweaks here and there. I recognize it's flaws but still loved playing it, very, very close to being exceptional.

tdevore

dead_red_eyes

risingphoenix

I'm taking a nice long Sabatical starting in may so I'll be buying a 360 and a bunch of games to take with me, maybe if this drops in price before then I'll consider adding it to the pile :)

TokeYo

In uncharted that I didnt seem to mind as much or remember having trouble with it at all for that matter. Cept for occasions when taking cover still seemed to get my ass shot quite often lol.

Witzbold

risingphoenix

risingphoenix

Witzbold

The overall map design and balance + cover areas was well done for what they threw at you in the games though and I never felt like I had died due to poor map design. It was more the fault of the overly "magnetic" cover system that would have done better being mapped to a button that did not coexist with the roll command. Back in the days of FPS modding and such I was a huge freak when it came to map design with my friends who were mappers, so not to brag I think I have a pretty good idea of what well balanced maps are in terms of design.

I think the double backing situation could have been avoided if they had added a bit more obvious markers, then again it wouldnt be much of a challenge if they did that since it seems the theme of the game was to try and get the players to think while playing. Which is why they never explain how you are suposed to fight a boss. Thanks to that I wasted about 75% of my main weapon ammo on the second to the last boss. (Dont talk about it btw so we dont ruin it for folks who have not played) Felt so stupid after I figured out what I was really suposed to do against the boss.

But I found the level design to be visually pleasing. Granted at times it was hard to see shit indoors but I guess thats why they gave us that fubar flahlight ability. ;D

Witzbold

Kickinstuff13

I really thought this game looked better during the tech demos (before the 360 even launched). A clean metal gear solid looking, splinter cell playing, sneak-around set in space? Color me interested. Generic rundown society, with battle scarred hero that would make Epic jealous for stealing their only art style... bland...

Kickinstuff13

Unless they plan on tying up loose ends in number 2. Which Id still consider purchasing since I liked this game for what it is granted Ive said quite a few harsh things here, its by far no means that I hate or think the game is shite and should not be bought. Im just critical on games I play in general even when I still do like them.

For an action game I think it did something a little refreshing and the graphics were pleasing on the eyes, and lots of enemies to always fight which was a good thing.

But over all for an overall theme of the game? Im not too sure since not enough was explained once again. As a mind killer / something to buy in the dry season I say it makes a perfect choice though. Its a semi diamond in the rough I say. Really have enjoyed playing this more than several other games Ive gone through reciently.

Witzbold

The unfortunate issue is that due to the high cost of development, and in the rare event that a company decides to venture into New IP territory, a development team is forced to implement tried and true game design strategies. Spending 2 years+ development on a japanese rooted sci-fi action adventure game isn't always worth the risk.

I would love new IPs with fresh original stories and gameplay concepts. The truth is that video games are a business and not just my hobby.

risingphoenix

zanzibarlegend

Witzbold

zanzibarlegend

madman83

zanzibarlegend

The glaive can take down in 1 normal throw also if you nail em directly in the head. Cept I noticed that bad hit box detection is what causes them to take 2 hits at times when it looks like you nailed em in the face.

Witzbold

Witzbold

Ghostm

Witzbold

mugido

Also as far as the glaive not being strong enough .. i totally agree when it comes to hand to hand fighting. It seemed fair that the almost all metalic enemies would be able to take a few more cuts from something that is essentially made out of their skin .. but the normal human soldiers always go down in 1 hit if you powerthrow... and if you can't do the power throw on command 2 levels after you unlock i feel sorry for you .. cause it's almost EXACTLY the same timing as gears.. only it never changes.

Still, the qualms with the story are solid. I would guess i'm 2/3rds of the way through the game... and i still have no idea what is goin on. But that's ok... i basically bought it a distraction while i rest from DMC4 (fuckin nero)

silkysm00th

JorgieX

Guild_Navigator

Since its not like there were things "missing" it was more like lacking the extra push. As if people in the creation team didnt try to push hard enough for certian things and just left stuff as is.

Overall I think the graphics / maps are very polished along with animations but the problem is just the overall presentation in terms of gameplay mechanics is where the game itself falls short.

Bad story I can put up with since GoW was no Hamlet either. Gears that is.

It was nice that the guns were fairly accurate if you took your time to allow the reticule to narrow which means you have highest possible accuracy for the weapon. Plus the upgrades were cool, but there just was not enough $$$ in game and they should have made it drop at random from enemies also instead of having to find them on the map only.

The game felt finished, just not "loved" if you know what I mean.

Witzbold

LittlestLamshi

Judging by how previews or demos are just what they are named: demo(nstration)s, I'm starting to think that making demos seem to be really cutting resources in making a full title. It seems that demos have all the features of the game that works, but they sacrifice making those things work in all levels and try to stretch the game length. Either that, or those things were cut to attempt to compete with the highly saturated shooter market.

I don't know what it could be, but I do know that demos do eat up time to make and aren't a cakewalk. Did anyone check the signs if they rushed this one yet again, even after 24+ months of delays? >_>

超外人

zeropoint.0

I don't know if I'm just crazy, but doesn't your arm light up to tell you when you can use the shield again? I'm pretty sure it does. And as far as the exploding elemental attack, you can only do it once while it's charged by an element. After it's been used once, you need to find another source and ignite your Glaive again.

IceKXG

Witzbold

Witzbold

If anyone is interested, here's what Dark Sector used to be.

[www.gametrailers.com]
[www.gametrailers.com]
[www.gametrailers.com]

Atheist Jew

The glaive isnt too bad its just kinda weak when you throw it even in its non-powered up state and it goes thru guys. Another instance is when you use the B button to do melee attack it doesnt really do anything, it feels like im a woman hitting a man with my purse. If they put some decent melee attacks in the next game and give the glaive a little more UMPH then it will definatly feel like krull :)

ichiban1081

Brian Crecente

Like a major one for me is not having a bloody sensitivity setting for movement, only in aim mode. Since jesus its feather touch outside of aim mode.

That and the cover system just works TOO well so our hero goes sticking to everything and anything like a magnet if you are too close to an object and want to roll. Kinda frustrating at times when that occurs.

But like big showstopper or blatant bugs I didnt really notice, asides from the friggin hit detection with the melee attacks. That has so got to be a bug, since at the TGS it wasnt horrible like it is now. :x

Witzbold

超外人

Cojo21

The glaive is a fun weapon but melee combat, which you would think would be a core staple with a weapon like this, is horribly inaccurate and ineffective. This means your best bet is aiming for decapitations with the glaive (always fun) or going for head shots (preferably with a shotgun before it explodes on you). Even this isn't as fun as it "should" be. The floaty aiming mechanic and weak audio and controller feedback of your firearms hinders what could have been a visceral combat experience.

From the sound of it, I believe I still have a ways to go with the game, and I intend to spend more time with it. The game isn't horrible, but it's not spectacular either. It merely exists.

Gileadxv

On an unrelated note (actually, on a very related note), I rented the game, played it for fifteen minutes and returned it the next day. Whew.

bluetom00

Shame about the combat/Glaive not being too well utilized I really wanted to go Krull on someone since I first saw the game.

Oh well I'll grab it when it comes down in price I guess.

Here's hoping for a Krull weapon in Ninja Gaiden 2!

TokeYo

ichiban1081

At least in bullet witch you can play through the game again with the powered up weapons unlike darkSector.

Witzbold

If anything I was more let down by how little monster variation there was.

The boss fights were nice though!

Witzbold

FP ph15h

Unfortunately, I was somewhat dissapointed by the final effort.

I loved the glaive, but there were too many let downs, character and level design being major sores on a generally (graphically) pleasing game.

risingphoenix

El Patricko

liquid_kore

Since asides from beating the game on the hardest setting / finding all the upgrades the rest of the APs is to be gained from MP.

Witzbold

They really needed some sort of indication when you could use it again like you said.

Witzbold

You must admit though that a lot other games are moving away from gore and such. I suppose the whole overly protective alarmist state of affairs with anti-game activists has a part to do with that also. Granted Im glad that not everyone is doing the over the top shit that we used to see all over the PC before, but still to some reasonable level it would be nice to see back in.

You cant call something cliche thats not even related to the medium we are dealing with just becuase it has dismemberment. Now if it was copying the same type of animations or style like when EVERYONE DECIDED BULLET TIME WAS TEH SHEIT that is what I would call cliche. This not really.

It was just poorly executed.

Witzbold

Guild_Navigator

Klappstuhl

The "ah ha" moment for me when reading this review had nothing to do with the game but rather the statement at the end. "Campaign played to completion, online modes sampled on PS3." speaks volumes and is greatly appreciated in an era when certain mens magazines have the balls to publish reviews of audio CDs without having ever listend to them. Proud of my ol'Kotaku.

Lunkhead

Guild_Navigator

But we do get a lot of that in hack and slay's. Not that it's a bad thing. It's just that, in this game, the whole setting is so cliché that everything else just seems copied anyways.

Candlejack

ErskinPig

Im also disappointed by the fact you cant play through the game again with the same equipment you had bought / upgraded the first time through. Since its impossible to get enough $$$ to buy everything with just one play through. And would give the game a bit more life being able to screw around with the other gear granted its not that different from eachother.

Witzbold

That and for some reason the melee in game is WORSE in the final version than the TGS demo. Since I was meleeing the fuck out of everyone at the TGS which was pretty cool. In the final version the hit detection is so off its not even funny.

Witzbold

On the subject, the part about the delayed abilities. I know it is of a sour note, but how is it compared to say DMC4 or God of War in terms of getting abilities?

Dr.Chocobo

naked.

covered in olive oil.

you people are way too judgemental.

Also, one man's 'shallow plot' is another man's 'a billion times better than metal gear anything'.

deathbunny

DugDawg

Witzbold

I can't believe the 180 they did. If you haven't seen the 8 minute trailer they released originally go check it out.

Kungfustance

Everything is just ragdoll fall down dead pretty much.

The days of gibs and gore are long gone for the most part.

Witzbold

Godluvsugly

Kyle81

When will you people learn? Stupidity = BANNING.

I just beat the game last night and enjoyed it for what it is.

I was more irritated with how overly sensitive the controls were, and how my main character prefered to stick to walls and cover WAY too much when using the A button. I thought Marcus Phoenix was a bad wall humper, the main character of darkSector is 10 times worse.

Also its irritating how it doesnt tell you when your special abilities are ready again such as the shield / exploding elemental attack.

Nice graphics and animation though. This game would have been better if it came out in the earlier part of the 360s lifetime, since now it just has too many titles to go up against with overly high expectations by many.

Witzbold

Spoony Bard

HA! That's what I thought. He looks like such a wuss. No offence to "Emos".

Anywho, this game is too boring for me. I might buy it for half price or something. Just too much shoot, slash, slay & watch body parts fall off these days.

Candlejack

"And here we have the GLAIVE for the spinning and the cutting with the GIBS IT's painful!"

ErskinPig

Detre

kyosuke9999

jon.doe

funkpanda