Dark Sector (PS3)

Dark Sector is basically Resident Evil 4 and Gears of War combined into one game but with it's own edgy style on top of that and one of the coolest weapons in a game yet - the Glaive.

Unless you've played the above mentioned games you wouldn't know what I meant by that but if you have and you love those games, then you're going to love Dark Sector.

The duck and cover system is a breeze to use and the Glaive, after some quick practice becomes alot of fun. The Glaive just doesn't come in useful for taking the heads or legs off of your enemies but it can also be used with electricity and fire, turning it into a completely different kind of weapon which can be used to solve puzzles and help you proceed further into the game. For example, you may need fire to light a statue which is near a door guarded by something you need to burn before you can open it, the Glaive can be used to complete these puzzles and let you continue on your way.

Not only that but you can use the Glaive with these elements to electrocute or set fire to enemies for instant satisfying kills. Aswell as the Glaive you get a selection of guns which you can buy with money that you find and trade. You are able to aim and hold your weapon at the same time as using the Glaive which can be used on enemies that hold a shield (use the glaive to break the shield then the gun to hit them).

The look and feel to Dark Sector is incredible. The environments are stunning and the detail really draws you into the game. Hayden can also run just like the characters in Gears of War which looks brilliant and his Glaive will reflect light or rain and blood with run from it. The sounds are also very satisfying and the music gives the game a fast paced tense feeling.

Where Dark Sector lacks is in the plot. There hardly is one, with not that much story to the game but lots of gameplay. You meet characters that you don't know anything about and you never get the feeling of being drawn into the story at any point throughout the game, you're just thrust into the action from the beginning and it gets better as you go along.

Although a good plot would have made the game that much better, Dark Sector gets it right in every other way. The gameplay is so much fun and easy to use. The Glaive can also use the sixaxis motion aftertouch which can be controlled to take out multiple enemies. It's easy to use and a nice touch in large battle areas. As you progress through the game your abilities grow and you become stronger and the Glaive becomes more powerful. The sense of building up from the beginning keeps the game fresh as you get further in and the gameplay doesn't get boring.

Boss battles are fun and can use a number of strategies to complete. Some of the animations and final end battle scenes are great to watch and some of the large enemies can be alot of fun to beat.

Dark Sector is a great game. Great graphics, fantastic gameplay, sound, design, easy to use and a solid well produced feeling to the overall product. Just don't expect a very deep or hollywood style plot as with Dark Sector it's more about good fun gameplay.

I am a gamer of over 30 years standing. I can recall playing games on my cousin's orange Grandstand console, circa 1978, and playing Space Invaders in greasy Greek-owned cafes during the early 1980s (Aah! Sweet memories). So, I think I know by now, what constitutes a good or bad game. This is definitely the former! When playing, it became obvious to me that it's been heavily influenced by games such as Metal Gear Solid, which is not a bad thing. But what the developers have done, is minimize the length of the FMVs. So you won't have to sit through long pretentious sections, without using your joypad. Another influence, is the 1983 film Krull, which featured a Glave weapon comprised of 5 spring-loaded blades. But in the game this weapon can do much more than it did in the movie. For instance, you can throw it at frozen or electrified objects in order to energize it, then freeze or electrocute your enemies!! This is fantastic fun, whenever you pull it off. And as for the complaints about not being able to save wherever you are, that is not the case. If you quit, then select "Continue" when restarting the game, it will take you back to wherever you left the game previously. And anyone that admits to looking up cheats on the internet, is NOT a true gamer. The AI of the baddies is pretty good, but not undefeatable. So you won't get too frustrated with the game, even if you are a newbie. It has obviously been designed with playability in mind, so that anyone can grasp it and enjoy it. Having said that, even an oldie like me, is still stuck on the final level boss. Have no fear. I'll let you know when I beat him.
There are also some excellently designed levels, especially the graveyard level which leads you into the church where you will meet...Oh, I better not spoil it.

Fantastic fun!

P.S.
I forgot to mention the Predator-style invisibility suit you can win. Ooops!

Bought this game a few weeks ago and only just started to really play it. It became quite addictive, leaving me wanting to carry on and complete more. Even though I am a girl I found this really good. The controls are easy when you have practiced it a bit. It's not one of those games where you have to fathom out which button does what, it comes naturally with the tutorial as you go along.

I would definitely recommend this game, especially if you are only paying a tenner like I did.