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Posted on: Mar 25, 2008
Dark Sector
WORDS BY: Ryan McCaffrey
The release of Dark Sector marks the end of a long, winding journey. It was the first “next-gen” game we ever saw three years ago — when it was a sci-fi horror-shooter set on a mysterious spaceship. Later, it morphed into a story about an epidemic-infected world as told through Hayden, a recent infectee who suddenly sprouts a metallic arm and a boomerang-like glaive he can hurl at his foes. Then — presumably around November 2006 — that same story was relocated to an Earth that coincidentally looks exactly like Gears of War’s extraterrestrial battleground. Seriously, Dark Sector might as well have signs all over the place that say “Welcome to Sera.”
The art direction isn’t the only thing cribbed from Epic’s killer app. The third-person camera rests over Hayden’s shoulder and drops to ankle height when he runs. The game’s primary weapon (the glaive) packs a familiar melee finishing move — press B when near an enemy to perform one of a few different violent coups de grâce. Yet nowhere is Dark Sector’s “homage” to Gears more apparent than in its decent but hardly memorable multiplayer mode, where two teams square off in rounds of last-man-standing deathmatch. Seems uncomfortably familiar to us.
Then again, does it really matter who or how heavily Dark Sector plagiarizes if it’s fun (and if its proprietary engine outputs visuals nearly as pretty as Unreal Engine 3 did for Gears)? That question remains a hypothetical one because the flaws in Dark Sector’s campaign are far more memorable than its triumphs. First and most offensively, Dark Sector’s boss fights are as annoying as they are un-fun. Each one is a frustrating round of “Guess the Gimmick!” Oh, we’re supposed to shoot those little tiny canisters on that armored guy’s shoulders and back that aren’t highlighted or hinted at whatsoever? What do you mean we have to reflect that creepy-crawly’s fatal missiles back at him? And what’s the deal with getting one chance to hit the temporarily exposed last boss before we’re vaporized and killed instantly?
In other words, Dark Sector assumes you’ve played a metric ton of games. And even if you have, you’re still likely to get confused and frustrated. Some kind of hint when you’re clearly not grasping it would’ve gone a long way toward easing the pain. Plus, if you quit the game and come back later, you’ll have no idea what you’re supposed to be doing because you have no way of checking your current objective.
Even ammo feels like a chore to gather. You first have to aim at your feet to get Hayden to kick the crates instead of swing his glaive at chest level, and then you have to hold X to pick up the cache (you can grab it with the glaive, but even that’s a two-step process). This setup is understandable with weapons, but can’t the game at least make pocketing ammo effortless? Omissions and decisions like these are what hold Dark Sector back from being a much, much better game.
On the plus side, the game does a great job of offering new toys to play with. As the story progresses, Hayden regularly earns new powers, such as a user-guided glaive throw and temporary invisibility (though it’s never explained why he suddenly grows a glaive from his hand and how he instantaneously masters it). The fatalities are bloody fun to execute — as is the glaive-centric combat in general — and the ability to upgrade guns helps stave off boredom. But ultimately, the evil side of Dark Sector wins out and restrains it from succeeding at anything more than simply squatting in the long shadow of its Epic competition.
On Xbox 360
- Finishing moves are a visceral treat.
- Looks pretty and runs smoothly.
- Frequent, annoying, gimmicky boss fights and puzzles highlight this game's list of chores.
- Where can we contract this glaive-sprouting disease?
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 16:33
Posted by crossfirezx5_dylan.m
5.5???!!! WTF? This game deserves wayyy more than they gave it. I mean COME ON!!! RE4 mixed wit Gears plus an original story and a weapon that has never been used before? How can that not equal a high score? and having two positive notes and only one negative, yet it got a "low" score whats up with that? No matter what you guys say the game is still awesome to me and the others who have been anxiously awaiting it. I would give it a 9.5 or 10 personalyy (and I haven't even played it yet!). Also to anyone who use review scores as their decision to what games you buy: Remember you may have a different opinion than whoever reviewed the game so make your own (final) decision.
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 16:01
Posted by Dan OXM
Wait...our score doesn't match everybody else's, and yet we aren't posting an original review? You guys gotta get your outrage straight. :)
Our score is a point and a half lower than most other outlets so far. Someone is always going to be "the low score" and while that's never anybody's goal, if we wind up being the low score this time, so be it. I think the review itself is pretty clear and explains its points quite well (and no, I didn't write it).
If a game is derivative the way this game borrows inspiration from Gears of War, that's worth noting, especially if it could have been something different or more original. And as for being specific, Ryan goes into very specific detail about gameplay mechanics and elements that could work better. It's all right there in the text.
Maybe you won't have problems with the things we had problems with; maybe you will, but you won't want to admit it. Either way, GTA has nothing to do with it. Let's talk about whether or not Dark Sector is worth your money.
We say this all the time, but I guess we need to say it again: If you play and like a game we played and didn't like as much, that's okay. We are not telling you what to think; we are telling you what we think, based on our experience.
You are entitled to your opinion. We are entitled to ours. And a review isn't "wrong" just because it doesn't agree with what you want to believe. It's just not a review that will influence you. And that's okay.
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 15:25
Posted by J1ML1323
[url=http://profile.mygamercard.net/j1ml1323][img]http://card.mygamercard.net/j1ml1323.png[/img][/url] He's probably to busy reviewing GTA IV and you know most people review a game based on what it doesn't have in it rather than what it does have OXM UK gave it a 7.
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 15:23
Posted by hummdrumm
seriously, reviewers are idiots... Gears kinda sucked in my opinion. Why do games need comparisons anyway..
I just pickd up my copy of dark sector today and it's pretty awesome. i was waiting a long time for this game and it is super badass to throw that glaive around.
get your head out of your ass and post an original review for once.
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 14:44
Posted by Elfman
Dude what's up! Your score is over 2 points lower than IGN's reveiw. The other reviews I've seen are all positive. It does sound like you are a bit of a GoW fanboy. I just pick up my dark sector and so far it's pretty sweet.
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 13:57
Posted by GMAN CLAN
this is so dissapointing considering that all the issues of the magazine leading up to this that contained Dark Sector all said that the game looked really good and fun to sum it up. The Glaive looked soo kick-ass and i was ready to kill some fools with it. but sadly, since i trust your reviews so much and they are always right, im not going to invest money in this. maybe someone else will branch off of this concept and keep the glaive. that thing was sweet!
--My Gamertag is GMAN CLAN. Check me out on xbox live!
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 12:19
Posted by Cyphre
Is this what OXM calls a review? This has been obviously written by a Gears of War FANBOY. I am not talking about the score; as that is just a matter of opinion. But the content has no objectivity or substance to it; all Mr. McCaffrey did was compare DS to GoW in every aspect. I understand a 5.5 if the game doesn't live up to its expectations and or has issues and these are brought to the reader’s attention thru the review. But to give it such score because it doesn't compare to a fan favorite; or tries too hard to emulate it, is not fair to the game, the game developers or your readers. Mr. McCaffrey, I give your review a 1.0, for not addressing the games issues or bringing to light any positive points if any. For having neither REAL substance nor content in it, and for not being objective in your review. Please, when reviewing future games, do not insult the reader’s intelligence and be more open-minded.....regardless of what the final score is. Thank you.
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 12:01
Posted by cart00nstrip
Yeah, I'm a little depressed about this. I was really looking forward to it. Ah, well, gives me more time to play "Bully"...
gt: cart00nstrip
Tue, 03/25/2008 - 11:40
Posted by stonekeep
another one bites the dust..... I was hopeing good things for this game since it is was a third person shooter but alais not true. Maybe a rental!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!