Among the titles of the action genre, some remain unnoticed and others try, as they can, to step aside from the lot. Dark Sector is part of this category and does not try to conceal its influences with, however, a touch of originality introduced by a unique object. Making the concept of a whole game revolve around a weapon might look like a risky bet from Digital Extremes' developers. Dark Sector, a double-edged soft?

An infection... Sound the feast horn!

When he gets sent by his superiors to take down an Eastern Europe terrorist, who also is an ex-Red Army general, Hayden Tenno does not figure out he will be confronted to a deadly secret that has been kept since Cold War. One unlucky encounter later, our friend gets infected by a virus whose progressive effects will take possession of his right arm to give him a power: controlling the Glaive. A dreadful weapon that will reveal itself as more and more powerful as the game's chapters go by, thus guaranteeing a certain evolution in the gameplay nearly right up until the end of the adventure. And not only that, since hashing the Glaive will become the masterpiece of a game that actually lacks some proper identity. Taking some ideas here and there to make the player evolve through a not really outstanding, but catchy enough story, Dark Sector plays a dangerous game it tries to manage all along the dozen gaming hours awaiting the player.

The Glaive helps those who like the Glaive

Hayden's infection is kind of the game's guiding thread. Quickly, the latter makes a slaying weapon with dreadful edges, used like a boomerang, appear. Called the Glaive, the object just reveals itself, at first, as just useful enough to inflict greater damage to the enemies. Then the player discovers a new way to throw it in order to make the Glaive a deadly weapon, before learning how to control it with the PlayStation 3 controller's Sixaxis system and using it as a tool to unlock mechanisms. Thus, it is possible to send the Glaive through fire or electric current, for example, so that it absorbs one of these energies and spreads it to a precise target. Burning a substance to open a path, unlocking a door by inflicting it an electric shock or even freezing a surface to be able to walk on it, a fine number of actions you will rather often repeat in the game and that pleasantly force you to use the Glaive. These game phases will more than a few times ask you to take control of the weapon to orient it towards precise places, enjoyable. Moreover, this manual aiming can also be used just for the fun of cutting into pieces precise limbs of your enemies, a great moment of pleasure.

Dark Sector thus is totally dedicated to its Glaive. Up to a point so deep that the game stumbles into mediocrity as soon as the aforesaid weapon is absent. Even better, the developers did not hesitate to « restrict » the access to enemy arsenal by including a security on them which forces Hayden to drop a gathered weapon after a dozen of seconds before the latter explodes, cunning. Luckily, the money collected through the combats will allow you to do some black market shopping, where a not really scrupulous seller will propose you a large panel of firearms, enough to provide some more traditional gunfights so that you don't overuse the Glaive. Just notice the latter can also adopt a defensive stance by generating a shield protecting Hayden for a short period. You will have understood it, the whole interest of the title relies on this sole weapon.

The fights however do not lack dynamism and plunge the player into the action with a shoulder view quite reminding of Gears of War or even Resident Evil 4. Just like in Epic Games' title, it is possible to sprint, take cover, roll or jump above an obstacle by pressing a single button. From there on, our hero can largely and efficiently settle scores with his enemies while protected. Nothing revolutionary indeed, but Digital Extremes' game rather well takes back this recipe proven as efficient. However, the lacks are effectively present, the greatest of them being Dark Sector's linearity . Not really varied, the game's levels are generally presented under the same scheme and only the Glaive's evolution will allow to wander through the levels with a slightly different approach. The AI also won't leave an imperishable souvenir, the enemies' one throwing itself into danger or just finding it fine to shoot without taking cover.

A hero not looking like... a hero

Dark Sector's true problem is, notably because of a too classic and boring Glaive progression, its lack of identity. An issue characterized by an absolutely not charismatic hero, whose face more resembles a Ken doll than a dreadful secret agent taken under the menace of a terrible conspiracy. It even goes deep enough to spoil the close combat scenes which, in addition to suffering some collision bugs, are rather not that credible. Too bad, all the more since Digital Extremes' title's graphical aspect globally is quite a success though it remains somewhat monotonous, adding some more weight to the classicism marking the game. To make blood get spilt everywhere by cutting down your enemies with the Glaive just feels so great.

Dark Sector not only represents a dozen hours of solo play. The online multiplayer is also a part of it and proposes two sole modes. The first one, Infection, will let you play as Hayden facing 9 soldiers whose only goal is to take you down. The second one, Epidemy, is a « team » variant of Infection in which each group has to kill the opposing party's hero. And that's it. Not much to enjoy thus, enough to spend an evening or two before getting seriously bored on the five little maps welcoming the armed arguments. And to end on a positive note, let us point out the convincing sound effects and a dubbing that also feels great, the whole finely orchestrated through a quality soundtrack.