Dark Sector

Use your glaive to chop off your enemies' heads in this third-person action-shooter from D3 and Digital Extremes.

Overview

Dark Sector was developed by Digital Extremes for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and was released on March 25, 2008 through D3 Publisher. It was released on the PC a year later, published by Aspyr Media. Originally planned to feature a sci-fi setting with the main character being a man in an advanced armored suit, it was later changed to a more realistic setting in military bases, abandoned towns, and other grittier environments . The developers stated that this was because of other developers and publishers shifting their attention to more realistic settings. Gameplay revolves around cover, third-person shooting, and the use of a bladed projectile weapon called the glaive.

Gameplay

The glaive can be used at the same time as one-handed guns. Throwing the glaive can stun enemies, setting them up for melee finishing moves; with enough accumulated damage, the glaive can also dismember foes, killing them immediately even if only a limb is severed. Hayden's disease mutates over time, resulting in new abilities as the story progresses. One of these new powers is the ability to perform charged up "power throws". These power throws will decapitate most minor enemies in one hit. Soon after learning power throws, Hayden obtains "aftertouch", allowing him to directly control the path of the glaive in mid-flight. The glaive can also absorb the "elements" such as fire, ice, and electricity for improved combat abilities as well as involvement in the game's puzzle-solving. It also serves as a boomerang, capable of collecting items that are too far for Hayden to reach.

There is also a heavy amount of gunplay. The shooting is reminiscent of Gears of War, with a similar over-the-shoulder perspective and cover system. However, there is no blind fire, increasing the importance of the glaive because it is capable of killing enemies while Hayden is still taking cover. There are also collectible upgrades throughout the game's chapters, which can be added to the guns during visits to the black market. Upgrades are permanent and take up limited slots on each gun.

Story

Main Characters

Hayden Tenno

Dark Sector's protagonist who is infected with the Technocyte virus, giving him his unique in game abilities, is out to stop the spread of the virus across the world

Robert Mezner

Dark Sector's antagonist is also infected with the Technocyte virus. Hoping to create a new race, Mezner attempts to release the Technocyte virus across the planet.

Yargo Menshik

Also known as a "sleeper agent", Yargo is an expert on the Technocyte virus and Hayden's main provider of intel and advice throughout the game.

Nadia Sudek

A female agent working under Mezner. She and Hayden were once romantically involved, but the story does not elaborate upon it.

Viktor

An agent similar to Hayden also working for the agency. Hayden's initial mission is to find Viktor, who is believed to be infected, and murder him. His relevance to the story is extremely minor.

The Black Market Dealer

The game's dealer sets up shop in sewers accessible through various manholes; he allows the player to buy, sell and upgrade weapons. The character shares similarities to The Merchant, a character from Resident Evil 4.

Plot

The story begins with Hayden Tenno, an operative from an unnamed United States agency (the game's multiplayer simply refers to it as "The Agency"), on a mission in the fictional Eastern European nation of Lasria. He possesses a disease called congenital analgia which mostly nullifies his ability to feel pain. Hayden kills a captured U.S. agent named Viktor, because he is believed to be infected by the Technocyte Virus, a disease that transforms its victims into powerful abominations, and then pursues a man named Mezner. Mezner is the man responsible for unleashing the virus in the first place. The mutation process is so painful that it usually drives the infected insane. As Hayden tracks down Mezner, he meets the Nemesis, an imposing, gladiator-esque creature in an armoured suit. After a brief fight Hayden is defeated and infected, but due to his disease, he does not feel the agonizing pain to the extent that others do, and so he is not driven into madness. He remains mostly in control of himself and his thoughts, able to use the disease to his advantage. Hayden sets out to find Mezner and stop the spread of the virus.

Weapons and Upgrades

Throughout Dark Sector the player is able to purchase new weapons and find new upgrades.

Sidearms

Tekna 9mm

Ammo: Pistol
Round Capacity: 12
Price: 9000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter One

Tekna Burst

Ammo: Pistol
Round Capacity: 26
Price: 10500 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Four

Vekesk Micro

Ammo: Machine Gun
Round Capacity: 30
Price: 21000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Four

Spectre

Ammo: Shotgun
Round Capacity: 2
Price: 28000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Six

Hammer 1895

Ammo: Magnum
Round Capacity: 6
Price: 32000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Six

Assault Weapons

AKS-74

Ammo: Machine Gun
Round Capacity: 30
Price: 20000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Four

Striker

Ammo: Shotgun
Round Capacity: 6
Price: 26000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Four

Protecta

Ammo: Shotgun
Round Capacity: 12
Price: 39000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Five

VX Carbine

Ammo: Magnum
Round Capacity: 6
Price: 30000 Rubles
First Available: Chapter Five

Korbov TK6

Ammo: Machine Gun
Round Capacity: 30
Price: 40000
First Available: Chapter Seven

Special Weapons

RPG

Ammo: RPGs
Round Capacity: 4
Price: This item cannot be purchased. Found throughout levels and carried by some enemies.
First Available: Chapter One

Gatling Gun

Ammo: Machine Gun / RPG
Round Capacity: Unlimited
Secondary Capacity: 10
Price: This item cannot be purchased. Dropped by soldiers in exo-suits.
First Available: Unknown

Frag Grenade

Ammo: Null
Round Capacity: Null
Price: Item cannot be purchased. Dropped by enemies.
First Available: Chapter One

Weapon Upgrades

Upgrades can be found hidden throughout the game in aluminum suitcases.

Accuracy

Available to: Everything

This upgrade decreases the size of your guns accuracy circle. Although it does not shrink it past the guns normal maximum accuracy point. Using your glaive with after touch completely removes the necessity of this upgrade.

Double Shot

Available to: Everything

The Double Shot upgrade makes each gun fire twice in one shot. This upgrade can be deadly when used with a shotgun or magnum weapon.

Fire Rate

Available to: Everything

This upgrade does exactly what is sounds like it would do. It increases the firing speed of a weapon. It helps on slower pistols and shotguns, but generally is not necessarily needed.

Reload Speed

Available to: Everything

Reload Speed allows you to reload your weapon faster then normal. Except for the fact that Hayden already reloads all of his guns at a fast pace, it would be a better idea to just sell this upgrade for money.

Puncture

Available to: Magnum

This allows bullets to pass through an enemy and into one directly behind him. This upgrade is generally pointless when you have your glaive that can do the same thing for free. It would again be a better idea to sell this upgrade instead of using it.

Stopping Power

Available to: Shotgun, Magnum

This upgrade allows your shots to knock enemies over allowing you to shoot them more. This upgrade does not cause any more damage to the enemy.

Enferon Shells

Available to: Everything

Enferon Shells are a rare upgrade in the game and should be used carefully. The upgrade coats your ammunition in Enferon and is highly affective on the infected. A few shots will cause them to swell up and die of convulsions (after around 10 seconds).

Clip Extender

Available to: Everything

This upgrade will extend your ammo capacity by 25%. On longarms it is stackable up to 100% (using four upgrades) and on sidearms only to 75%. The only exception to this rule as pointed out by others is the Spectre which only gets one extra shell.

Firepower

Available to: Everything

Firepower is an extremley rare upgrade with only four scattered through the game. They will increase the firepower strength of your weapon.

Upgrade Slot

Available to: Everything

The rarest upgrade in the game which can only be found in timed levels of the game. It allows you to add one more upgrade slot to your weapon of choice (if that weapon is not already maxed out in upgrade slots).

Technocyte Powers (Special Abilities)

Steal / Grab

Achieved in: Chapter Two

Allows Hayden to use the glaive to grab items from a distance by throwing it at them.

Power Throw

Achieved in: Chapter Three

Allows the glaive to break special chains and locks. It also kills most enemies in one hit.

After Touch

Achieved in: Chapter Three

Lets the player control the movement of the glaive in slow motion.

Shield

Achieved in: Chapter Four

Generates a shield in front of Hayden which blocks most all attacks and deflects projectiles back in his facing direction.

Energy Pulse

Achieved in: Chapter Five

Allows Hayden to create an energy explosion with the glaive when it is thrown and charged with any elemental power (fire, electricity, and ice).

Shift / Invisibility

Achieved in: Chapter Seven

Turns Hayden invisible for a short period of time, allowing for stealth kills and bypassing some security systems. Invisibility automatically ends when the player attacks.

Reclassification In Australia

On Feburary 18th, 2008, Dark Sector was refused classification by the Office of Film & Literature Classification board (OFLC), due to the games high-impact level of violence, and deemed unsuitable for audiences under the age of 18 years old. The OFLC stated:

"The finishing moves and most violent game play includes decapitation, dismemberment of limbs accompanied by large blood spurts, neck breaking spurts, neck breaking twists and exploded bodies with post-action twitching body parts. These moves are relatively easy to accomplish and once the player has mastered the moves and is able to get close to his foes, these violent moves can be executed... Successfully shooting an opponent results in the depiction of blood spray. When Hayden cuts off his opponent's limb with the glaive, large amounts of blood spray forth from the stump and the injured person screams in agony which increases the impact."

Dark Sector was later reclassified with MA15+ classification and released in Australia on October 9th 2008. Featuring no decapitations and toned down dismemberment on human opponents. This heavily censored version was based on the Japanese version, which was also slightly sanitised before its release.