Games

Dark Sector

Publisher: D3 Publishing

Platform: Reviewed on Xbox 360, also available on PS3

Price: £34.99

Certificate: 18

Enter the Dark Sector

Digital Extremes have spent four years working on their third person shooter and they've done a fine job. But with rival games such as the now legendary Gears of War having made such an impact is there still space in the market for this one?

Dark Sector offers up easy to grasp game play and simple, familiar controls which is a good start and is incredibly immersive. Certainly a good start.

All the weapons you expect are here, and the game plays like a more difficult, non unit based version of the aforementioned Gears so nothing is really a shock.

The games is set in the near future too, which makes it that much easier to identify with and addresses issues such as the cold war and international terrorism in its storyline.

The storyline guides you through a grimy, industrial landscapes and has you dealing with fat cat weapons brokers, jaded spies and cold blooded killers. It has you fighting your way to a megalomaniac wrong thinker, and then as tradition dictates, blowing his head off as paranoid situations unfold around you.

Sadly all this is done in a sloppy and confusing manner when it comes to character acting, script and level design. Level goals are handled poorly too, a cliché such as the obligatory helicopter shoot out at the end of the first level.

What's more the 'twist' of the game is rather unoriginal and poor. And while we're not the type to give away the plot lets just say while the Glaive throwing weapon is fun and even a little addictive it doesn't do enough to separate this one from the other games on the market.

Digital Extremes have tried with this release, that much is clear but while Dark Sector offers brave interpretations of the future, matching game mechanics with game elements such as the Glaive and huge variety in mundane firearms it doesn't quite ignite the sparks of previous next generation releases.

Not a poor game, just lacking in real innovation.