Dark Sector

About

Dark Sector is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by Digital Extremes and was released on March 24, 2009. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Dark Sector thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, a covert operative sent on a dangerous mission into Lasria, an Eastern European city on the brink of ruin that hides a deadly Cold War secret. In the midst of this mission, Hayden is attacked by an unknown enemy and infected by the Technocyte Virus, a brutal bio-weapon that twists its victims into mindless killing machines. Surviving this …

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74%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,370 reviews

story89 positive mentions

stability52 negative mentions

Dark Sector offers a unique gameplay experience with its glaive mechanics, allowing players to throw and control the glaive mid-flight, adding a strategic element to combat.
The game has a dark and atmospheric setting that effectively immerses players in its dystopian world, reminiscent of early 2000s shooters.
As a precursor to Warframe, Dark Sector provides interesting insights into the origins of the game's lore and mechanics, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of Warframe.

The PC port is plagued with technical issues, including resolution problems, crashes, and awkward controls that can frustrate players.
The story is often considered weak and poorly developed, with characters lacking depth and motivation, making it hard for players to become invested.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, especially with enemy spawns and boss fights that rely on trial-and-error rather than skill.

story
387 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
61%
16%
The story of "Dark Sector" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it either forgettable or poorly executed, often describing it as a cliché blend of military and horror tropes. While some appreciate its dark atmosphere and potential connections to "Warframe," others criticize its lack of depth, confusing narrative, and underdeveloped characters. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a secondary aspect to the gameplay, with many reviewers noting that it fails to engage or provide a coherent experience.
- “The story is interesting with some twists and turns that could unfortunately have been better orchestrated with a few bits feeling like they are missing around endgame, still I was hooked at times.”
- “The story is compelling enough for Warframe fans to want to finish it, but lacks depth and development.”
- “The story is simple yet engaging enough, battle feels great as well.”
- “The story is weak, and the game is so dark that you can barely see anything, not the enemies, not the environment, nothing.”
- “The plot hints at larger themes—bioweapons, espionage, the loss of humanity—but never dives deeply into any of them.”
- “The story is terrible, really no need to drag it through the mud more than that.”
gameplay
371 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
58%
10%
The gameplay of "Dark Sector" is a mixed bag, with many players noting its unique glaive mechanic as a standout feature that adds depth to combat and puzzle-solving. However, criticisms abound regarding the clunky controls, repetitive gameplay, and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the game's blend of third-person shooting and melee elements reminiscent of titles like "Resident Evil," others find it outdated and frustrating, particularly in terms of enemy design and level progression.
- “It’s simple, smooth, and entertaining, with great gameplay and good vibes all around.”
- “The gameplay is where the game shines.”
- “The gameplay loop is good if you primarily utilize the glaive, but the jank and how the story being so hard to follow makes the game a 7 or 6.”
- “Clunky gameplay (hitboxes are the hardest enemies) with many absurd decisions (like enemy weapons self-destructing 30 seconds after pick up), tedious bosses and half-baked ideas (the weapon buying and upgrading system).”
- “The gameplay is boring, the story is told in a weird manner and without offering any context that makes it very hard to follow, the iconic weapon is a letdown, the progression is irregular as you just get new powers out of literally nowhere and weapon upgrades are just sitting there in the environment, and the few puzzles you get cannot actually be called puzzles.”
- “Gameplay is bland, it just spams enemies at you for a few minutes then calls it a day.”
graphics
181 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
66%
11%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2009 release, with many users noting a washed-out aesthetic and various graphical glitches. While some appreciate the atmospheric visuals and effects, particularly in darker scenes, others criticize the lack of modern graphical options and the overall quality, which can feel clunky and unappealing by today's standards. Despite these issues, a few players find charm in the game's stylized graphics, reminiscent of late 2000s titles, and some modifications can enhance the visual experience.
- “Graphics are fine, I especially like some of the effects and the water presentations and the alien hues of the unknown virus adding vibrancy to the in-game world.”
- “The environments are grimy and industrial, filled with abandoned research facilities, ruined towns, and underground bunkers, all rendered with a consistent and moody aesthetic.”
- “The graphics still hold up quite well considering how old this game is, and the atmosphere and scenery are top notch.”
- “The graphics are washed, the protagonist is a stoic action man, the story is pulled out of thin air.”
- “The graphics leave much to be desired; the character models and environments look outdated.”
- “The graphics really show their age, being from the beginning of the previous console generation (2008), but it does its job even though it can be a bit gray here and there.”
stability
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and performance issues across various hardware setups. Players experience frequent crashes, graphical problems, and erratic enemy AI, making the gameplay frustrating at times. While some find it playable with tweaks or on specific platforms like the Steam Deck, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by technical shortcomings that detract significantly from the experience.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck with Proton 7.0-6.”
- “Just reviewing this in 2022 to let people know this runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “The game is very buggy, the level designs are lazy, and above all else, there are constant spawns of enemy NPCs.”
- “It's painfully buggy on SteamOS; it keeps crashing, and I haven't been able to get very far.”
- “The game can still run, but it's quite buggy and not comfortable to play, even with my GTX 1060 and Intel i7 laptop.”
atmosphere
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as dark, gritty, and immersive, effectively utilizing environmental storytelling, sound design, and visual aesthetics to create a haunting experience. While some reviews note that the narrative may not be strong, the combination of atmospheric elements, including eerie music and detailed environments, contributes to a compelling and chilling ambiance that enhances gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a key strength, despite the game's rough edges and mixed reviews on other aspects.
- “The dark and atmospheric world of Dark Sector is perfectly conveyed through the elaborate details of the environment and the gloomy soundtrack.”
- “The atmosphere is dark, gritty, and compelling, with a narrative that delves into themes of transformation and survival.”
- “The sound design complements the visuals effectively, with an eerie score and atmospheric sound effects that enhance the feeling of isolation and danger in the environment.”
- “The game rarely makes you feel empathy for its cast, and the atmosphere relies more on style and combat than on strong narrative beats.”
- “The game had lots of potential and atmosphere but it's cut short by the constant humorous bugs in every level.”
- “The setting these events are happening in is really not that interesting, even though it looks okay, but I love the chilling and alarming atmosphere it gives off.”
music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
68%
7%
The music in "Dark Sector" receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmospheric qualities and connections to "Warframe," while others find it minimal and repetitive, often overshadowed by background noise. While the soundtrack effectively enhances the game's dark and eerie mood, it lacks variety and can sometimes be too loud, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the music is seen as a highlight for some, but not universally acclaimed.
- “The dark and atmospheric world of Dark Sector is perfectly conveyed through the elaborate details of the environment and the gloomy soundtrack.”
- “The only really standout element is the soundtrack, which mixes off-brand Harry Gregson-Williams-esque tracks with creepy atmospheric tracks.”
- “The atmosphere and music is awesome and was really top tier during the time of release.”
- “The music feels non-existent as for a long while through the levels, you hear nothing but background noises; and when the music actually starts playing, it feels nothing special and does not improve the mood.”
- “- no OST or music at all”
- “The rest of the package, music, sound design, effects, animations, and the like, aren't very noteworthy either.”
optimization
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
59%
26%
The optimization of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting poor performance, frequent crashes, and significant resolution issues. While some players managed to achieve decent performance through configuration tweaks, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for modern systems, leading to inconsistent frame rates and a janky experience. Despite its engaging gameplay, the lack of proper optimization detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment.
- “Performance is fine and there were only some small bugs.”
- “I'm satisfied with the optimization options as well as the graphical setting options that it has; it is also a very interesting concept and take on the TPS genre.”
- “Good thing is that a bit of config file tweaking does the job and otherwise the game doesn't have any major performance issues on modern hardware, aside from a singular crash I encountered near the end of chapter 9.”
- “On top of that, the optimization is somehow terrible.”
- “Optimization of the game also leaves questions: frequent FPS drawdowns and bugs that spoil the overall impression.”
- “But the game itself is janky and unoptimized; granted that's Digital Extremes' standard at this point, but if you don't have the game installed on the same drive as your Windows installations, you're gonna have a terrible experience.”
humor
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as simple yet effective, with players finding amusement in its quirky elements, such as relatable themes and funny voice lines. Many reviews highlight the comedic value of bugs and glitches, as well as the over-the-top, kitschy nature of the gameplay, which adds to the overall enjoyment despite some frustrations. Characters and their interactions also contribute to the humor, making the experience entertaining even when the game struggles with technical issues.
- “Simple but really funny; it's nice playing as the Winter Soldier using Captain America's shield.”
- “The game had lots of potential and atmosphere, but it's cut short by the constant humorous bugs in every level.”
- “It's buggy, sure, but the bugs are all funny.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with clunky gameplay mechanics and uninspired combat contributing to a lack of engagement. Boss battles are often described as confusing and repetitive, while the weapon upgrade system feels half-baked and unfulfilling. Despite some interesting elements like the glaive and enjoyable abilities, the overall experience is marred by a grindy and frustrating gameplay loop.
- “It can be a bit grindy sometimes, but it adds to the overall experience.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding, but the rewards are worth it.”
- “Kinda linear, with no farming for cash, which makes it easy to miss upgrades.”
- “Boring weapons, tedious pickup system, pointless shop with no way to extract upgrades from weapons, 'we have cover system at home' game engine, zero feedback on hitting anything or being hit.”
- “The glaive is an interesting gimmick that struggles to carry an otherwise dull game with confusing upgrades, tedious boss battles, and a forgettable story.”
- “The enemies got tedious, and the game mechanics got frustrating, especially when the bosses can kill you with just one hit whereas you have to lay about 10-20 on them—this was on easy, mind you.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Overall, the game's replayability is generally viewed as low, with many players noting a lack of impactful story elements and limited incentives to replay, such as expensive weapon upgrades and a linear structure. While some players find enjoyment in experimenting with different weapon builds, the consensus is that the game does not offer significant replay value.
- “Solid game, love the shuriken, definitely has replay value.”
- “This (in addition to the linear fashion of the game mentioned earlier) actually contributes to replay value, as you can go back again and find all kinds of stuff you missed the first time and use completely different weapon builds.”
- “There isn't a whole lot of replay value as unfortunately, you don't get to restart the game with your powers and weapons, but replaying can be enjoyable enough.”
- “It doesn’t have much replay value, and the story ends without making a huge impact.”
- “Probably the most negative thing I have to say about it is that because there's not a lot in terms of replayability, the weapon trader feels excessively expensive so you won't see all the weapons in the game in a single playthrough.”
- “Replayability is kinda meh.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
56%
The emotional aspect of the game received mixed feedback, with some players noting a lack of engagement due to a boring story and frustrating gameplay. However, elements of betrayal and moral ambiguity were highlighted as providing some depth, and the voice acting contributed to the narrative's emotional weight. Overall, while a few players felt a sense of empowerment, many found the emotional impact lacking or overshadowed by technical issues and uninspired storytelling.
- “The elements of betrayal and moral ambiguity add depth, compelling players to engage with the narrative on a more emotional level.”
- “The voice acting, while not groundbreaking, is fitting for the characters and helps to convey the narrative’s emotional weight.”
- “The first thing the main character says is 'I don't want to be here' and after the first chapters (boring levels, boring weapons, boring story, and complicated controls) I wonder if by 'here' he means the game.”
- “Meh game and really buggy. I like the classic trope of the main character being infected and instead of turning into a brainless zombie, he gains superpowers, but apart from that, it's really boring story-wise.”
- “Terrible controls, boring story, and barely holding together console port.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Character development in the game is marked by a blend of grotesque creativity in design, particularly with the main character Hayden, whose human-monster hybrid aesthetic foreshadows elements seen in Warframe. While the game initially suffers from a lack of pace and depth, character progression and the introduction of new powers enhance the experience, making it more enjoyable as players advance. Overall, the character designs stand out in a genre often dominated by more traditional, hulking male archetypes, offering a refreshing take on the third-person shooter format.
- “The character designs, particularly Hayden, showcase the blend of human and monstrous elements that would later be explored in Warframe’s diverse Warframes.”
- “Despite these drawbacks, the sci-fi elements of the story and character designs make the game memorable enough, and the progression of more and more useful powers throughout the game does mean it begins picking up as I played along, to the point where things actually got a bit enjoyable by the middle-half of the game.”
- “It is a welcome twist on the third-person shooter genre, throwing in superpowers, a likable male protagonist with a cool character design, good voice acting, and fun gameplay.”
- “The character designs, particularly Hayden, showcase the blend of human and monstrous elements that would later be explored in Warframe’s diverse warframes.”
- “Yes, character designs and weapons are similar to that of Warframe, but this is not as fast-paced or comes with a lot of Warframe abilities and weapons.”
- “The visual design leans heavily on gray and brown palettes typical of that era, which can make areas feel samey over time, but the creature and character design inject enough grotesque creativity to keep things interesting.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The monetization of the game is generally viewed positively, as it avoids common pitfalls like battle passes, DLC, and microtransactions, which many players appreciate. However, some users criticize the game for feeling like a "cheap cash grab," particularly due to the frustrating boss fights and excessive ads. Overall, the lack of modern monetization tactics is seen as a refreshing aspect, despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “My favorite part is that, because it is an old game, my potato PC can run it. There is also enhanced graphics for those who want them, and there is no battle pass, DLC, microtransactions, loot boxes, or any of that other nonsense that modern games have.”
- “Cheap cash grab”
- “The only terrible part about this game is the boss fights, as most of them are just bullet sponges, or they swamp you with ads to distract from how boring they are.”
- “My favorite part is that, because it is an old game, my potato PC can run it (there are also enhanced graphics for the rich players), and there is no battle pass, DLC, microtransactions, loot boxes, and all that other nonsense modern games have.”