As expected, this move disappointed tons of people, since the stealthy outer space setting would have been interesting – but I guess DE lacked the balls to go in that direction and instead settled for the tried and tested third person shooter genre. All said and done, the game’s new avatar isn’t all that bad; it’s just that it ends up getting lost in the sea of generic third person shooters out there.
At first glance the Dark Sector feels like it’s stepped out from the Gears of War universe. You have more or less the same cover system, pop up and shoot mechanics, roadie run, and the over-the-shoulder view we all love so much; the only difference is that for some reason the lead character isn’t capable of blind fire. Speaking of the lead character, the game puts you in the boots of one Hayden Tenno (who doesn’t look like he’s hit puberty yet), who after a botched mission finds himself infected with some kind of virus that's caused his arm to mutate and grow into something that resembles a three pronged frisbee shaped blade called the Glaive.
The Glaive is essentially the star of the show here; not only is it used to dismember and eviscerate foes, it’s also used to solve tons of puzzles. As you progress through the game your Glaive keeps attaining newer abilities that will allow it to absorb fire and electricity when thrown through those elements. It can then be used to burn down obstructions or open doors that couldn’t have been opened normally. Unfortunately, this form of puzzle solving tends to get repetitive really fast since the puzzles in this game are limited to burning down obstructions or opening doors that can’t be opened normally.
The Glaive can also be used to collect items like ammo, weapons, and money that are beyond reach, thanks to its boomerang-like qualities. Money thus collected can be used to upgrade/purchase weapons at the local black market dealer, who can be accessed through the game’s underground sewer systems.