I feel like I've just stolen from a Video game company!!
But still, this is a review and I'll start with the graphics. Let me start with complete honesty. I cannot tell you where I rank in the graphics whoredom, but I can tell you that I will always appreciate graphic quality enough to hold the same general opinion wwhen people are awed or underwhelmed. Dark Sector awed me. The detail in the main character is pretty intense and engaging. The effects on the Glaive and the fire arms is pretty standard next gen awesomeness, and the environments never fail to impress. I would put this game on par with almost anything that is not GOW. Really.
Now, however the graphics shine, the game play is the nice, juicy fat of the game. The movement controls are pretty standard for a third person game. Where this games shines, albeit with many similarities to other games, is the combat. Press the right trigger and you will fire your equipped handgun, hold the left trigger to aim and you will have more accurate fire when you press the right trigger. Press the right bumper and you will throw your (and the key to the experience) glaive. This three bladed disk is pretty versatile. So much so that you can use it for defense, offense and gathering of weapons and supplies. However, the main thrill is taking out enemies with Glaive. It's so versatile, that you can take one guy, charge it up with electricity from and arc somewhere and electrocute another enemy and then use it to take out another guy with seamless ease. This thing can do it all!
The ambient sounds and character voices are very dramatic to add some depth to the story, but otherwise, it's not going to make or break the game. The audio works and that's enough.
The story? Well, I'm trying to follow it and it's nice sci-fi stuff, but aside from giving you the reason to continue on, it's forgettable in most parts, but wholly interesting for the big scenes.
The Challenge on this game is very tasty. It's got that GOW war "You had better take cover or die" level of challenge. The AI is very much up to snuff. Know how some of those enemies from GOW were hard to hit because they actively took cover? Pretty much the same kind of situation here. They tend to actively seek out ways to connect their shots and most often (more often than GOW) will. The controls for Glaive also add another level of challenge; but in a really good way, with just the right amount of "WOW", when things work out right.
To sum it all up. If you have sometime between blockbuster games and you have a spare Jackson in your pocket and some more for the Gov, pick this up.
You will NOT BE DISSAPOINTED.