Fun mechanics compensate a somewhat slow start
Graphics: 9
Music: 5
Story: 7
Control: 9
Difficulty: 8
Gameplay: 8
Level design: 6
This game feels a lot like Gears of war and it isn't a bad thing. There's a covert system that works really good, controls are responsive, graphics are top-notch [for the moment when it was released], the music is there just to occasionally notice it and the levels are OK.
What's important about this game is that throwing the glaive is fun, a lot of fun and it can lead to unlocking several achievements and even though I don't care much about them, for this game, I did and you'll want to get more too as their requirements are pretty entertaining.
I've played both GOW and I prefer Dark sector over GOW2, throwing the glaive adds some novelty to the repetitive formula of FPSs. Upon levelling up, the glaive will upgrade to absorb elements and use them to attack: electricity, fire and ice, which increases even more the fun of using it. Apart from the glaive, this is the only game with a useful and easily-upgradable shotgun. I tend to prefer pistols and bows, maybe some automatic rifle, but never shotguns because I find them messy, their ammo is scarce and they can't shoot at long distances [I'm of the silent sharp-shooter kind] however the shotgun not only is effective but necessary as the game is plagued by small fast-moving enemies ramming at you and they can only be effectively disposed off with these weapon. There's also the possibility to go melee as there's a quick-time button-smashing mode to vanquish enemies, this mode is activated to perform finishing moves and it's fun too.
The story resembles more the Resident Evil line than the standard FPS' and it's fine though it won't blow your mind. It is presented in chapters "a la Gears of War" and I strongly recommend to turn on the subtitles because the overall sound level of the game is low, the SFX sounds fine but the voices are quite hard to hear.
Dark Sector combines element's from several games [Resient evil, Gears of war, God of war and FPSs] but this merge turns out to be more successful than a failure thanks to all the variety that it provides. The learning curve can get pretty steep in the middle of game thanks to these ramming enemies that I mentioned however it can be overcome successfully to finally enjoy the game but not before putting some patience and good will to go through it.
Get Dark sector and try it by yourself, you won't be losing much, it's an old game that should be bargain by now, it performs more than fine and it'll provide 8 hours of entertainment at least.
///------TOTAL: 7 [rounded]------///
