If DARK SECTOR sounds vaguely familiar, don't worry ... old age hasn't set in yet. First announced in 2004, Digital Extreme showed off a trailer featuring space marines, power armor and spaceships. Since them, the developer scrapped those features for a more realistic setting, the fictional Soviet state of Lasria, where the modern day superhero story of Hayden Tenno can meticulously unfold.

Hayden's former role as a space marine gives way to a more down to earth job as a CIA cleaner -- a covert operative sent in to "clean up" nasty scenarios. Hayden specializes in biological disasters and gets placed in Lasria to deal with some rather nasty bio-weapon researchers gone off-kilter. By the time he gets there the test subjects of the said bio-weapons research - mutated super humans referred to as "Infected" -- have somehow managed to escape and run out of control through this "dark sector" while a highly trained paramilitary force tries to put them back in their cages.

Although at first glance this appears to be a standard third person shooter, with gamers fighting wave after wave of enemies, Hayden actually becomes one of the infected after he unexpectedly turns his right arm into sinewy metal, complete with a clawed hand and glaive (a whirling three bladed projectile that returns to the wielder like a boomerang). Suddenly things don't look so bleak.

In fact, the glaive just might be the real focal point of the game. Like a salamander that can regenerate a limb, Hayden grows another glaive if his happens to get destroyed. The glaive also has another interesting property -- it can absorb energy from certain environmental elements. For instance, when tossed into flames it catches fire and ignites flammable objects. Throw it at a light bulb, and not only does it eliminate that light source, but it absorbs the bulb's electrical properties to electrocute enemies. The developers promise this ability will be vitally important in overcoming the various puzzles players will encounter throughout the game.

Enemies consist of normal soldiers and other infected who possess similar abilities and powers as Hayden. Staying alive requires quick assessment of each "Infected" in order to combat their power, so players must stay on their toes at all times. Soldiers won't be pushovers either since they use a noxious gas that messes with a player's health and powers. Speaking of which, a health meter does not exist. As players get pummeled the screen turns red indicating low health. In the case of the gas, changing colors and multiple targets appear to simulate "seeing double."

Digital Extremes still has several months of work ahead of it before DARK SECTOR gets unleashed onto the masses. Based on the myriad of changes, who knows what gamers may see when it finally hits store shelves in late '07. As things stand now, this game appears to be shape shifting into one very interesting ride. Stay tuned to GameDaily for all the "dark" details to come!

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