The last time we saw Dark Sector, D3 Publisher was showing off an impressive multiplayer build, with various modes and rules set around the lead character, Hayden Tenno, and his powerful glaive-throwing ability. Recently, we went hands-on with the game's single-player campaign, and came away equally impressed.

You don't start with the glaive. Instead, you rely on Hayden's gun-toting skills to survive. He gets dropped right into the middle of a war-torn Eastern European city, sent in to assassinate an infected target before enemy soldiers can use him to their advantage.

The Glaive is one awesome weapon. Word.

After a battle with several soldiers and taking down an enemy helicopter with a rocket launcher (one of our favorite parts of the game), Hayden comes face to face with a strange alien creature, who rebounds a rocket and hurls it right back at him. Hayden awakens to find himself altered, with the glaive projectile attached to his arm. No longer just a routine assassin, he decides to fight back against the enemy forces with this newfound ability and become a hero – not as easy as it looks.

Dark Sector's gameplay feels well balanced, especially when it comes to the glaive. The weapon, when powered up, gives Tenno the ability to snag out-of-reach weapons, increase throwing strength and, in due time, control the weapon in very cool slo-mo. Throwing the glaive at an enemy soldier's head is very satisfying, especially watching him crumble to his feet after a well-timed pitch. You can also fire a handgun in connection with the glaive, firing off a few rounds as it works its way back to you. Heavier weapons, such as a shotgun and machine gun, require more focus, however. You'll have to put the glaive away in order to use them, or toss them aside entirely.

One cool thing about Dark Sector is its artificial intelligence. These aren't stupid guys just waiting to take a glaive to the head. They'll hide behind objects, jump over a table for cover, throw grenades and lay down suppressive fire every chance they get. You'll also encounter larger enemies in the game, including a hideous beast that tries to run you over. Not to worry, though – firing a few shotgun rounds sends him screaming.

Developer Digital Extremes put a lot of dedication into the game's graphics, and it shows. When Hayden is near death, for instance, he enters into a glowing thermal mode, where he boosts his strength in a last-ditch effort to stay alive. The entire screen glows orange, giving him a better idea where his enemies are. Another cool effect worth mentioning is the rain. It actually looks like rain, with small particles warping the screen and leaving an effect on the ground. In addition, audio plays a big part in the game, with dedicated voice work and awesome sound effects (the glaive sounds sweet when it's flying).

We'll save the rest of our impressions of Dark Sector for the review, which posts at the end of this month. However, given what we've seen, it should find a place in your Xbox 360 collection.

Related Links

Dark Sector Game Guide

D3 Publisher