Gritty third-person shooter free on Steam for a short time

Dark Sector is a gritty third-person shooter where players step into the shoes of elite agent Hayden Tenno. Sent on a mission to a fictional Eastern European country, Hayden is exposed to a deadly virus that grants him supernatural abilities while thrusting him into a brutal struggle for survival.

Central to the gameplay is Hayden's Glaive, a three-bladed weapon he can throw and control with precision. As the story unfolds, the Glaive gains the ability to harness explosive energy, fire and electricity, growing more powerful over time. Complementing this are traditional firearms, which add variety and encourage strategic planning.

Players face off against enemy soldiers and mutants, navigate perilous environments and tackle challenging puzzles to uncover the dark truths behind the virus and the shadowy organization responsible for it. Although the graphics from the 2009 release by Digital Extremes may show their age, the game’s haunting atmosphere continues to captivate.

On Steam, Dark Sector is typically priced at around $10 and holds a solid average rating, with 81% positive feedback from approximately 950 reviews. On Metacritic, it has a Metascore of 72 and a User Score of 6.8. Some players have criticized the storyline for being too simplistic and the enemy AI for its predictability, but these flaws are easy to overlook with the game being free to claim until November 30 at 6 p.m. (CET).

Prices are subject to change. The offer was available at the time of publication of the article, but may be limited in time or quantity. All information without guarantee.