Dark Sector is an action game, in which the player takes on the role of Hayden Tenno, a black-ops agent sent into Lasria, a small USSR country. The goal is to destroy a virus that turns people into mutants and eliminate its creator, Mezner.
Upon finding Mezner, Hayden becomes infected with the virus, which mutates his right arm, giving him new abilities such as invisibility, shields, and the use of a special knife-like weapon called the glaive. The infection also allows Hayden to use firearms like shotguns or pistols, taken from enemies or purchased from the Black Market.
Gameplay involves exploring the environment, fighting enemies, and completing objectives. Hayden can also upgrade his abilities and equipment using experience points and resources found throughout the game.
Dark Sector 's multiplayer mode features two different modes: Infection, where one player is infected with the virus and must survive against ordinary soldiers, and Epidemic, a team-based mode where two teams with their own Hayden try to eliminate each other's mutants.