The folks at D3 Publisher have announced January 22nd, 2008 as the firm release date for Digital Extremes Dark Sector on X360 and PS3.  The website goes live too!

Dark Sector started it's dev cycle years ago - pre Xbox 360, when it was still called Xbox Next - and was hailed as the first Next-Gen title in development.  Well, at least the first confirmed announcement.  Folks were intrigued by the sci-fi elements shown in the CGI trailers which looked absolutely stunning.

Flash forward to 2006 and the team decided it was all looking a bit too familiar. With a glut of sci-fi games on the market - it was time for something different.  Similar to Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa - Dark Sector made a complete 'reboot' - keeping the main character and his tech-suit, which had become an iconic imaged associated with the title, and changed the setting entirely.

I'm still a bit reserved about the games new direction after a preview event earlier this year.  Feels a bit like an Assassin's Creed meets Prince of Persia meets Bioshock or The Darkness.  If the story will be as compelling as Bioshock however, Dark Sector could stand well on it's own.

Here's a bit about the game from the PR:
Utilizing the Evolution Engine™, proprietary next-gen technology developed by Digital Extremes, Dark Sector is an all-new and original action-thriller designed exclusively for next-generation consoles. The game thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities; he must learn to evolve along with his powers, to survive and to become a hero. A dark, gritty experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an engaging story; Dark Sector represents the next evolution of gaming.

Official Site:  Dark Sector