James Cameron's Dark Angel follows the adventures of a genetically engineered girl struggling to find her parents in an oppressive, 21st century Seattle. Based on the two-year sci-fi series that aired on the FOX network, Dark Angel is played from a third-person perspective behind the title character of Max, a rogue soldier who escaped from her military captors as a child. As players battle a series of enemies while advancing through various 3D locales, including a Manticore laboratory, they will be able to count on the help of cyber-journalist and love interest Logan Cale for tips and situational updates. Series star Jessica Alba provides Max's voice as players use her special talents to fight evil.
The game takes place predominately at night as players use a variety of stealth maneuvers to infiltrate enemy areas before taking on foes. Max can press against walls, look around corners, and speed burst across the screen to take cover in darkness. Once she finds a group of enemies, Max is capable of performing a series of punches, kicks, jumps, and throws to keep her would-be captors off balance. Every successful hit adds to Max' rage meter, enabling her to unleash powerful blows once filled. Gameplay generally involves eliminating enemies to retrieve an item or two needed to advance further into the level. Max can also slow down the action as in titles like Max Payne and Dead to Rights so she can confront multiple attackers at once.