Sleeping Dogs

In many ways GTA has been dethroned by this game. Sleeping Dogs is a lot of fun, and seriously addictive. It may lack the complete freedom of GTA IV (no flying vehicles available), which I guess is still considered the benchmark for open world video games even 5 years on, but Sleeping Dogs is far, far more refined with superior graphics and details, as well as featuring a much more likable protagonist.

As I began to play I felt that the game was very similar to the True Crime games. I later learned that it was actually planned as True Crime: Hong Kong, before Activision cancelled it and passed it over to Square Enix who continued to develop it as a new title. So this really is the 'spiritual second sequel' to True Crime that we never got, and I have been accidentally referring to it as such. As far as I am concerned it is.

The game stars Wei Shen as an undercover cop raised in California who returns to Hong Kong to infiltrate the mob. It's full of clichés but is highly entertaining and never once boring. There are a variety of missions including gunfights, fist fights, foot chases, car chases, boat chases, espionage, as well as multiple side missions and upgrades. Highly addictive stuff indeed. And bloody too, very, very bloody. Believe me, the game justifies the age restriction without ever seeming forced.

I do have some complaints, like not being able to hail taxis and missing them every time you dash for them. Also there never any cars to hijack when you need them, meaning you'll have to run up the street hoping to block the way of a passing vehicle. The radio stations are not as humorous as GTA, but there are some nice tunes on there.

The game is liberal with trophies, and features loads of DLC on the PlayStation Network, including two new missions sets. I'm not done with this game yet!

Graphics A Sound A Gameplay A+ Lasting Appeal A+

I was really skeptical about this game because it looked just like another GTA clone. You can definitely feel that formula, but it's improved. I read reviews about this game through other websites and got a general idea of what I was getting into.

The story is top notch as well as the voice acting. Controls are really responsive. I think the focus on the fighting engine is the best part. I try to find reasons to fight people in the game. I'm not a big racing fan, but the vehicle controls are smooth and realistic feeling. The authenticity is what I love. I enjoy the Chinese culture and have many Chinese friends so playing the game felt familiar.

The main issue I have with the game is the camera control. While driving, fighting, or just generally traversing the the game there are times when the camera gets all wonky. Other than that I can't think of any reason not to at least play the game. Good job Square-Enix for picking up this game instead of letting it die.

Open-World games are always popular among gamers . for instance GTA & Mafia series are 2 top Open-World series and I love both . True Crime was an open-world game that actually sold good then United Front Games decided to continue franchise and make True Crime : Hong Kong . Activision was supposed to publish it but for some reason Square Enix, publisher of Final Fantasy series announced that it has taken the charge of publishing this game and title also change to "Sleeping Dogs" . no one expected much from Sleeping Dogs but it did quite a feat . the game-play is perfect . Kung fu and martial arts are as exciting as Driving around the city . designing of the city is great . in the Sleeping Dogs Hong Kong is your playground . you can enter illegal races, gamble on cock fights or kick back some karaoke . Epic high-speed thrills like burning up streets or tearing up the sea in a vast array of exotic cars,super-bikes and speedboats is fabulous . Story is wonderful and Screen-play attracts players . I suggest you play this masterpiece and join the Sleeping Dogs.

This game feels and plays like an over the top Chinese cop movie, aided by well done voice acting. The general atmosphere of the open world really strengthens the feeling of being immersed in an older pseudo fictional representation of modern Hong Kong.

The story: it plays in a really tight and controlled manner which allows for a great feeling of fitting into it all. There is no need to feel lost or bored in a vast city. The player can go out and do a lot of missions, and many side quests. This game defeats a lot of other open world games simply by those means alone.

The acting: The voice acting is top notch, and as previously stated - The voice acting really is at a high level. The actors and actresses really hit the nail on the head.

It isn't perfect: It has a few irritating issues with its control system when playing with a keyboard. Buttons tend to shift meaning while playing, making it possible to miss a few important counters while playing. It goes against muscle memory. Though that's figuratively the only true issue with its design.

My favourite game ever! A man who never eats pork bun is NEVER a whole man!