User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1564 Ratings

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  1. Sep 9, 2012
    8
    Originality: Next to none. There's almost nothing in this game that hasn't been previously done in others.

    Story: "In Too Deep" type of story. Again, nothing original. Flare/Appeal: This game primarily appeals to those of us who like open world games that take place in the city. If you liked the GTA series or the Saints Row series, this game is for you (as there aren't all that
    Originality: Next to none. There's almost nothing in this game that hasn't been previously done in others.

    Story: "In Too Deep" type of story. Again, nothing original.

    Flare/Appeal: This game primarily appeals to those of us who like open world games that take place in the city. If you liked the GTA series or the Saints Row series, this game is for you (as there aren't all that many games made that way). Overall: The story doesn't compare to instant classics like "Mafia," neither are the vehicles as diverse as GTA. Both the length and the difficulty level of the game are somewhat of a disappointment. The only reason this game is scored that high is that there simply aren't many options when it comes to open world vehicle-reliant games; and, the game takes place in Hong Kong -- this lets players experience the culture and vibe of HK which I find to be fairly entertaining and somewhat educational. The last time I played a game that drew such a vivid theme was Red Dead Redemption.
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  2. Aug 15, 2012
    10
    Having not run into any of the bugs or issues with controls that most users are citing, I'm giving Sleeping Dogs a 10 simply because it doesn't suffer from sequelitis. United Front Games did an amazing job of creating a true spiritual successor to the True Crime series that Luxoflux created so masterfully. For once, developers are not selling out to appeal to the Call of Duty audience. TheHaving not run into any of the bugs or issues with controls that most users are citing, I'm giving Sleeping Dogs a 10 simply because it doesn't suffer from sequelitis. United Front Games did an amazing job of creating a true spiritual successor to the True Crime series that Luxoflux created so masterfully. For once, developers are not selling out to appeal to the Call of Duty audience. The on-rails drive by missions felt so familiar to their TC:NYC counterparts. While the police gameplay is noticeably different due to the nature of you being undercover, the gunplay feels incredibly similar with bullet time, dual wielding, and the purposeful lack of emphasis on shooting. You don't have some absurd amount of ammunition, and United Front did an excellent job of keeping True Crime true to its roots. The driving feels incredibly similar, especially with ramming replacing manual PIT maneuvers. The hand to hand combat feels just as in-depth as in previous games, with training locations and new moves to learn. I am just so amazed with how they kept all the things that made True Crime unique. You can still store weapons in car trunks, purchase and store vehicles in the garage, customize your player character, and so on. I am beyond ecstatic that United Front made sure Sleeping Dogs would always be remember as the third True Crime game. This consistency is a massive step forward for the industry: Call of Duty cannot ruin every game with a gun in it anymore. We can finally expect more unique, good games again. Expand
  3. Aug 18, 2012
    10
    A beautiful living city, one of the best engines up-to-date with gorgeous graphics, tons of action like in movies and the best combat system in a sandbox. This is the best game I've played this year, it's simply beautiful with tons of fun.
  4. Aug 14, 2012
    10
    This game blows GTA 4 out of water.A must have if you are a fan of open world games.Driving is not that good but worth getting for everything else.lol
  5. Jan 5, 2013
    8
    Generally, I chose not to buy most Grand Theft Auto type games on the PC; But I couldn't pass up a 91% deal on steam making this game around four dollars! Now this game is amazing all around graphics wise it is stellar. I could almost compare this to GTA in Asia, with better combat and just more of a storyline based around the character. Bottom line this game is a must, especially whenGenerally, I chose not to buy most Grand Theft Auto type games on the PC; But I couldn't pass up a 91% deal on steam making this game around four dollars! Now this game is amazing all around graphics wise it is stellar. I could almost compare this to GTA in Asia, with better combat and just more of a storyline based around the character. Bottom line this game is a must, especially when its a steal on Steam! My only gripe and its downfall is its awkward keyboard control. Otherwise there's an option for a game-pad! Expand
  6. Dec 24, 2020
    8
    It is near-perfect in the open-world, city/crime genre. Even though it doesn't deliver anything necessarily new or unique, it differentiates itself from others in the genre by having a very distinct delivery.

    Comparing it to GTA V, which came out only 1 year after, it does lack in a lot of factors. It plays a lot more like a story-driven adventure game you can sometimes stop and play
    It is near-perfect in the open-world, city/crime genre. Even though it doesn't deliver anything necessarily new or unique, it differentiates itself from others in the genre by having a very distinct delivery.

    Comparing it to GTA V, which came out only 1 year after, it does lack in a lot of factors. It plays a lot more like a story-driven adventure game you can sometimes stop and play around with, than a world full of possibilities you can explore and revel in.

    However, even though there is a lot less you can do and interact with, the city does speak out to me a lot more than other games in this category. It feels a whole lot more personal, maybe due to it's strong focus on the plot, and therefore it becomes a much more pleasant experience.
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  7. Oct 22, 2012
    10
    The best comparison I can make for Sleeping Dogs is Grand Theft Auto with a good combat engine, more interesting characters, and a more colorful environment. Although very similar in many ways, Sleeping Dogs manages to improve on GTA in every way possible. From a well developed melee combat system to exciting gunfights, each feature in the game comes together to offer an amazing, almostThe best comparison I can make for Sleeping Dogs is Grand Theft Auto with a good combat engine, more interesting characters, and a more colorful environment. Although very similar in many ways, Sleeping Dogs manages to improve on GTA in every way possible. From a well developed melee combat system to exciting gunfights, each feature in the game comes together to offer an amazing, almost cinematic experience - Except you are always in control. Sleeping Dogs does an excellent job of borrowing elements from many other action oriented games and bringing them together into what can only be described as a masterpiece. Honestly one of the best games I have ever played. Expand
  8. Nov 14, 2012
    9
    For me, one of the best Games of 2012. Its not perfect, it has some problems but its really fun if you like Open World Games. The Melee-Combat System is the best part of the game by far and you can unlock alot of new Moves, so thats really cool.
  9. Aug 26, 2018
    10
    Awesome in every koind of way. An iommersive world, great graphics, great storyline and awesome gameplay mechanics. This is one of my favorite games every and I really hope they somehow still get to make the sequel!
  10. Sep 19, 2012
    9
    As a 31 year old avid "gamer" I've become quite frugal on which games to buy as there is a lot of crappy games out there to simply blow money on. Sleeping Dogs so far has been a real treat and well worth the money I spent to download. (steam purchase for PC).

    The story is mature enough to keep my attention, the voice acting etc.. is top notch and believable and the "Hong Kong"
    As a 31 year old avid "gamer" I've become quite frugal on which games to buy as there is a lot of crappy games out there to simply blow money on. Sleeping Dogs so far has been a real treat and well worth the money I spent to download. (steam purchase for PC).

    The story is mature enough to keep my attention, the voice acting etc.. is top notch and believable and the "Hong Kong" atmosphere the game is able to portray is fantastic.

    Combat is fun and fluid and even after several hours of gameplay hasn't gotten stale yet... The combos are hard to remember (Am I just old?) but that doesn't detract from the combat, it's still fun. There is lots of potential for more content in form of DLC and even more games for the series and I would likely purchase again. If you like open world style games like GTA and Saints Row then you'd definitely be happy with this game.
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  11. Sep 26, 2012
    10
    Hard to believe this almost never saw the light of day, I like others have not been plagued by any bugs or technical issues and wow what can I say about Sleeping Dogs that others who score it so highly have not already said. An absolute gem of a game blows GTA4 away, heck I even put it above my all time now number 2 Vice City such is how good this game is. So much to do and a greatHard to believe this almost never saw the light of day, I like others have not been plagued by any bugs or technical issues and wow what can I say about Sleeping Dogs that others who score it so highly have not already said. An absolute gem of a game blows GTA4 away, heck I even put it above my all time now number 2 Vice City such is how good this game is. So much to do and a great story line with memorable characters, Mrs Chu reminds me of the mother in law down to the meat cleaver always in hand :)

    A great game with great mechanics great story and great characters looking forward to the DLC announcement in October. Thank you Square Enix for reigniting this project if not for you we wouldn't have had this truly awesome game. If your a fan of sandbox games be it GTA's the original True Crime games or Just Cause then SD is a must own in your collection.
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  12. Oct 9, 2012
    10
    This game is amazing. It is open world like GTA, fighting like Arkham Asylum/City, free running like Assassins Creed (much more limited though), and a story like none ive seen before. The enviorments are by far the best ive seen in gaming. Hong Kong feels alive, it looks beautiful, and sounds beaaitful. This game is worth the $40 it costs at the time of writing for sure.

    By far the best
    This game is amazing. It is open world like GTA, fighting like Arkham Asylum/City, free running like Assassins Creed (much more limited though), and a story like none ive seen before. The enviorments are by far the best ive seen in gaming. Hong Kong feels alive, it looks beautiful, and sounds beaaitful. This game is worth the $40 it costs at the time of writing for sure.

    By far the best thing about the game is the story. Few games have ever engrossed me into their story as much as this one. You really feel happy, and pissed off, when stuff in the story happens. I dont wanna spoil it for you guys, but the story is just... wow.

    If you like video games at all, get it. It is the very definition of a good game.
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  13. Oct 12, 2012
    9
    I decided to go with this after enjoying saints row 3. this game is fantastic, story is ok, the gameplay is good, fighting is like batman AC and its extremely violent. The graphics are also great especially the city landscape.
    control wise, i played on a Xbox controller which i think its best suited to
  14. Feb 4, 2015
    8
    Sleeping Dogs is a good game, full of atmosphere recreating the gritty feel and beauty of Hong Kong, coupled with a good balance between gunplay and a martial arts combat system, engrossing story line and interesting missions makes Sleeping Dogs a fun and addictive game let down, only content and length, if Sleeping Dogs was longer and had more content it would be excellent.
  15. Sep 24, 2012
    9
    I really thought that Sleeping Dogs would be just another open world game, But for me, it was way more than that, it has such a good story line, excellent voice acting and the PC Port is actually very good, i've heard alot of people complain about the camera issues, but honestly i didn't really have that much problems with it. I just wish this game was longer. Getting every achievement andI really thought that Sleeping Dogs would be just another open world game, But for me, it was way more than that, it has such a good story line, excellent voice acting and the PC Port is actually very good, i've heard alot of people complain about the camera issues, but honestly i didn't really have that much problems with it. I just wish this game was longer. Getting every achievement and 100% takes you around 40 hours, I don't think that is long enough, And the AI is pretty crappy sometimes. The main story is pretty linear and doesn't offer any branching paths, But i was okay with that because the story was so good. Expand
  16. Nov 4, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm actually really really surprised about this game. I was originally approaching it as just another GTA Clone but it's not just a straight clone it adds it's own things and is original in some areas. The game looks amazing on the PC if you have installed the High Resolution Textures DLC but be warned you will need a somewhat good gaming rig if you want it to be playable. The melee combat is freaking awesome. If you've played any of the Arkham Batman games you will feel right at home it's somewhat the same system with quick counters and the like. But with that being said the shooting portions of the game really let the combat down it's mediocre at best but luckily a huge portion of the combat is melee orientated. The driving is average. Nothing special to scream about cept the option to jump out your car action movie style onto another one and the physics defying sideways shunting you can do to take down pursuing vehicles. The story is enough at least for me to be entertained for a while. It's not overly action movie like but it is predictable in some spots. I really like the system of leveling up both your gang level and your cop level to really tailor the character to your liking. Even though from the sounds of it this game was in a development hell for a while I'm glad the developers stuck by until a publisher finally saw the great potential the game had and released it. This game wasn't even on my radar until I saw it for sale for 50% off and for 25$ I think it's a great game worth the pick up. Expand
  17. Nov 5, 2012
    8
    Awesome game, I find it extremely fluid, the car selection as well as car's handling is pretty solid. My only gripe with the game is that you can't really carry weapons on you like you could in GTA. You can get weapons, but it usually involves you breaking the law by either jacking one from a cop or from the trunk of a cop car, which seems kind of silly when you can leap out of your car atAwesome game, I find it extremely fluid, the car selection as well as car's handling is pretty solid. My only gripe with the game is that you can't really carry weapons on you like you could in GTA. You can get weapons, but it usually involves you breaking the law by either jacking one from a cop or from the trunk of a cop car, which seems kind of silly when you can leap out of your car at 100 mph into a car in front of you and hijack it. I understand they wanted to keep this game more kung-fu based, but it's not really cool when you're approaching a lockbox and a whole crew defending it unloads on you while you're unarmed. Aside from this, the game is great and has a solid sound track, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who loved the GTA series and Saints Row. Just understand that you won't be able to grab an RPG out of your backpack and blow up tens of cars and people. Expand
  18. Oct 31, 2012
    9
    I started thisgame not having high hopes for it, as it seemed like more of a gta clone than an actual game with it's own identity. However, after the opening sequences, I find that this game is much more in-depth in terms of gameplay and storyline. The story is very immersive as it takes you through the life of an undercover cop which is an ideal character for this game. Visuals are prettyI started thisgame not having high hopes for it, as it seemed like more of a gta clone than an actual game with it's own identity. However, after the opening sequences, I find that this game is much more in-depth in terms of gameplay and storyline. The story is very immersive as it takes you through the life of an undercover cop which is an ideal character for this game. Visuals are pretty good as well especially the water effects which look astounding for me. Definitely recommended if you own a good pc. Expand
  19. Nov 6, 2012
    9
    sleeping dogs is said to clone of gta.........part of it yes but it had something that lacks in gta for me...fighting is a top notch resembles batman series but good with martial arts and brutal finishers...gun fights are pretty amazing for me with cinematic sequences....on a whole this is a pretty good sand box game that you might wanna try
  20. Jan 6, 2013
    9
    I love this game! The story isn't too original, but I still really liked it. The fighting is awesome and United Front Games did an amazing job to create a game that lasts a very long time by having for example a lot of collectibles, side missions (favors, finding cars for Tran etc.) and a lot more.
    Also, I didn't find or experience one single bug, glitch or crash.
    The only thing I didn't
    I love this game! The story isn't too original, but I still really liked it. The fighting is awesome and United Front Games did an amazing job to create a game that lasts a very long time by having for example a lot of collectibles, side missions (favors, finding cars for Tran etc.) and a lot more.
    Also, I didn't find or experience one single bug, glitch or crash.
    The only thing I didn't like too much were the chasing parts of missions: in my opinion they were too easy, but that could be me too...

    All in all, the game isn't too original, but still really really enjoyable! I have spent a lot of time in this game, and I still really enjoy it and will spend a lot more time in Hong Kong.
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  21. Feb 23, 2013
    9
    Sleeping Dogs was a great game that centered around realistic gun play, high-speed chases and races, and hands down amazing combat. On PC, Hong Kong looks very realistic and nice. Cars handle very nicely and slow-motion 18K fights are great. There are many combat moves to unlock and are unlocked by collecting statues. You will learn from the martial arts master there. Fight clubs are funSleeping Dogs was a great game that centered around realistic gun play, high-speed chases and races, and hands down amazing combat. On PC, Hong Kong looks very realistic and nice. Cars handle very nicely and slow-motion 18K fights are great. There are many combat moves to unlock and are unlocked by collecting statues. You will learn from the martial arts master there. Fight clubs are fun and rewarding, and races are usually pretty good. Hijacking the trucks takes lots of luck and skill to evade the convoy of police that will chase you, and the player/people interaction is well done. Favors and chasing thieves are great time wasters. Buying food and drinks are rewarding, and the buildings you can go into are detailed and cool. The story is amazing, one of the best I've ever played. You feel like you really are part of the gang or police, and I felt very connected with the characters. If you can pick this up for a good price, get it. Expand
  22. Jul 14, 2014
    10
    I never expected much from this game. I had slight appeal before playing this as Hong Kong fascinates me.
    Right from the start, I was sucked in. The game has a great story, the fighting mechanics are fun and overall seems very well done. This also played great on a PC, didn't feel out of place at all. The city is beautiful.
    My only gripes would be that the main story is somewhat
    I never expected much from this game. I had slight appeal before playing this as Hong Kong fascinates me.
    Right from the start, I was sucked in. The game has a great story, the fighting mechanics are fun and overall seems very well done. This also played great on a PC, didn't feel out of place at all. The city is beautiful.

    My only gripes would be that the main story is somewhat short, it works, very well but I would have liked more. I still put around 15 hours into it and hardly did the side missions.
    Also the "dating" thing, it would have been cool if you could continue seeing women, instead of them just disappearing.

    All in all, excellent game and highly underrated.
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  23. Feb 16, 2015
    9
    This game has not seen the attention it deserves.It is one of the best open world action game.The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle like gta series.You are controlling an undercover police officer with pro martial art skills.Fighting is really good in this game mostly you are going to fight with your fists because the game takesThis game has not seen the attention it deserves.It is one of the best open world action game.The game is played from a third-person perspective and its world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle like gta series.You are controlling an undercover police officer with pro martial art skills.Fighting is really good in this game mostly you are going to fight with your fists because the game takes place in Hong kong,it's hard to find a gun. Expand
  24. Jan 13, 2015
    10
    I'm not giving this a ten solely on my opinion, this game is really that great. One of the most entertaining Action/Adventure games I have ever played, It was exciting from start to finish.

    This game has a great atmosphere,soundtrack,Characters, and customization.

    The map is very atmospheric and dynamic, which makes exploration fun.
  25. Aug 20, 2016
    8
    Excellent story ....shooting is little strange..Batman type of fighting but enjoyable.... overall this is good game and it deserves a sequel...........
  26. Jun 17, 2018
    9
    Искал клон GTA, а на деле оказалась самостоятельной игрой с нетипичной механикой. Игра очень понравилась своей динамикой, графикой, стилем. Крутой проект, который оценили по достоинству.
  27. Aug 25, 2020
    8
    Quite good game, even for 2020. Mechanics are not so interesting. The open world is full of different locations, but most of them are the same. Animations, to be honest, very bad. The fighting system is great with a lot of combos and types of punches. The storyline is deep and with a lot of good moments and twists. The atmosphere of the criminal and Hong-Kong is perfect.
    If you want to
    Quite good game, even for 2020. Mechanics are not so interesting. The open world is full of different locations, but most of them are the same. Animations, to be honest, very bad. The fighting system is great with a lot of combos and types of punches. The storyline is deep and with a lot of good moments and twists. The atmosphere of the criminal and Hong-Kong is perfect.
    If you want to play in some kind of Beat ’em up with the open world - you can play "Sleeping dogs".
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  28. Jan 19, 2020
    8
    One of the most underestimated action games i have seen.

    Sleeping dogs is one of the best action-fighting games with open world i have played. It has a lot of benefits. Firstly, it is a story. It is just absolutely marvelous, you can clearly see protagonist's emotion about what happens among the harsh Hong Kong's criminal world. Plot itself contains a lot of twists and good characters,
    One of the most underestimated action games i have seen.

    Sleeping dogs is one of the best action-fighting games with open world i have played. It has a lot of benefits. Firstly, it is a story. It is just absolutely marvelous, you can clearly see protagonist's emotion about what happens among the harsh Hong Kong's criminal world. Plot itself contains a lot of twists and good characters, so you will not be bored. Secondly, it is gameplay. Beating enemies with kung-fu style is just marvelous! Plus, it has shooting and driving, which are also made good. Also, it has romances.

    Cons of this game are, as for me, open world . It is just simply not too interesting, The game has random events, but most of them repeat.

    I can recommend this game to anyone who like fighting games, open world-games and games with good plot, and for those who just like good games.
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  29. Mar 28, 2020
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos da geração passada, a Square deveria olhar mais para esse game que tem um baita potencial para uma sequência.

    Por menos de 6 reais, esse jogo está praticamente de graça, pois é um dos melhores jogos em mundo aberto disponíveis no mercado, comprem sem medo de ser feliz, e aqui, vai minha análise sobre o game que tinha feito na primeira versão, mas deixo aqui para
    Um dos melhores jogos da geração passada, a Square deveria olhar mais para esse game que tem um baita potencial para uma sequência.

    Por menos de 6 reais, esse jogo está praticamente de graça, pois é um dos melhores jogos em mundo aberto disponíveis no mercado, comprem sem medo de ser feliz, e aqui, vai minha análise sobre o game que tinha feito na primeira versão, mas deixo aqui para vocês que pensam em comprar essa delícia de game.

    Finalmente eu consegui parar pra jogar este game e fui do começo ao fim. Certamente foi um dos games que eu mais perdi horas jogando e me divertindo. A cidade é uma das mais bonitas em mundo aberto dos games comparável as obras da Rockstar com Liberty City e Los Santos.

    Wei Shen é um policial infiltrado na tríade Sun-On-Yee e a história apesar de ser pequena, consegue prender o jogador com os desfechos que vai acontecendo ao longo da história. Talvez o único grande ponto de frustração em relação ao game seja a campanha principal por ser curta demais, mesmo com as missões secundárias. E ao longo do game eu esperava que Wei tivesse um upgrade e conseguisse levar mais de 2 armas, normalmente como vemos em jogos de mundo aberto como GTA, Saints Row, Watch_Dogs entre outros, mas é compreensível já que o game foca na luta corpo-a-corpo.

    A ambientação de Hong Kong é uma das melhores que eu já vi em games mundo aberto ao lado do Empire Bay do Mafia II que consegue trazer o jogador para as décadas de 40 e 50. Também senti falta de maior interação com as namoradas de Shen como acontece no GTA, mas nada que tire a diversão do game.

    O que me deixa contente é que a United Front Games na época conseguiu fazer o que Saints Row e Watch_Dogs não conseguiram, trazer uma jogabilidade diferente em um game mundo aberto como o modo de combate que por sinal é bem melhor que o de GTA que continua a mesma coisa desde o San Andreas. Pode ser que eu esteja sendo otimista demais, mas vejo Sleeping Dogs mais promissor que o Watch_Dogs (que está em evidência) para ser um rival direto de GTA... Apesar de Watch_Dogs 2 prometer novas funções, mas fico com um pé atrás com os games da Ubisoft (apesar de gostar muito dos games da empresa) porque o primeiro Watch_Dogs também prometia e o produto final não foi o que vimos na E3 de 2012, além do histórico currículo de downgrades em seus games!

    O jogo foi lançado em 2012 e espero que a United Front Games junto à Square Enix possa trazer uma sequência de Sleeping Dogs seja na pele de Wei Shen ou de um possível novo personagem, com uma cidade maior, mais interações e um multiplayer para que possa manter o jogo vivo como acontece com o GTA V através do GTA online. A Square Enix tem um game na mão que pode crescer tanto quanto GTA cresceu. Se souber aproveitar a temática que o game tem a oferecer, terá uma grande franquia nas mãos.

    Não li mais nada a respeito de uma possível sequência, uma pena. Espero que nos próximos anos, tenhamos um Sleeping Dogs 2 e que a Square Enix saiba que tem um game promissor de mundo aberto nas mãos, basta saber aproveitá-lo. E só pra complementar, passou da hora da Square colocar jogos como Tomb Raider e Just Cause na geladeira e olhar mais para outras franquias, pois uma sequência de Sleeping Sogs seria incrível. Infelizmente, a United Front Games encerrou os trabalhos em 2016, então nos resta depositar as fichas apenas na Square Enix.

    Prós:
    Combate corpo-a-corpo
    Ambientação
    História (apesar de curta, é muito boa)
    Carisma do personagem (que é importante hoje em dia nos games)
    Torneios de artes marciais
    Boa trilha sonora (e muitas instrumentais de qualidade)

    Contras:
    História Curta
    Física dos carros
    Câmera dentro do carro
    Poucas rádios
    Pouca interação com os personagens secundários
    Falta de um Multiplayer

    Nota: 10/10
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  30. Dec 28, 2012
    9
    For me, SD was a complete surprise. 9/10 Story, 10/10 AMAZING Graphics, 10/10 GamePlay, StreetFighter-like Combat, Overall 9.5/10.

    I personally loved the storyline; this can be viewed as an Asian version of GTA with much improvements. The city size is comparable to GTAIV, and is busily packed as expected in Hong Kong. More importantly, this game felt REAL. Although a variety of firearms
    For me, SD was a complete surprise. 9/10 Story, 10/10 AMAZING Graphics, 10/10 GamePlay, StreetFighter-like Combat, Overall 9.5/10.

    I personally loved the storyline; this can be viewed as an Asian version of GTA with much improvements. The city size is comparable to GTAIV, and is busily packed as expected in Hong Kong. More importantly, this game felt REAL. Although a variety of firearms can be had, the fighting is primarily combat based; Brawling. Although you ultimately unlock all character abilities for the 3 categories (police, triad, respect) by leveling up with experience gained from missions, special combat moves can only be unlocked by finding hidden statues delivered to this master guru. If you have ever played Batman Arkham (Asylum or City), this is a much more refined and developed fighting system. You must respond swiftly to counter attack, or utilize the environment for awesome finishing moves. (smash head repeated with car door or refridgerator, smash them into a dumpster, or telephone booth.. so many more!) You are also able to open trunks of cars to search for weapons like a tire iron, knife, or pistol. All of these aspects seem very fitting and realistic; No, you wont be able to cycle through all 8 weapons you are carrying, or customize your car beyond its paint job, but you can get some 'asian massages' which always help, heh heh. The story line is terrific, but then again, I'm asian. Nonetheless, I felt vested with Shen, which I think is cornerstone to a good gaming experience. As an undercover cop / asian triad gangster... my number one challenge was driving on the left side of the road. At high speeds it can get quite challenging to drive on the opposite isde of the road. Especially in police missions, you lose points for stealing cars, hurting civilians, or damaging public property. You can also lose points for being 'clumsy', such as running into a table or tripping when chasing an enemy. I thought that was quirky. Upon completing the main story, I had maxed out my Respect, Police, and Combat abilities. I was short on triad points; apparently I was not violent enough! I think this helps reinforce generating cool, unique combo attacks for more exp points than shooting with a gun (unless headshot, some bonus exp). During long fights, subsequent combos will charge and release your 'fear meter', when your enemies basically cower for several seconds at your awesomeness while you do some extra damage, ha! There are several in-game puzzles, like cracking a safe or 'grid', but they were all trivial at best, which I preferred. I dont like games that make you stop your intense action to play sudoku before unlocking your objective. Anyways, the graphics are AMAZING. And the atmosphere of the City makes you feel 'in the zone'. At 54hrs, I completed the main story line with >50% progress for most of the side stories, missions. Obviously you can finish the game much faster, but I really enjoyed the environment and took my time. Unlike GTA, and esp SR3, this is not a city-rampage style game (although you could do that, Tactical/SWAT DLC). It's harder to lose cops / stars when you are being chased, because its HongKong, and its crowded and you;re driving on the left side of the road. Ultimately, completing the main story was bitter-sweet. Thankfully, SteamSale for Shaolin, Nightmare, and SWAT DLCs, I can hopefully add on some more hours of play. Overall, Sleeping Dogs did an excellent job recreating HongKong, the bright vibrant atmosphere, and keeping me vested and engaged with the antagonist. The Graphics were Amazing (rainfall?! city night lights reflecting from my kick-ass car wax-job?!) Gameplay was very engaging and precise; it was like gangster Streetfighter, sorta. Don't Miss this Game!
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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 6, 2013
    90
    Unlike the previous ‘True Crime’ games, where there was a strict depiction of the city maps, Sleeping Dogs does not portray Hong Kong, inch by inch. United Front Games has implemented GTA’s novelties in way that winks slyly at Rockstar. In essence, what the GTA series has accomplished, Sleeping Dogs has carried out better and more elegantly. [October 2012]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 11, 2012
    60
    A solid GTA clone that ticks all the boxes but forgets to add the magic ingredient of improvisation. [Oct 2012, p.77]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 10, 2012
    80
    City action in an Asian style casts a fresh wind to the sandbox game genre, with attractive worlds full of details, great battle mechanics and cool free-run sections. [Sept 2012]