Sleeping Dogs

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 767 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 578 out of 767
  2. Mixed: 102 out of 767
  3. Negative: 87 out of 767
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  1. RUST
    Sep 21, 2012
    8
    Not a stretch of originality to be seen, but that's okay. It's fine if you blatantly skin your gameplay inspiration from some of the best games of the last three years, so long as you pull it off like Sleeping Dogs has. Combat is a simple, not-so-fluid, homage to Rocksteady's Arkham games. Free motion like a muscular dysfunctional Assassin's Creed and for transport/driving it rips a blankNot a stretch of originality to be seen, but that's okay. It's fine if you blatantly skin your gameplay inspiration from some of the best games of the last three years, so long as you pull it off like Sleeping Dogs has. Combat is a simple, not-so-fluid, homage to Rocksteady's Arkham games. Free motion like a muscular dysfunctional Assassin's Creed and for transport/driving it rips a blank page out of Square Enix's own Just Cause's manual while the narrative is your average hard boiled vice story with an American protagonist. Individually they falter, but as one game they all succeed. I enjoyed it, and maybe you will too.… Expand
  2. Faildude
    Sep 18, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When will the next generation console? Can no longer play this **** that is one-third the cost of the console itself! Enough to cheat on dollars people! Nice clean mushrooms machete than play this game.… Expand
  3. GrumpyReviewer
    Sep 14, 2012
    9
    I would give 10 out of 10 but there's no such a thing as a flawless game. That being said, Sleeping Dogs is nearly there. It drinks from the GTA fountain, obviously, but it takes the original concept further. We all know what's there, we've all seen everything here, but it never gets old somehow. Better, it feels fresh. It has personality, soul, charm. The Hong Kong setting fits this gameI would give 10 out of 10 but there's no such a thing as a flawless game. That being said, Sleeping Dogs is nearly there. It drinks from the GTA fountain, obviously, but it takes the original concept further. We all know what's there, we've all seen everything here, but it never gets old somehow. Better, it feels fresh. It has personality, soul, charm. The Hong Kong setting fits this game well and the [although a bit linear] story is interesting and engaging. There's a lot of violence, humour and fun to be had here. For many, many hours. This is a game no one was giving much credit and turns out it's simply one of the best games of 2012 and one that owns a solid ground on this generation's best titles. MUST NOT BE MISSED, even if you are not a sandbox fan.… Expand
  4. Mattaclysm
    Sep 13, 2012
    8
    Sleeping Dogs isn't a bad game. Fun gameplay elements GTA-esque with a more refined combat system. Story is decent basically it revolves around your character an undercover cop infiltrating Hong Kong triads. There is a lack of detail in the game however which didn't completely bug me but to some point it was kind of hilarious looking at some of the interiors of shops and seeing they didn'tSleeping Dogs isn't a bad game. Fun gameplay elements GTA-esque with a more refined combat system. Story is decent basically it revolves around your character an undercover cop infiltrating Hong Kong triads. There is a lack of detail in the game however which didn't completely bug me but to some point it was kind of hilarious looking at some of the interiors of shops and seeing they didn't even bother trying to put any attention to detail sparring a few places that did have interior - mainly shops. Graphics other then that were actually good, your main protagonists and villains looked excellent but people walking around the city looked terrible. Cars and scenery were good and the occasional raining was nice. Voice actors ranged from ok to terrible. I was not a fan of the overly gangster dialogue it did get annoying. I hated My main problem was the game felt like it was missing something. The RPG elements were a one up, but they could have added more abilities, weapons and maybe different way to show off side missions. This is a good game. I only rented it so I feel like I got my money's worth out of it. Had I payed 60 I may be singing a different tune. Definitely worth playing or at least trying.… Expand
  5. zotune
    Sep 13, 2012
    6
    I thoroughly enjoyed this game, though parts of it could have been more polished, I found it to be a lot of fun overall. Unfortunately not as good as its competition, though comes pretty damn close. The combat system is, although satisfying, not as well executed as Batman: Arkham City. The driving is fun, but not as crazy as Saints Row. The story however, is quite intriguing, and theI thoroughly enjoyed this game, though parts of it could have been more polished, I found it to be a lot of fun overall. Unfortunately not as good as its competition, though comes pretty damn close. The combat system is, although satisfying, not as well executed as Batman: Arkham City. The driving is fun, but not as crazy as Saints Row. The story however, is quite intriguing, and the characters you meet have huge personalities. The soundtrack is just incredible too, and fits perfectly with my musical taste. Lets hope to see more of this franchise in the future, where they possibly have worked most of the kinks out.… Expand
  6. shark742
    Sep 12, 2012
    9
    Sleeping Dogs is an amazing game, very polished graphics, and fun varied missions. The story really draws you in, and the side missions are great fun.....if you like open world games in the mold of GTA then
    get this game
  7. M1stake1988
    Sep 8, 2012
    10
    Is it really possible that someone made an open world game better than GTA?! YES!!! Thank you UFG! One of the best games I have ever played. Great plot, missions, soundtrack, cars etc. Must buy and play for everyone. GOTY 2012!
  8. baddeadtaste
    Sep 7, 2012
    9
    Great game for sure. I really have nothing to complain about with this game at all. The driving is excellent as is the hand to hand combat. The hand to hand combat is actually fantastic, as good or better than the batman games IMO. Plenty to do and see all throughout Hong Kong. The story is typical gangster stuff but who cares when everything else is so good. Just the fact that it isGreat game for sure. I really have nothing to complain about with this game at all. The driving is excellent as is the hand to hand combat. The hand to hand combat is actually fantastic, as good or better than the batman games IMO. Plenty to do and see all throughout Hong Kong. The story is typical gangster stuff but who cares when everything else is so good. Just the fact that it is set in Hong Kong is a nice change of pace from some faux NYC setting. The gunplay is great as well...going on head shot rampages is great fun. Overall I highly recommend Sleeping Dogs, especially if you are a fan of GTA style games!… Expand
  9. hamiltonreview
    Sep 7, 2012
    8
    There should be a rewind option during the credits, the people who made this are amazing. A good reason to buy or own a ps3. If you liked Grand Theft Auto IV and are waiting for V check this game out and be on the side of the law for a change. Ground combat system like Arkham games, solid vehicle mechanics too.
  10. idiot---boy
    Sep 4, 2012
    9
    This is a wonderful game! It is much more realistic compared to GTA IV! The storyline is fabulous and this time the characters are credible. The atmosphere is awesome, Hong Kong looks amazing and the missions are alternately. Driving is very smooth and shooting has a great, raw sound. There are different side characters who have a credible personality. A bad thing about it is the fact itThis is a wonderful game! It is much more realistic compared to GTA IV! The storyline is fabulous and this time the characters are credible. The atmosphere is awesome, Hong Kong looks amazing and the missions are alternately. Driving is very smooth and shooting has a great, raw sound. There are different side characters who have a credible personality. A bad thing about it is the fact it is at some points an exact copy of GTA, sometimes i got the feeling the were too lazy to make some small changes. Like when you drive someone to somewhere. At one moment they say: ''OMG WHAT ARE YOU DOING'' and the other moment they continue their scripted conversation, even if the car is spinning a 100 times around They were also too lazy to make a slightly different health bar, other place to put the mini map and so on. Other very good things are the ability to hijack cars when driving, to ram other vehicles, to shoot in slow motion while driving and not to mention the extensive combat system with a lot of upgrade possibilities. It is also great you gain more respect when the story goes on, which is a great role play element, just like the police upgradeds.
    The chases are also very spectacular and overall the missions are really originally and all have a connectedness, which all makes Sleeping Dogs an adventure to never forget.    … Expand
  11. hollowfication
    Sep 3, 2012
    9
    i love this game so good action voice actor of emma stone which provided to be cool the car super fast which everything nice crime open world only thing is wrong bout it that i did not give it a 10 is fighting part is bit dodge in a meaning where i bout to fight another Ai Enemy wei stop and get into attack pose and he get hit before i can react
  12. Zbox
    Sep 2, 2012
    10
    the best hand-to-hand combat you'll ever see on a open world game, gunfights are amazing and this game makes you feel human and not some rambo wich never can die. this game makes you feel on the skin of the character, story and all and not another game wich have shallow generic story but lives for the franchise name. tired of the same western car stealing cliché game? try this one,the best hand-to-hand combat you'll ever see on a open world game, gunfights are amazing and this game makes you feel human and not some rambo wich never can die. this game makes you feel on the skin of the character, story and all and not another game wich have shallow generic story but lives for the franchise name. tired of the same western car stealing cliché game? try this one, fresh and fun with the good old orient touch! if you don't buy, then you're missing a great game. word of advince don't miss a great game because of the trolls wich gives a 0 rating !!… Expand
  13. Truth1065
    Sep 2, 2012
    9
    SD is the only crime open world game were the shooting, driving and melee combat are done near perfection. The story is good and so is the voice acting but the story feels too short because I'm having too much fun with it. But don't think the game is short because it isn't, I just wish it was longer. The game includes some bugs some of which are actually funny and also the game looks goodSD is the only crime open world game were the shooting, driving and melee combat are done near perfection. The story is good and so is the voice acting but the story feels too short because I'm having too much fun with it. But don't think the game is short because it isn't, I just wish it was longer. The game includes some bugs some of which are actually funny and also the game looks good but it won't blow you away and it doesn't have to. This is a really, really good piece of entertainment. Sleeping Dogs is on par or even better than GTA IV in the gameplay department.… Expand
  14. bk4pro
    Aug 31, 2012
    0
    When will the next generation console? Can no longer play this **** that is one-third the cost of the console itself! Enough to cheat on dollars people! Nice clean mushrooms machete than play this game.
  15. BiboranXyecoc
    Aug 31, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Biboran xyecoc! And Pidoras ebanniy маму его в рот ебал!Адепты пидарасы,мэддисон намба ван.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!… Expand
  16. EN4EZ
    Aug 31, 2012
    1
    What does it take to survive as an undercover cop who infiltrates one of Hong Kong's most ruthless criminal organizations? If Sleeping Dogs **** is any indication, it takes martial arts prowess, good marksmanship, driving skill, a reckless willingness to leap from one speeding vehicle to another, and the confidence to sing karaoke. None of the individual elements in Sleeping Dogs **** areWhat does it take to survive as an undercover cop who infiltrates one of Hong Kong's most ruthless criminal organizations? If Sleeping Dogs **** is any indication, it takes martial arts prowess, good marksmanship, driving skill, a reckless willingness to leap from one speeding vehicle to another, and the confidence to sing karaoke. None of the individual elements in Sleeping Dogs **** are best-in-class, but they're all thoroughly enjoyable, and the structured story missions have you switching from one type of action to another frequently enough that you're never tired of what you're doing at any given moment.… Expand
  17. BaggedCat
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    not as polished as GTA (newer ones). but does a lot of things better. hand to hand is better x100. context kills. slo mo. disarms. environment traversal. action hijack. weapons are infrequent and feel deadly. 2 chops from a cleaver and your dead. Hong Kong done well (not in america, yay!). particularly novel if you understand cantonese. you feel like your in a HK movie with all the kung funot as polished as GTA (newer ones). but does a lot of things better. hand to hand is better x100. context kills. slo mo. disarms. environment traversal. action hijack. weapons are infrequent and feel deadly. 2 chops from a cleaver and your dead. Hong Kong done well (not in america, yay!). particularly novel if you understand cantonese. you feel like your in a HK movie with all the kung fu counters, sliding across stuff into dudes and weapon disarms and kills.… Expand
  18. JESSROCKED
    Aug 28, 2012
    6
    It feels like GTA (Grand Theft Auto), the only problem is that, it seems like it's GTA for the PS2.
    1. Graphics: Generic and Mediocre. It seems that they didn't put too much effort on the facial expressions.
    2. Combat system: It's okay because there is an interaction with certain objects in the game but it's not as fluid and sophisticated as with other games of the same genre. 3. AI    It feels like GTA (Grand Theft Auto), the only problem is that, it seems like it's GTA for the PS2.
    1. Graphics: Generic and Mediocre. It seems that they didn't put too much effort on the facial expressions.
    2. Combat system: It's okay because there is an interaction with certain objects in the game but it's not as fluid and sophisticated as with other games of the same genre.
    3. AI interaction: Pedestrians aren't responsive to specific stimuli. They will just either run away, stay in place or retaliate. So, it's almost terrible.
    4. Environmental interaction: Nothing special as there are only few particular items or objects that would react to a certain action.
    5. Voice acting: It's good but nothing unusual    … Expand
  19. bsNYC
    Aug 27, 2012
    9
    For a game that is unoriginal insofar as it borrows its elements from existing games, Sleeping Dogs has actually broken all my once immutable and sacred rules for what makes a 'good' game. For one, Sleeping Dogs lacks polish. If you've played Arkham City, Sleeping Dog's combat can seem clunky and at times unresponsive. Admittedly, most games' combat would pale in comparison to Arkham butFor a game that is unoriginal insofar as it borrows its elements from existing games, Sleeping Dogs has actually broken all my once immutable and sacred rules for what makes a 'good' game. For one, Sleeping Dogs lacks polish. If you've played Arkham City, Sleeping Dog's combat can seem clunky and at times unresponsive. Admittedly, most games' combat would pale in comparison to Arkham but nonetheless, that bar has been set and SD falls short. Secondly, wonky camera angles. This used to be a deal-breaker, more for me than for most I've been told but nonetheless, prior to SD, I would never have praised a game with wonky camera angles. Thirdly, egregiously outdated graphics. I understand that SD has been in development for a long time but it looks almost last gen. All in all, SD seems like a game for which I would wait for a huge price drop before buying (19.99 - 29.99 tops). But strangely this is not the case. In word, SD is just plain FUN. And in the end, that's why I play games. Every moment I spent playing SD was a moment spent having so much fun. I was immersed in the story and didn't feel side-tracked by the extra missions, mini-games, and side-quests. I almost never enjoy mini-games and here I was, hoping I was going to have to hack a camera, plant a bug, crack a safe, etc. I'm not the biggest fan of open world games but I loved exploring Hong Kong, which was not an accurate recreation but still far from a simulacrum. I had more fun fighting in SD than I did in Arkham City, I had as much and at some points even more fun exploring and playing mini-games as I did in Red Dead, and I was almost as engrossed in the story as I was in Uncharted 2 and 3. I really don't know how to score this game. From a "fun-factor" perspective, buy this game now; it's worth every penny. I suppose if I were a critic, I would have to point out its flaws and give it a satisfactory score (7ish out of 10, perhaps) but that score does not illustrate the enjoyment you'll experience playing this game. So I guess I'll just recommend that you buy it and buy it today. Other good points: If you're busy and are forced to shun long, expansive, open-world games, SD is strangely a game you can play--the way the missions are broken down, the way the side quests don't distract from the main story, you'll be able to play this game in 45-60min chunks instead of the marathon sessions usually warranted by games in this genre. Worth the 59.99 US price. Highly recommend, flaws and all.… Expand
  20. Elfo-oscuro
    Aug 27, 2012
    9
    Me ha sorprendido este juego, no tendra lo ultimo en graficos como he podido ver en witcher 2 o skyrim pero si tiene una historia muy interesante, un modo de combate mejorado del visto en batman, con interaccion con escenarios y una jugabilidad que engancha desde el principio. Le ha faltado marketing o publicidad pero si le dais una oportunidad puede ser de lo mejor del año
  21. darkwraith
    Aug 27, 2012
    9
    Sleeping Dogs after over five years in production and changing publishers a few times finally arrives. and turns out to be pretty damn good. Great that square enix saw the games potential and decided to take a chance the programming team have done a great job on the mission structure and ingame graphics that it still looks good on a par graphically with gta4 for the main part. TheSleeping Dogs after over five years in production and changing publishers a few times finally arrives. and turns out to be pretty damn good. Great that square enix saw the games potential and decided to take a chance the programming team have done a great job on the mission structure and ingame graphics that it still looks good on a par graphically with gta4 for the main part. The combat is mainly unarmed close quarters with an array of martial arts moves to unlock as you progress by completing the cop/gangster missions and the side missions that give you a face bonus. face is a Japanese-Chinese for respect and it is very important in their societies that they must never lose face and strive to gain and keep face. the main story progresses thru completing the cop/gangster missions as you play officer shen wei who is an undercover cop entrenched in the triad gangs. you start out as a foot soldier and work youre way up the ranks. there are loads of mini sub challenges ie how many parking meters can you ram thru and collect cash from in arow, hijacking and robbing armored trucks for extra money,how many triads you can beat down with less than 5 seconds between the next one. car races in each area. some of these need unlocking by completing certain side missions. there are leader boards for the main game missions and side missions and you can replay them all simply by using your ingame phone to select a mission. there are also loads of collectables all over Hongkong to collect for the 100%achievement trophy. i completed the game in 35hrs main and sub missions but have still to collect all items and random face missions are still appearing. Sleeping dogs is one of the surprises of the year . yes you will have played similar missions before if you like open world games but sleeping dogs hong kong holds up well and its world is believable. Well worth buying if you love playing open world games at youre own pace. 8.5 but 9 for re-playability.… Expand
  22. Jbrizzy
    Aug 26, 2012
    7
    This game is a really good rental at best, but I do not recommend you to buy. I see this game as a warm-up/filler game until all of the AAA titles are released this year.First off during the first story arc of the game, the gameplay was very generic and boring, and I almost gave up and shipped it back to gamefly. Though since I hate not finishing a game, I decided to see it trough (and ImThis game is a really good rental at best, but I do not recommend you to buy. I see this game as a warm-up/filler game until all of the AAA titles are released this year.First off during the first story arc of the game, the gameplay was very generic and boring, and I almost gave up and shipped it back to gamefly. Though since I hate not finishing a game, I decided to see it trough (and Im glad I did). While this game isn't anything we gamers haven't seen before, that doesn't stop it from being fun. The story (while predictable) is very engaging, you start to care about and hate the characters around you(even the one-off girlfriends that come in the main characters life and leave randomly without rhyme or reason). And while the main story is only 16 hours, the missions are long and surprisingly aren't repetitive. The side missions are also well implemented and diverse. My only gripe about this game is that you have to level your face points up just to wear clothes and drive vehicles you already own! But all in all if you have weekend with absolutely no plans what so ever. Then rent sleeping dogs(you'll beat it in 3 days or more) Its a good game too keep you occupied. (Way more fun then Saints Row the Turd IMO).Hopefully they continue this franchise and go balls to the wall in the next installment, because Sleepy Dogs has so much potential to at-least become a trilogy.… Expand
  23. illage2
    Aug 26, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I found it very difficult to have fun with this game. When I play sanbox games, I at least want to be able to complete missions and do other things the way I choose, but the game forces you into melee combat all the time.

    Although there are guns in the game, they are very rare to find. When you do find one you can be very powerful. The setting is original, seriously. How many games are actually set in Hong Kong? .... Not much. So it's fresh envrionment, the city doesd actually feel alive as you'll see pedestrians doing things other than walking.

    The RPG elements are at first confusing, and sadly limited to level 10 on all experience meters. Which is very lackluster considering the level caps of todays RPG's. This limits replay vaule, and ruins the overall fun, as once you reach the high level there's no real objective to the game, which is story missions.

    There are tons of collectables, however only Jade Statues, Helath Shrines and Lockboxes actually reward you. Hacking cameras, and doing drug busts yeild very little if any reward at all, I completed all drug busts in North Point which was by no means an easy task, yet I wasn't even rewarded for this? The Cop missions are shockingly NOT OPTIONAL. Which goes against the whole point of a sandbox game. In order to continue the story you have to complete certain cop missions, which is confusing because these were marketed as being optional, when they are not. Again this goes against it being a sandbox game. Graphically the game does well in some areas, but not in others. The cars and the city looks great, but character models and animations are a mess. Honestly they look like 2006 era graphics. A very lackluster GTA/Saints Row rip off with crap graphics, and less guns.

    I gave this game a 6 because the developer "United Front" has never made a game like this before so I am inclined to cut them a little slack.    … Expand
  24. Darkmack
    Aug 26, 2012
    9
    Well I wrote my PC review under the PS3 version and I have no idea how to delete a review. Great going, me! Regardless, the graphics may be poorer on the console w/o the high-res pack, but many of the bugs plaguing the port should not be there. A great game all-in-all.
  25. Sceptic
    Aug 26, 2012
    6
    Pretty average all round.The melee can't hold a candle to either Arkhams,the driving is miles off GTA IV,the gunplay is by far the weakest element in what is a mediocre title.Even a story taken from numerous crime movies can't save this travesty.The graphics are so poor that it even makes Saints Row 3 look good.If you're so desperate for an open world GTA clone,then enjoy this as much asPretty average all round.The melee can't hold a candle to either Arkhams,the driving is miles off GTA IV,the gunplay is by far the weakest element in what is a mediocre title.Even a story taken from numerous crime movies can't save this travesty.The graphics are so poor that it even makes Saints Row 3 look good.If you're so desperate for an open world GTA clone,then enjoy this as much as possible while waiting for the King to return.… Expand
  26. Digitalkid
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    AWESOME! The only thing that lets me down is DRIVING. Physics is awful, but all the other things like FIGHTS, story, rainy Hong Kong, variety of missions, great design, where all skills ore useful and really make you walk through mission, and clothing not only looks good but raises your stats.. All those things are truly awesomely made! Great job guys!
  27. KSP2011
    Aug 24, 2012
    9
    Great game! Has lots of depth, a gripping story and plenty of side missions and tasks to keep this neat package very entertaining through out. The GTA comparisons will be a given, but the hand to hand combat and shooting are far superior in Sleeping Dogs. The only downside is the driving which feels very ropey and can be a chore at times. But that being said I really can't recommend thisGreat game! Has lots of depth, a gripping story and plenty of side missions and tasks to keep this neat package very entertaining through out. The GTA comparisons will be a given, but the hand to hand combat and shooting are far superior in Sleeping Dogs. The only downside is the driving which feels very ropey and can be a chore at times. But that being said I really can't recommend this highly enough.… Expand
  28. Shatohin
    Aug 24, 2012
    10
    It's just amazing. Stunning almost next-gen graphic, fun gameplay, cool story, eastern mood, authenticity. It is much better than GTA4. Watch out, Rockstar.
  29. NinjaTwin
    Aug 24, 2012
    0
    Same old crap in new packaging. Lack of creativity and its a shame that they hired Edison (who was involved with a sex scandal where he ruined the lives of several women) as one of the characters in this game.

    This is a rip off of Stranglehold polished by adding ideas stolen from various HK movies. graphics on the 360/PS3 are not that great, there are numerous programming bugs to the    Same old crap in new packaging. Lack of creativity and its a shame that they hired Edison (who was involved with a sex scandal where he ruined the lives of several women) as one of the characters in this game.

    This is a rip off of Stranglehold polished by adding ideas stolen from various HK movies. graphics on the 360/PS3 are not that great, there are numerous programming bugs to the point that hackers have created various save editors to mod everything in game.    … Expand
  30. TheHorrorAnthem
    Aug 23, 2012
    7
    Under cover, and nearly under the radar, both simple to describe, as well as extremely difficult. Sleeping Dogs is one of those games that lands somewhere between the A list and that title you missed from last year, but it indeed belongs closer to the A list. Originally Sleeping Dogs was another True Crime game being developed by Activision under the title True Crime: Hong Kong, but afterUnder cover, and nearly under the radar, both simple to describe, as well as extremely difficult. Sleeping Dogs is one of those games that lands somewhere between the A list and that title you missed from last year, but it indeed belongs closer to the A list. Originally Sleeping Dogs was another True Crime game being developed by Activision under the title True Crime: Hong Kong, but after various ups and downs Activison jumped ship and Square Enix took over and long story short, it was a reason to rejoice. This game may come off as another GTA clone in the vein of Saints Row, Just Cause and countless others and well, it is just that, but what Sleeping Dogs has that the other clones doesn't is a lot of heart, and a lot of courage. It has an identity all its own, and while you wont find helicopters, jet packs, or an endless amount of outrages free roaming chaos, you will find character, believable settings, and a lot of intriguing fun. The story is the tale of an under cover officer in the seedy crime world of Hong Kong working is way through gang territory, while being choked out by the constant stress and suspense that comes with the job. Playing as officer Wei Shen, you work your way through missions for both the police and for the Triad gang. Working your way to the top of the chain you are faced with testing your loyalty, getting too close to gang members, and always wondering if someone is on to you. Watching the story unfold is one of the games highlights as it takes a more serious tone than most games of this nature. While Sleeping Dogs is no where near the size and scope of even GTA: San Andreas you will still find a lot to do as well as finding yourself wanting to often walk instead of run or drive through Hong Kongs crowded streets and alleys. The graphics are nothing to write home about, but they get the job done. The different areas of the city look great, though the population, while realistic in their routines are not much more than low resolution filler with very limited AI. Missions vary and are always fun, they range from silly, to exciting, to action, to mini games, to down right sticky wet violent. Being a mature crime game players are no stranger to violence, but Sleeping Dogs goes a few steps beyond just car wrecks and gun fights. It introduces a mechanic very fresh in the open world genre by means of a great combat system. Copying the homework of the Batman Arkham series it takes a few buttons and meshes them into a deep almost complex style of martial arts, often ending in blood baths. Aside from the bone breaking counters and the Bruce Lee like flat liners there are also environmental kills that are accessible at any point during a fight adding depth and allowing you to fight as dirty as you want. As if great fighting in an open world wasn't enough you can also free fun, jumping tables, rails, building ledges, and even cars and people. You can also tackle, disarm, and melee. Guns are surprisingly rare in favor of bloody hand to hand combat which is refreshing. Driving is a bit peculiar, it is partially arcade feeling, a bit like a racing game, but also feels loose enough to have you at home with your favorite Rockstar titles. Think of Sleeping Dogs as a melting pot of this generations greatest open world achievements but with a few rough edges and just short that extra coat of paint it so obviously deserved. Glitches are not absent but tend to not get in the way too often, and sometimes great ideas fall short by the time you see them to the end. But all in all Sleeping Dogs exceeds far more than fails. It is honestly a great game and just shy of biting the ankles of Rockstar's finest. If you are a fan of open world games, scorseses films, or kung fu movies, then I wholeheartedly encourage you to pick up this flawed but wonderful game. While Hong Kong is not Liberty City there is plenty to keep you busy, enough to where I would say this game is actually worth the full asking price. That is if you plan to carry on with all those extra features. Intriguing but not very surprising, a fun free roam but limited in many ways, a great investment of time though a straight campaign run ends too quickly. It wont live up to GTA IV, but the fix to that is to not expect GTA IV. Do yourself a favor a grab a copy of Sleeping Dogs, and enjoy your journey through the bloodstained streets of Hong Kong. There is nothing here that six more months in development and a couple more hours in middle wouldn't have fixed, so here is hoping to sequels. Thank God Square Enix saw the possibilities in this game. It has personality, heart, its not afraid to borrow, as even less afraid to improve. Activision, I'm afraid you will need to stay after class.… Expand
  31. crazycat690
    Aug 23, 2012
    8
    Not only is this game a breath of fresh air, it's also pretty good too! You really feel like the star in an exciting kung-fu movie. Everything works so well together, I haven't seen such a complete open world game since Gta, the parkour works really well, the driving feels nice and responsive, the combat... Not only does this have enjoyable gunplay, the hand-to-hand combat is really theNot only is this game a breath of fresh air, it's also pretty good too! You really feel like the star in an exciting kung-fu movie. Everything works so well together, I haven't seen such a complete open world game since Gta, the parkour works really well, the driving feels nice and responsive, the combat... Not only does this have enjoyable gunplay, the hand-to-hand combat is really the star in this game. It's cool, responsive and absolutely brutal! The story impressed me too, I was expecting something very cliche to be honest, but it's really good and you want to know what happens to the characters surrounding you. While some parts of the story felt rushed and could've used more development, it's still an enjoyable package overall. So yeah, I give it an 8/10 because while it was really good it could've used a bit more work, it looks good yes, but at times you do feel it's lacking something. It was also a blast to start driving on the left side as someone who's used to driving on the right, I hope this game spawns sequels or at least successors because it's truly an unique game which we need more of!… Expand
  32. Raven13
    Aug 23, 2012
    9
    Really want to give the game an 8.5 to be realistic. Its nothing new or ground breaking but it is a great story, great voice acting. You can unlock everything on one playthru if you want. The hand to hand is excellent, absolutely fabulous. It didn't need a lot of gun play since it was based in Martial Arts, which as I say was done very well. If you like open world games and you areReally want to give the game an 8.5 to be realistic. Its nothing new or ground breaking but it is a great story, great voice acting. You can unlock everything on one playthru if you want. The hand to hand is excellent, absolutely fabulous. It didn't need a lot of gun play since it was based in Martial Arts, which as I say was done very well. If you like open world games and you are looking for something a little different pick up Sleeping Dogs. The last third of the game is pretty buggy and there are problems with missions and cut scenes here and there but I could forgive that since the over all game itself really kept me involved.… Expand
  33. smokesouljah420
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    this game is great, the fighting is top notch, driving top notch, graphics better eway better than gta or saint's, great sound track, this game is the best open world game yet, esp combat, its like batman but more violent , graphics superb, almost as good as max 3, guess rockstar pays for reviews if reviewers give this less than a 8.5
  34. FiddlerSC
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    The fighting is awesome driving is a blast and everything about this game is just Brilliant! GET THIS GAME IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY! Its worth every penny and second of your time!
  35. Drithen
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    This game is an absolute blast! I love the fighting and driving. Normally I skip cinematics in games, but I'm getting sucked into the story. I want a pork bun now!
  36. Batuhan87
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    Exceptionally good voice acting.The Hong Kong is really well designed.Driving is not that exciting but not bad either.Melee system is just brilliant.A must have if you like open world games.
  37. Ghost4533
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    The game is amazing!!! great hand-to-hand combat, driving is pretty good, and the gunplay is good. I don't know how they did it but they have amazing actors from both Hong Kong cinema and hollywood.(Emma Stone, Edison Chen, Lucy Liu and many more).Overall i would say go get this game now!!!
  38. FartsMcGee
    Aug 14, 2012
    8
    I like this game, but its very clear that it has a extended development cycle, additionally there are all sorts of hinky bugs that probably should have been ironed out during beta, hit boxes are funny, the cars and physics can often behave poorly. With that said though, its a great game the plot and voice acting are superb and when the game play does come together it does so very well.I like this game, but its very clear that it has a extended development cycle, additionally there are all sorts of hinky bugs that probably should have been ironed out during beta, hit boxes are funny, the cars and physics can often behave poorly. With that said though, its a great game the plot and voice acting are superb and when the game play does come together it does so very well. Any of the individual aspects of the game don't hold up to scrutiny very well but as a whole the game works much better than I expected. I have played the game for about 5 hours at the time of this writing.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best PS3 Game of 2012
17
#17 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
18
#18 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 14, 2012
    88
    It's hard to imagine, that Activision let this one go. Sleeping Dogs is action packed sandbox shooter, which - in many ways - does things a lot better than GTA. Parkour, shooting and hand to hand combat are wrapped around a stunning virtual version of Hong Kong. The story isn't quite Rockstar, but it keeps the action going. The bar is set for the fifth Grand Theft Auto. [Sept 2012]
  2. Eurogamer Portugal
    Sep 17, 2012
    80
    Sleeping Dogs will quickly gain the attention of those who enjoy a good open world with infinity of missions to complete.
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  3. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Sep 13, 2012
    82
    The reason why we go into so much detail about the fighting system is because we've never seen such deep and expansive mechanics in an open world game. You will fight until your knuckles are covered in blood and still won't have had enough of it. [September 2012, p.72]
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