User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 767 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 87 out of 767
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  1. 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!!!
  2. 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
  3. 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!
  4. Nov 27, 2012
    10
    Let me preface by saying that my actual score is 9.5. For the people who don't like to read, I can summarize my review by saying that Sleeping Dogs is an incredibly fun game with a gripping story, arkham city style combat, nfs style driving and gta style open world-ness (but better) - if you haven't bought it yet, then you should go do so NOW! Sleeping Dog's story revolves aroundLet me preface by saying that my actual score is 9.5. For the people who don't like to read, I can summarize my review by saying that Sleeping Dogs is an incredibly fun game with a gripping story, arkham city style combat, nfs style driving and gta style open world-ness (but better) - if you haven't bought it yet, then you should go do so NOW! Sleeping Dog's story revolves around Wei Shen, who is an undercover Hong Kong cop trying to infiltrate the fictional Sun-on-Yee - I'm not going to go further into detail, but suffice to say that it's a story that pays tribute to the classic Hong Kong flicks of yore, and has plenty of, "what a twist!", moments... The recreated Hong Kong feels bustling and alive - there's street vendors and whole bazaars, all of which you can interact with. I feel as though I should mention that as I looked at some of the stores near one of my apartments, they were literally cardboard cutouts, so while this is still one of the most interactive sandboxes out there, if United Front was given more time, they could have made the city even more alive. Even the side missions are, for the most part, awesome - the racing is expectedly great given that a lot of these guys used to work for Black box - you can bet on **** (get your mind out of the gutter), be IN fights, and clear out gangs (thought that does get repetitive). All of which fuels an upgrade system that has three branches; triad, cop and super awesome ninja stuff. That's not even mentioning the glorious amount of costumes! I also love the fact that they actually speak Chinese half the time (there's subtitles), and it further lends to the game's authenticity. The actors do an amazing job at portraying the characters as well. I have seen other reviews complaining about the graphics - I really don't understand that - to me, the graphics looked great, the animations where smooth as butter, the draw distance was good (little to no pop in), and the frame-rate was consistent. To me, this game is on par, graphically to red dead redemption, and certainly looks better than games like grand theft auto 4 and saints row 3. Maybe reviewers only care about particle effects and lighting... Also, I have to mention that the soundtrack is sublime; ninja tune and warp radio actually features some real dub-step and break-beat (not the skrillex style stuff) - here's a link to one of the songs - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpgHyCNCDO4&feature=BFa&list=FLNJ6aRWikauOTEZlQZLNKUw Overall, this game is a true underrated gem, it should be experienced by anyone who owns a gaming system or PC - I have not had this much fun with a game in a long time! Stop reading stuff on meta-critic and go buy this game now, you won't regret it! Expand
  5. 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
  6. Feb 27, 2013
    9
    Too bad a couple of trolls who are taking issue with one of the voice actors, are ruining the user score here.

    It is an exciting game with lots of depth, great hand-fights (the best in an open world) and better graphics than GTA. You reaally feel like the star in an exciting movie. Everything works well together, even the driving. You have to make moral choices, the characters are
    Too bad a couple of trolls who are taking issue with one of the voice actors, are ruining the user score here.

    It is an exciting game with lots of depth, great hand-fights (the best in an open world) and better graphics than GTA. You reaally feel like the star in an exciting movie. Everything works well together, even the driving. You have to make moral choices, the characters are believable and everything is cool!
    Expand
  7. Mar 14, 2013
    10
    I haven't had as much fun with an open world game since GTA 3. Sleeping dogs had me invested from the first moment to the last. Everything about the game is well executed, from the fighting, to the driving, to the cover based shooting, it's all very well executed. The thing that really got me though is the characters, from the main character, Wei, to any of the other various characters II haven't had as much fun with an open world game since GTA 3. Sleeping dogs had me invested from the first moment to the last. Everything about the game is well executed, from the fighting, to the driving, to the cover based shooting, it's all very well executed. The thing that really got me though is the characters, from the main character, Wei, to any of the other various characters I was impressed. The story is very well told and helps add depth to, Wei, as he goes deeper undercover. I came in alittle late on getting it, but I'm so glad I got this game! To sum it up, it's nothing short of amazing and deserves to be in everyone's library. It also had a butt load of DLC, all worth the investment. So of you haven't played sleeping dogs, go do so now! Expand
  8. 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.
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  9. 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. 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!
  11. Oct 9, 2012
    8
    Really enjoyed this game. The storyline is awesome. The hand-to-hand combat is very realistic going from throwing people into bins, hitting their heads of tables etc. The driving is not great after playing GTA IV
  12. Jun 25, 2014
    10
    It finally happened! They put Hong Kong in one of greatest open-world games of all time! They put so much work in to Sleeping Dogs. The focus on the Kung Fu was so crazy sick. Let me just say there's so much to do with this game and I should know cause I have 100% game completion & 20 DLC packs. From a great storyline to an amazing world where you can break Chinese bones. Honestly this isIt finally happened! They put Hong Kong in one of greatest open-world games of all time! They put so much work in to Sleeping Dogs. The focus on the Kung Fu was so crazy sick. Let me just say there's so much to do with this game and I should know cause I have 100% game completion & 20 DLC packs. From a great storyline to an amazing world where you can break Chinese bones. Honestly this is a pure masterpiece. Expand
  13. Nov 8, 2012
    8
    if you liked grand theft auto this is basically the next installment ..... you get to play both sides as the cop and the gangster..... story was very well written along with the fighting mechanics..... the only down fall is there are basically no weapons ...... the few in the game are scarce at best......
  14. Jan 19, 2013
    9
    after a rocky launch squenix proved that they care about their customers and continue to patch the game (version 1.9 already!) its a great pc port with great performance, great voice acting, and good looking textures. and the melee fighting system is amazing.
  15. Oct 26, 2012
    7
    This game has a lot going for it in the first place - a fun setting, access to adult themes, interesting story (which a lot of it is based on real facts and real gangs in HK [10K is based on 14K, Sun Woo is based on Sun Yee On Triad]

    The game is good at everything it tries to do: racing, shooting, martial arts fighting, story telling - but it doesn't exactly shine in any of the aspects.
    This game has a lot going for it in the first place - a fun setting, access to adult themes, interesting story (which a lot of it is based on real facts and real gangs in HK [10K is based on 14K, Sun Woo is based on Sun Yee On Triad]

    The game is good at everything it tries to do: racing, shooting, martial arts fighting, story telling - but it doesn't exactly shine in any of the aspects. There are games that are better at it in certain aspects, which make them stand out. This game doesn't stand out in anyway except for the fact that it is unique and takes place in HK and obviously caters towards gamers who understand the swearing, culture and setting - to make sense of the entire thing. But, it's still fun for people who do not know a lot about the 'gang culture' in HK.

    The voice acting is pretty good as well. I would say the game gets a bit repetitive when you try to do all the side quests. Once you get used to fighting (for example), the game ceased to have any difficulty at all. It's an interesting venture into a setting that not everyone expected - that's too be sure. It should get bonus points for that. I'm sad because the game could have been a lot better...Sequel anyone?
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  16. Feb 5, 2013
    8
    Surprise of the year! I followed this game since it was sold by Activision under the working title "True Crime:Hong Kong", and it was an absolute to delight to play such a detailed and riveting game.
    The protagonist, Wei Shen, an undercover police detective, must infiltrate the Sun On Yee Triad organisation to attempt to bring it down.
    The hustle and bustle of Hong Kong is brought to
    Surprise of the year! I followed this game since it was sold by Activision under the working title "True Crime:Hong Kong", and it was an absolute to delight to play such a detailed and riveting game.
    The protagonist, Wei Shen, an undercover police detective, must infiltrate the Sun On Yee Triad organisation to attempt to bring it down.
    The hustle and bustle of Hong Kong is brought to life through not the biggest, but certainly one of the more
    detailed and vibrant sandbox cities of this generation.
    The combat is something spectacular, it simply utilizes button mashing with fluid combos that result in some the most fun fights you will come across in a game.
    Its got a solid story, albeit a short one for an open-world game, but this doesnt take away from the sheer volume of activities that can be undertaken here.
    Whether you want to suit up in a vast array of clothing, save up and buy an extensive amount of vehicles, or simply steal an umbrella from a pedestrian and beat up a bad guy with it...why not.
    Cons? Sadly, yes, the driving graphics arent the most solid, its hard to appreciate many driving mechanics in games after GTA IV, the island can sometimes feel too restrained and incomplete, and the Chinese that is spoken in the middle of an english conversation just feels out of place.
    All of that aside, this is certainly a stepping stone in the right direction, hopefully bigger and better things to come.
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  17. Nov 5, 2012
    9
    When True Crime: Hong Kong was cancelled, I was really sad. When Square
    Enix picked it back up, I was jumping for joy. When I got the game (Now
    named Sleeping Dogs), I can't say I'm not impressed. From jumping to moving cars, to fighting in street brawls, Sleeping Dogs works. You play as an under cover cop named Wei Shen. Your objective is to explore the criminal underworld in hopes of
    When True Crime: Hong Kong was cancelled, I was really sad. When Square
    Enix picked it back up, I was jumping for joy. When I got the game (Now
    named Sleeping Dogs), I can't say I'm not impressed. From jumping to
    moving cars, to fighting in street brawls, Sleeping Dogs works. You play as an under cover cop named Wei Shen. Your objective is to explore
    the criminal underworld in hopes of creating a better tomorrow. Most
    people will have bought this game for the fighting. Easy enough,
    because it's really fun. It takes the fighting system from the Batman:
    Arkham games. Countering and combining moves is satisfying. I randomly
    join one of the various fight clubs when I think I have had enough time
    racing, doing errands, or busting bad guys for selling drugs. There are
    plenty of chases, fights and tension to go around in Sleeping Dogs. The
    game is open world, and features side quests and lots of activities.
    The game has also been said to be around 20 hours long without
    collecting the many collectibles, which is long for this type of game.

    As with every game, It has a few weak spots. One of the things that
    stand out is the shooting. It's a little easy and stale, and some of
    the controls are slow to respond. The driving camera has become a
    bother because it wants to be behind you at all times despite your own
    wishes. But even with these things, Sleeping Dogs remains a blast to play.
    Anyone that is a fan of movies like The Raid: Redemption will want to
    play this game to get a small feel of what it's like to be the bad butt
    fighter that can't be hit.
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  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. Apr 14, 2013
    9
    biggest sleeper and my personal favorite overall game of 2012. Think of a cross between gta and saints row, more gta-style gameplay, and the arcade style feel of saints row. I love the physical combat and interactive sets where you can drop a bad guy in. The story was pretty good and addicting although doesn't really bring anything new to the genre; but were anyone expecting anything elsebiggest sleeper and my personal favorite overall game of 2012. Think of a cross between gta and saints row, more gta-style gameplay, and the arcade style feel of saints row. I love the physical combat and interactive sets where you can drop a bad guy in. The story was pretty good and addicting although doesn't really bring anything new to the genre; but were anyone expecting anything else in this style of game? Expand
  21. Feb 2, 2013
    8
    Sleeping Dogs is a great game, but some glitches and dull moments prevent it from being an amazing one. The story in Sleeping Dogs is superb because of its uniqueness from other games like this (e.g., GTA, Saints Row, etc.). Play as Wei Shen, a character who truly sticks to you, as an Undercover cop in this fictionalized Hong Kong. The only real complaints I have of this game is that someSleeping Dogs is a great game, but some glitches and dull moments prevent it from being an amazing one. The story in Sleeping Dogs is superb because of its uniqueness from other games like this (e.g., GTA, Saints Row, etc.). Play as Wei Shen, a character who truly sticks to you, as an Undercover cop in this fictionalized Hong Kong. The only real complaints I have of this game is that some voice acting seems sketchy, the graphics in some scenes really lack, and there are some minor glitches in the game. But overall, Sleeping Dogs is worth a buy and its one of those games where you truly crave that platinum trophy. Expand
  22. Jan 5, 2014
    9
    Easily one of the best games on the ps3 and Xbox 360.
    A living breathing open world of crime, street racing and martial arts, what more could you want?
    From the seamless combat to the fast pace racing, united front games knew exactly what they were doing, and pulled it all off amazingly.
    If your a fan of open world sandbox games this is a must buy!
  23. Oct 9, 2012
    8
    The center of Sleeping Dogs is Kung fu fighting with unlockable new combos that keep it interesting along with some kick @ss enviro kills. Driving and hijacking vehicles on the move ala Pursuit Force is fantastic, as is sliding over obstacles in slow mo and shooting baddies Matrix/ Max Payne style. The story is nothing new, It 's a GTA and True Crime L.A mixer about loyalty, revenge and aThe center of Sleeping Dogs is Kung fu fighting with unlockable new combos that keep it interesting along with some kick @ss enviro kills. Driving and hijacking vehicles on the move ala Pursuit Force is fantastic, as is sliding over obstacles in slow mo and shooting baddies Matrix/ Max Payne style. The story is nothing new, It 's a GTA and True Crime L.A mixer about loyalty, revenge and a twisted sense of justice ,there are a few funny moments, but the hardcore R rated moments are a majority. Sleeping Dogs has unoriginal major components : Fighting, driving, shooting, story, characters, sidequests: it has all been expertly sliced out of other games and movies and put into place here, it blends so many different ideas Expand
  24. Nov 5, 2012
    9
    I just finished this game and loved every minute of it! This game is my "sleeper retail game of the year" (no pun intended). This is obviously a GTA make-off, but it is done so well! I enjoyed this game more than the GTA and Saints Row series. If you are looking for an open world GTA, Saints Row, Red Dead, Max Payne type game... you have to give this a try. Here is what I liked mostI just finished this game and loved every minute of it! This game is my "sleeper retail game of the year" (no pun intended). This is obviously a GTA make-off, but it is done so well! I enjoyed this game more than the GTA and Saints Row series. If you are looking for an open world GTA, Saints Row, Red Dead, Max Payne type game... you have to give this a try. Here is what I liked most about the game:
    1. Fluid Combat - best open world combat system yet. 2. Engaging Story - This game is very story driven. I really got into the story and really enjoyed playing as an undercover cop. Great characters in the game as well as great voice acting.
    3. Great Pacing - This game has excellent pacing. In an open world, this is usually the struggle. Provide the ability to do anything, but still maintain direction for game/storyline progression. 4. RPG elements - I love that you level up your character! There are four categories to level up your character. Dojo Training, Triad skills, Police skills and building your "Health". Dojo training help you learn more combos and powerful moves in combat. The Triad and Police skills help you become deal more damage, take more damage, react quicker, help you shot better, slow down time while shooting, etc.
    5. High Replay - Even though I finished the main story line, I don't feel finished with the game. I am excited each time I re-enter the world of Hong Kong. There are still many things to achieve past the main story line. If you like to fight, there are always people to fight. If you like to race cars, there are always people to race. If you like to date, offer help to people in need (usually a chase involved), investigate murders or even gamble on **** fights... It's all there waiting for you!

    I especially loved heading into a group of 10-20 people knowing that I could most likely take them via "Kung Fu" and not guns. The combat in this game is the best I have played in an open world. I agree that the combat is very similar to Batman's combat system (Arkham games), but this combat system is even more fluid, faster and easier. Countering is brilliant in this game. The enemy will turn red when you need to counter. I loved how obvious they make it. When you have 15 people you are fighting, you will be glad the counter system is there to assist you!

    The only issues I had with the game were minimal:
    1. Depending on car placement, sometimes the door gets in the way. You can always climb on the car and usually overcome this.
    2. Main storyline was a bit short. I really liked the story and wanted more. As I understand there will be DLC to provide more story.
    3. When fighting "brawlers" there are often QTE (Quick Time Events). After awhile you realize it's always the same buttons based on a bear hug or a floor stomp.
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  25. Nov 9, 2012
    10
    Great story, the best combat in any open world game, rpg style combat system, amazing graphics, and Hong Kong, A great new IP. Interact with the environment, grappling npc and smashing them into a car door or put them in a trunk. Shooting is very fluid also and driving is top notch. Way better than GTA IV buy this game, it really is a sleeper.
  26. Nov 23, 2012
    10
    i re-write this review because i noctise that i rated it 7.5 but really, Sleeping Dog is the game that i played the most, i have got MW3, Assassin's Creed III those kind of popular games. If u let me choose i will play Sleeping Dogs. Good quailty, fun places, fun controls, hot charecters, excited street fighting, BOOM!!!!!
  27. Dec 3, 2012
    8
    This game was generally great and a bit underrated. I can understand people being angry that it was not a shooting game (I had the same frustration at first). But this game was good partially because it was not the standard Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row. This is the first beat em up I have played in awhile and it was generally good. Not quite as good as Batman: Arkham City, but stillThis game was generally great and a bit underrated. I can understand people being angry that it was not a shooting game (I had the same frustration at first). But this game was good partially because it was not the standard Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row. This is the first beat em up I have played in awhile and it was generally good. Not quite as good as Batman: Arkham City, but still good. Story could have used a little work, but not bad. graphics and sound were generally good. A lot to explore but never overwhelming. Once the kinks are worked out, truly worthy of a sequel. Expand
  28. Jan 9, 2013
    9
    DEMO Review the game is like saints row meets batman arkham city the graphics are really nice and the setting is really cool i also like how you get rewarded for hitting evil people and the asian accents r spot on
  29. Jan 28, 2013
    7
    Melee combat and graphics are both very strong. All of the gameplay elements are similar, or quite possibly the same as other AAA titles. That is ultimately the games weakness, as none of the features really stand out. A fun game regardless, but it feels like it could have been a more well-rounded experience.
  30. Feb 9, 2013
    10
    This game is amazing it has an awesome story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The game play is great the fighting system is great, watching Wei Shen fight is crazy. The graphics are good but some textures look bad like the blood texture. Overall the game is great and fun you will love. I got it for 20 dollars on sale but it is worth the 59.99 dollars price tag
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 40
  2. 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. 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.
  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]