Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

Playing the Definitive Edition reminded me how much I enjoyed its excellent story and characters, combat, and city, but also made me pine for a true new-gen sequel.

For better or worse, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is not that much different from your standard issue Game of the Year Edition. That is to say, you'll be treated one of the best open world crime adventures in recent years, and the game still looks great, if not dramatically different on its new hardware.

Although it's slightly rough around the edges, and packs the occasional bug, Sleeping Dogs is nevertheless a gripping and thoroughly entertaining Hong Kong action movie in game form.

For those who missed out on Sleeping Dogs two years ago, the title is correct: this is the definitive version. Unfortunately, those who already visited the compressed streets of Hong Kong will have almost no incentive to go back.

United Front has created a version of Hong Kong packed with things to do and the excellent combat and driving ensure it's always fun. If you've not played it, we're a bit jealous.

Stuffed to the gills with content, it's a generous package, and one that even those considering a second trip will enjoy.

While a solid collection, this port is marred by inconsistent frame rate, technical problems and a high price tag. We can argue about whether or not this is enough to warrant the $60 asking price, but there's no debate over the quality of Sleeping Dogs as an open-world action experience.

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition confirms the original game's pros like the great combat system and compelling story, but this HD re-edition doesn't astonish or add new elements to justify buying it again or for the first time, at full price, for the ones who never played it.

Packed with content, all of the DLCs that have come out since the original game and upgraded graphics, this GTA clone will keep you happy till the "real deal" (GTAV) comes to the next-gen.

Either way, Sleeping Dogs is still a lot of fun, but the when it comes to throwing hard-earned money at 4th quarter releases, I can’t suggest putting this port at the top of your must-have lists.

The only mode to feel completely finished is Nightmare in North Point, which pits the player against an army of hopping vampires and a few resurrected faces from the main storyline.

The terrific melee combat system and intriguing story are more than enough to warrant a recommendation to anyone yet to play it, but if you’ve experienced the streets of Hong Kong before then the slightly sharper visuals and included DLC are a tougher sell.

I have a hard time understanding why Sleeping Dogs needed to be ported to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in what Square Enix is calling the game’s “Definitive Edition”...It collects all of the game’s considerable post-release content – including a trio of story-driven add-ons – in one convenient place, which is laudable. But core game hasn’t changed much. And it wasn’t perfect to begin with...The expression “warts and all” to leap to mind.

For those that have never played it, it is a fantastic experience that no gamer should miss.

While the core Sleeping Dogs experience is still worth playing, the Definitive Edition is loaded with graphical issues and costs way too much for a game that plays worse than the PC version released two years ago.

It’s more average than definitive.