Sleeping Dogs
"Hollywood Martial Arts Meets Grand Theft Auto"
Heard many praises of this game and only positive things to say. I meant to play this game a long time ago but just could not afford it; until recently.
So... Sleeping Dogs...
I went into this game with high expectations and was not disappointed.
STORY: (Without covering too much)
Playing an undercover cop and infiltrating a gang was maybe one of those kinds of games I did not know I wanted. The premise was/is very interesting, like watching an actual cop drama (except I'm actually playing it).
You play as Wei Shen, a Chinese-American in Hong Kong. You (as mentioned) are an undercover cop trying to get yourself into a gang known as the Sun on Yee. Jackie, your childhood friend, is part of the Sun On Yee and through him you get your ticket into the gang. As with all gangs there are gang wars and you need to defend your own.
As the story progresses, situations get more intense and much more involved. Without giving too many (if any) spoilers, things escalate and your status becomes increasingly important with the Sun On Yee. Hell, I felt more like a gangster at times than a cop and I'm sure the game knows this.
Characters and Voice Acting:
Wei Shen (Main Protagonist) - Voiced by: Will Yun Lee
He's performance was remarkable and very believable/convincing.
Jackie Ma (Friend of Protagonist - Soldier in Sun On Yee) - Voiced by: Edison Chen
Another good performance here. The personality type they decided for him was played believably by this actor. He is to Wei pretty much what Roman is/was to Niko (from GTA IV).
Superintendent Thomas Pendrew (Secondary Antagonist / Your Boss - best description IMO) - Voiced by: Tom Wilkinson
Another good performance. Mildly-spoken fella but gets his point across if he feels necessary.
Inspector Jane Teng (Colleague Police - Plot Progression) - Voiced by: Kelly Hu
This stunningly beautiful voice actress did a solid performance for her role. Though not too many interactions between herself and Wei and when there is you understand the relationship between these two and what needs to be done (work related, obviously).
Some character introductions feel forced and just for the sake of story continuity/addition. Though it does not feel wasteful or unnecesary (since plot...). You also meet girlfriends who can give you various unlocks, which is useful if you want to be a completionist. I tried. I did.
Gameplay
Combat:
Many have compared the fighting mechanic in this game to Batman: Arkham Asylum/City - true, as there are very obvious similarities, although, you do not have the type of combat where you can practically "fly" from one opponent to another, it's got a more realistic sense in the fighting where you have to run up to the person to initial the fight. So many ways of dealing with your opponent, whether it be a finishing move or simply something to keep them stunned while dealing with other (possibly more threatening) opponents.
Gun handling is not bad, though it isn't used too often (at least for me - only when necessary). From pistols to grenade lauchers, you're covered.
Plot driven, you go to a dojo and practice fighting techniques (various moves to perform during combat making it easier and more enjoyable when fighting in the various styles). Statues need to be found throughout the world: you bring these back to the dojo and learn yourself another move through the abilities screen (which can be viewed and used from the main menu).
Driving:
Turning is very sharp. Hell, it took me a while to get used to the handling of vehicles, but once I became used to it I started driving very cocky; taking chances on narrow roads and speeding through traffic. I did not find myself to be too great a fan of the reverse cam; you get this (what seems like) a radio-controlled means of controlling your car until the camera "fixes" (goes back to a behind-the-car view) itself. Leaping from car to car is a lot of fun and can often result in a good escape plan.
There are many vehicles in the game which you can purchase as well.
Face Meter:
There are a number of Face levels you can achieve (completing side-missions). The amount you get will be determined by the mission. You can use this (your face meter level) also for means of purchasing clothing of a higher Face level requirement. These normally look more appealing than lower Face items (this comes down to personal preference).
There are many types of attire in here, from hipster to street thug and high-class business man - you're covered. I managed to max out my Face Meter and then some. New and better vehicles are also available at certain Face level and the cash to purchase.
Exploration:
There are various collectibles to get throughout the world like Lockboxes (random items) and Health Shrines (extra health percentage upgrade). Since I did not know what the ending of the game would have in store for me, I decided to find them all - and I did.
Hacking:
You will find what looks like electric/power boxes (they're actually camera boxes - CCTV) scattered throughout the world; these can be hacked to view and identify criminal activity (from your Safehouse). There are usually gangsters near the boxes: you may need to take take of them boxes you can access the boxes (as you could be attacked while hacking).
Hacking is actually pretty simple (once you KNOW what you're actually supposed to be doing). All that is required is finding the right combination and order. Picking numbers (0123, 1234, 5678,7890 - you get the idea). If a number appears in red, it's not in the code, if it appears in yellow, it is in the code but in the wrong place. So you mix and match until the number(s) appear(s) in green, then the rest in green as well and you're done.
Conclusion
I know I'm probably missing quite a few things (only played this once so far).
Overall, Sleeping Dogs is a must-buy IMO. It's really not your typical GTA clone. So, for what it's worth I intend to play it again (this time with the HD texture patch).
If you're looking for an awesome open-world sandbox with a compelling story and great gameplay, then let me introduce to you...
SLEEPING DOGS!
