Infiltrating Hong Kong’s Underworld: A Review of Sleeping Dogs

Summary

In this article, we review the video game Sleeping Dogs, available for P, Xbox 36, and PlayStation. The game follows the story of Wei Shen, an undercover cop embedded in a street gang in Hong Kong. While the game has great writing, excellent voice acting, and addictive bite-sized missions, it falls short in graphics, combat, and other polish issues.

The Story: Sleeping Dogs’ Greatest Strength
Gameplay: Combat and Driving
Punishing Players for Having Fun
Polish Issues That Can Be Frustrating
Conclusion: A Fun Game with Room for Improvement

The Story: Sleeping Dogs’ Greatest Strength

Sleeping Dogs’ greatest strength is its gripping linear story. Players watch Wei Shen interact with the cops and gang members, see his loyalties tested, and wonder which way he’s going to go. While players don’t get to make major decisions for Wei Shen, the excellent writing and voice acting make up for it.

Gameplay: Combat and Driving

The game offers two main modes of combat: martial arts and gunplay. Ironically, Sleeping Dogs becomes easier when enemies shoot at players versus when they try to punch them. The driving is fun, especially when players hijack a fast car and drive around in the rain with a Cantonese love song playing on the radio. However, the graphics fall short, and there are no incredible sights to admire.

Punishing Players for Having Fun

Sleeping Dogs punishes players for having fun. Players lose experience points if they hit parking meters or run over people. While this makes sense for a cop, it detracts from the fun of playing a video game.

Polish Issues That Can Be Frustrating

There are several polish issues that can make Sleeping Dogs frustrating. For example, depending on where players stand, the button to hail a taxi is the same button that violently rips the driver out of the taxi and throws him onto the asphalt. The car’s GPS system is also problematic, and the device hacking mini-games become repetitive.

Conclusion: A Fun Game with Room for Improvement

In conclusion, Sleeping Dogs is a fun game with addictive bite-sized missions and a great story. However, it falls short in graphics, combat, and polish issues. While there is room for improvement, the game is definitely worth playing for those who enjoy a good crime story.