Grand Theft Auto Meets The Triads, In Hong Kong's Dark Underbelly
I was genuinely worried that such a game with dark matter and content would slump and fail from Square Enix's take on the storyline and material, but they pulled it off when I began playing the game after buying it. The mature plot of an undercover police officer infiltrating the Triad gangs intrigued me, and it was very well presented through cut-scenes and dialogue. Sleeping Dogs focuses on melee combat, and the use of fists and weapons against rival gangsters, but also the use of firearms in later missions.
I found this quite laid back, instead of going straight into the murky crime world of Hong Kong with machine guns, and rocket launchers from the moment you start the game. I found it interesting to begin the game from the ground up as a foot soldier, a true one, resorting to his bare fists to extort business owners and such. It felt like a proper crime story, with the crime lords giving me orders, treating me like a servant who carried out their orders, but slowly becoming respected and climbing the underbelly ladder.
The elements of Grand Theft Auto are evident, from high speed performance cars, to customizing your character with flash clothing yet the story was mature, and realistic.
The Good:
- A mature storyline of gang life, and the efforts of police officers in dealing with the Triad gangs in Hong Kong.
- Melee combat is the focus of the game play from the beginning of the game, from lowly foot soldier to crime boss of the gang.
- Missions are varied, from every aspect of organized crime to everyday dramas in the life of gangsters, and their communities.
- Realistic characters, that you can relate to, who are very well shown in cut-scenes.
The Bad:
- Sometimes trying to get to locations to undertake missions, becomes repetitive and boring.
Sleeping Dogs I believe is for fans of mature story lines, and is well suited to those who enjoyed Grand Theft Auto but wished it to be more realistic in missions and plot. Sleeping Dogs is also a good game for those who enjoy open world action, and exploration.