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Available on: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Sleeping Dogs review

An open-world game that makes no concessions

Words: on August 15, 2012
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46 comments

  • Darkhawk - August 14, 2012 12:34 p.m.

    Kudos to Ubisoft for crafting another brilliant original IP. I look forward to Sleep Dogs 2, which should hopefully do for the series what Assassin's Creed II did for them before.

  • BladedFalcon - August 14, 2012 12:41 p.m.

    Um... Ubisoft? This was published by Square Enix...

  • Dante1924 - August 14, 2012 6:11 p.m.

    I think he might have been thinking about Watch Dogs. Sorry Darkhawk, but while they both have "dogs" in the title, Ubisoft did not make Sleeping Dogs. He does have a point, however, about a sequel improving things on an Assassin's Creed II level. Make the missions more interesting, improve the story, and we'd have an amazing sequel! Hopefully, the game will sell enough to warrant a sequel...

  • minimaxi - August 14, 2012 7 p.m.

    Makes me wonder how many people will buy this thinking this was Ubisoft's Watch Dog....

  • zymn - August 15, 2012 12:37 a.m.

    Yeah. I got interested in this game because I thought it was Watch Dogs. Then yesterday after I pre-ordered it right before release so I could get bonus content I figured out it wasn't. but since Watch Dogs is a year away I got it anyways and it is pretty kickass!

  • avantguardian - August 15, 2012 1:18 a.m.

    this game actually isn't an original ip. it's the newest true crime game. that is, until it got unceremoniously dumped, picked up, re-named, and finished. for near vaporware, it looks pretty awesome, i gotta say.

  • rob619 - August 15, 2012 2:45 a.m.

    I knew this would be good, and it is! Sweet, first day purchase for me. An open world game, takes bits from Just Cause 2, Arkham City combat, great driving, Max Payne slow-mo bullets. It has only faults which all open world games have, abit of lag. Can't wait till friday.

  • Klodz - August 15, 2012 11:42 a.m.

    Well this is the first time that I've bought a game almost instantly based solely on a Radar review. Well done Cooper!

  • talleyXIV - August 15, 2012 12:52 p.m.

    This game looks like generic art trash. Just another game that says "Punch this guy, punch this guy, get the objective, go back, watch cutscene." A boring GTA with a new setting and fighting style to hide how not creative and unoriginal it really is.

  • Dante1924 - August 15, 2012 2:18 p.m.

    It's already out stateside, but comes out Friday in Europe.

  • Craza - August 15, 2012 3:18 p.m.

    "Tremendous amount of content through side-missions" but "Only a few of the missions are all that interesting". Hmmmmn...... "A compelling, interesting narrative" yet "The lack of charismatic, memorable characters". Hmmmmmn..... Soooooo, you're saying there's a lot to do, but you probably won't really WANT to do most of it, and there's a good story, but no good or even decent characters to deliver on that story. How is this a great? Really....please tell me. Let's even put aside how much this game is borrowing from GTA and True Crime.

  • MasterBhater - August 15, 2012 6:26 p.m.

    You DO know this game started out as True Crime: Hong Kong, right? The developers got canned from their publisher and when they were bought by Square Enix they did not have the rights to the "True Crime" franchise, so they had to rename it.

  • BladedFalcon - August 15, 2012 6:42 p.m.

    They are talking about the mission layout being kinda boring, but as I understand it, the gameplay itself is great, and most likely good enough to make even the samey mission objectives being fun to go trough. Something I a inclined to agree with since it combines the smooth fighting system of Arkham city with added brutality, the shooting of Max Payne 3, and the driving of just cause 2. Also, a good story can be told and delivered even if the characters aren't that memorable. So I'm not sure what you're having trouble understanding.

  • Craza - August 16, 2012 2:14 a.m.

    I was merely pointing out what I felt were contradictions in the review, namely, the "quick n dirty". They could be interpreted differently, but that's just how I saw it.

  • Craza - August 16, 2012 2:17 a.m.

    Actually, I didn't. I know about True Crime: Hong Kong, but I didn't know it had to be renamed due to publishing rights. Probably one of the articles I passed over while skimming the site. I apologize for the mistake, but I stand by the rest of my statement.

  • BladedFalcon - August 16, 2012 5:34 a.m.

    And I was merely pointing out that they really aren't contradictions at all. One point doesn't completely negate the other, it might subtract from it, but that is why they are different elements. A game can be enjoyable if one is executed greatly even if the other isn't as neat.

  • JSayonara - August 18, 2012 4:55 a.m.

    There is no way in Hell this game deserves a 4 1/2 star review. It's glitchy (Counters frequently fail, camera spins out when you're fighting allowing massive cheap shots, markers disappear when you're driving to locations) the driving is awful, the cars handle like they're on ice and repetitive to fuck. It's one of those game that's BRILLIANT for the first couple of hours..then, not so much. I'm going to be charitable and put the high score down to the summer drought, rather than all the fucking adverts plastered all over this site (Please get rid of these damn banner ad's, they slow my browser down to fuck when I'm zoomed). It's by no means a BAD game...but it ain't great. Seeing as GR work on a 5 star system, the score translates to a 90% plus. That puts this up with GTA, MGS, Zelda and the like. No way, it's a solid seventy % ish.

  • Stabby_Joe - August 19, 2012 7:17 a.m.

    Fair dos on your opinion although I wouldn't say that invalidates others people's opinions. So far I'm enjoying the game immensely.

  • onetimebuster - August 19, 2012 5:38 p.m.

    My favourite character is the valet guy some of his lines are funny.

  • TURbo - August 19, 2012 11:18 p.m.

    Activision canned True Crime Hong Kong because from their market research and development delays, it wasn't going to be worth it unless they sold some (something ridiculously high) 10 million + units which it probably wouldn't. Overall Sleeping Dogs uses so many mechanics well in an open world game. The collectibles have nice bonuses attached to them, and the skill trees are well used. Playing Sleeping Dogs reminded me of what I wished True Crime Streets of LA was. A more functional driving, shooting, melee combat system. Just Cause 2 is my favorite open world game this gen, but that could change. While Just Cause 2 for me had the best gameplay, the atmosphere and vibrancy was non existant. Panau was just a fun playground. Sleeping Dogs has a more lively city with pedesterians going about their business, and Cantonese pop and rap music on the radio is a nice addition for the atmosphere. Sleeping Dogs expands into new territory on what an open world game can do in both setting and gameplay. Thank you Square Enix.

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Excellent
YOU'LL LOVE
  • Amazingly fun fighting, driving, and shooting
  • A compelling, interesting narrative
  • Tremendous amount of content through side-missions
YOU'LL HATE
  • Only a few of the missions are all that interesting
  • The lack of charismatic, memorable characters
  • Occasional glitches and bugs
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More Info

Release date: US
Aug 14 2012 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Available Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Genre: Action
Published by: Square Enix
ESRB Rating:
Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Sexual Content
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