Hong Kong Playground
I'm a huge fan of Cantonese film. My favorites being Exiled and A Better Tomorrow, Sleeping dogs found it's way into my heart real fast. Its mix of hand to hand action, some average third person shooting, solid driving and races, and tons of things to collect is just what I needed to fill my open world fix. What set's Sleeping Dogs apart from the pack though is its style. Inspired by real life Hong Kong and the crime movies that take place there, Sleeping Dogs has a real sense of place. Walk the streets and see food stand vendors calling for customers, workers smoking cigarettes in front of warehouses, the city is packed with dialogue and random events. The consumables vendors sell give combat and leveling buffs, giving players a reason to stop in the tea shops and restaurants. Clothes also play a part, since combining some tops bottoms and shoes together will give you buffs as well. I chose to sport a Bruce Lee style jumpsuit for a majority of the game. Fighting is a huge part of Sleeping Dogs, so collecting the jade statues plopped around the city will let you unlock moves at the dojo which get more gruesome as you go along. For me it was the little touches that made Sleeping Dogs so great. The moments like when I beat up a gang of Triad and threw the last guy in my trunk, drove across town to another gang hangout and threw him into the mob to get the fight started. The fighting feels a lot like assassin's creed, focusing on counters and quick strike to disarm and take down your opponent. Overall the little flaws like a buggy animation, or texture pop in keep Sleeping Dogs from a 5 star rating, but it's still a must play game you can't over look.
