Let sleeping dogs…

Sleeping Dogs is an open world action-adventure video game released on August 14 for Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. After having a tough time getting to the market – change in name, cancellation, and switching publishers – Sleeping Dogs managed to escape development chaos to prove itself as one of the best crime games in years.

Playing as Chinese-American cop Wei Shen, players must infiltrate a triad in Hong Kong. Cue some serious violence and dubious police work as you balance Wei’s original mission with increasing power earned from escalating notoriety in the underworld. Completing objectives for each faction earns points to unlock skills unique to them, leading to some conflicting moral choices.

Combat is a blend of fisticuffs and shooting, with plenty of vehicular action on the side. Though Wei’s most common combos involve hammering the attack button, additional grapples, counters and finishers mix sorties upnicely. You’ll soon be composing scenes right out of a John Woo movie, which, I suppose, is rather the point.

The overall reception of the game was very positive, with high scores praising the script and attendant voice acting which is simply superb, bolstered by brilliant cut-scene animation with precise facial movements capturing the actors’ performances. Sleeping Dogs is an outstanding game – it’s so good that the upcoming GTA V might have cause for concern.

A technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.