True Crime: Hong Kong is resurrected.---
The Gist
After 2 years in development, True Crime: Hong Kong was dropped by publisher Activision and
seemed destined to an untimely demise. Until Square Enix stepped in,
and the rest is face-punchin' history. You are Wei Shen, an undercover
cop who has just returned to his hometown of Hong Kong after years with
the San Francisco Police Department. Chosen for a high-risk mission
infiltrating the notorious Sun On Yee triad gang, you must walk the
dangerous line between man of the law and all-out gangster. As
allegiances fade and an internal power struggle threatens to tear you and your gang apart, you must decide whether it is more important to do your job or to do what is right.
The Good
The True Crime franchise was a fine example of the sub-genre born from the success of Grand Theft Auto. In fact, many games did their best to mimic Rockstar's open-world crime
drama series with varying results. As such, the resurrection of the Hong Kong iteration—now known as Sleeping Dogs—mirrors its older, wiser cousin to an almost shocking degree. And this is a good thing. It's almost like everything the Saint's Row
series ever wanted to be, only not goofy and with tighter mechanics and
better graphics. Stealing cars, running drugs, racing, murdering
fools...it's all here and as fun as ever. Depth is added in the form of
police work ranging from a kidnapped Russian hostess to a crooked,
organ-harvesting doctor. And whereas the hand-to-hand combat of GTA has always left a whole lot to desire, Sleeping Dogs'
protagonist is a kung fu master complete with upgradable moves and
combos and an awesome-yet-familiar counter mechanic. Ever play Arkham Asylum or Arkham City?
You'll be right at home here. Enemies attack from all angles, but a
well-timed tap of the counter button stops them in their tracks and, in
many cases, triggers a totally bitchin' animation of Wei Shen wrecking
clowns. Guns do eventually
come into play, but they are hardly the focus. It's fun enough to blast
from a moving car (especially once the slo-mo ability is unlocked), but
you'll still prefer the hand-to-hand fighting.
Story is everything in Sleeping Dogs, and to watch Shen rise
through the ranks of the triads is an exciting, albeit quick (everything
is faster in video game time...duh), experience. The constant threat of your
"comrades" discovering you are police looms at every turn, and Shen's
strong sense of honor creates an almost uncomfortable tension.
Eventually we are left to wonder if maybe he hasn't switched sides as he
grows closer to the triads. A particularly gruesome wedding massacre
seems to effect our hero deeply, and before you know it you are telling
off your handler and playing by your own rules. OK, this sounds a little
goofy/played, but developer United Front nails the concepts of loyalty and
honor among thieves perfectly. Whereas we perceive the triads as a
blood-thirsty gang of young hotheads at first, Shen's eventual rise to
the rank of Red Pole (that's like, a manager of sorts) introduces the
higher-ups of the Sun On Yee, and these are honorable people presented
as humans. Yes, atrocities are still committed and crimes are still
perpetrated. However, we start to get a glimpse into the mind of
old-school gangsters and, strangely enough, many of their
characteristics are honorable, noble even.
Though not the most beautiful game graphically, Sleeping Dogs'
version of Hong Kong is fascinating. From the bustling promenades and
night markets to the shipyards and back alleys, the city comes alive
through its locations and denizens. Free-running side-missions take us
through these streets and provide a sort of tour, and every thing you
ever do is spread cleverly throughout the four main districts. In other
words, you'll get around and eventually become familiar with what is
where. Again, shades of GTA shine through, particularly in cases of freeway driving that had this gamer confused about what game I was playing.
Driving is a blast, even for non-fans of the racing genre. It's
almost like an arcade game unto itself, and the many different cars
legitimately feel and handle differently. Motorcycles provide the most
thrills, especially at breakneck speeds.
The Bad
With such an emphasis on story, the feeling that Wei Shen
is a whiny bitch (cinematic cutscenes with your handler Raymond make
him come off as a a childish brat) hinder what could have been a
fantastic opportunity to create a complex character. This is hardly
the movie-caliber writing of Grand Theft Auto, and Wei Shen is no
Nico Bellic. Instead of a tortured man with deep-seeded psychological
issues and a whole lot of baggage, we step into the shoes of a brash and
impetuous jerk. We try to feel bad for the things that have happened to
Shen, but he's just so bitchy so much of the time that it feels like he should just shut up.
It's a good thing guns play a diminished role in Sleeping Dogs,
because there isn't a single standout weapon in the bunch. It's much
more fun to grab a meat cleaver from an enemy and get down to a-stabbin'.
Even the discovery of an assault rifle/grenade launcher can't distract
from how much better the combat plays.
Lack of multiplayer is astonishing. Yes, there are stats and
leaderboards through which you can compete with your friends, but to
completely overlook any kind of deathmatch is almost unforgivable.
Certainly there is to be an amount of leeway given the game's close call
with non-existence, but United Front worked on this thing for almost
three years, and we can't have a shootout with our friends in the
streets of Hong Kong? Insanity.
The Bottom Line
Yes, Sleeping Dogs feels a whole hell of a lot like other
games, but with its incredible combat system and engrossing story, it
carves a niche for itself somewhere between the gritty noir of
Rockstar's best and the all-out goofiness of Volition's. There's not a
whole lot of reasons to stick with it all the way to 100% completion,
but you could do a lot worse during the dry summer months of video game
scarcity. Is this the best game you'll ever play? Hardly. Will you love
the experience? Absolutely.
The Bottom Line
Despite the lack of multiplayer, Sleeping Dogs is a standout title. Besides, who doesn't love a good underdog? 3.5 out of 5 stars!
The Details
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Developer: United Front
Publisher: Square Enix
Rating: M
Cost: $59.99
