Sleeping Dogs (formerly known as True Crime: Hong Kong) is a multiplatform video game developed by United Front Games. The publisher is Square Enix, with "Novy Disk" handling publishing in Russia. Sleeping Dogs was released on three major platforms: PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Release date: mid-August 2012 (Europe and the USA).
It is hard to categorize Sleeping Dogs into just one genre, but the project is often referred to (and was described as such long before its release) as a clone of Grand Theft Auto. This is, of course, not the case. Sleeping Dogs is an original game that combines action, driving, and RPG genres. Simply put, it is a kind of “sandbox” game.
Interestingly, the game takes place in Hong Kong—not in some clichéd American metropolis. However, Hong Kong was chosen by the developers for good reason—it represents a unique blend of Asian culture and European lifestyle. Gigantic skyscrapers coexist with rickety huts made of slate and bamboo, and indescribable wealth coexists with horrific poverty. This is precisely what piqued the interest of an entire army of players. GTA in a Chinese setting—something that had never been seen before.
The main character of Sleeping Dogs is a detective named Wei Shen, sent to Hong Kong from San Francisco to infiltrate the Triad (specifically the criminal organization Sun On Yee). Hong Kong is the hero's hometown, which is probably why he was entrusted with such an important task. His knowledge of the language and Asian appearance were supposed to facilitate the successful completion of this sensitive assignment.
Wei Shen begins his criminal journey as a low-level "gofer," following orders that range from "fetch this, bring that, squeeze this, steal that," but gradually earns the respect of the leaders of criminal gangs. He is then entrusted with more serious tasks, which is actually Wei Shen's main goal—the more he knows about the Triad's "shenanigans," the higher the chances the Hong Kong police have of locking up the criminals. However, the protagonist walks a fine line—sometimes, he has to engage in very "dirty" work involving robberies, murders, and many other unpleasant things. Nonetheless, the goal comes first—actions must be taken rather than pondering the salvation of the soul.
Hong Kong is divided into four separate districts, each of which can be explored literally from the very beginning of the game. It is not necessary to start with the main storyline missions right away, as there are many side quests and interesting NPCs to interact with throughout the city. Moreover, Hong Kong does not resemble an empty concrete box—cars drive along the roads, pedestrians stroll along the sidewalks, and advertising signs flash invitingly on buildings. In Sleeping Dogs, no one prohibits visiting stores (for example, to buy new clothes), going to clubs, or purchasing food from stalls. Similar "perks" were present in the latest installment of Grand Theft Auto, but the atmosphere of a "living" city is much better maintained in Sleeping Dogs.
The combat system of Sleeping Dogs deserves commendation as well. The action takes place in Hong Kong, the main character is a Chinese-American, and the main opponents of Wei Shen are the Triads—thus, thrilling fights are a must. Naturally, massive shootouts are also included. It should be noted that Sleeping Dogs features character progression, so many of Wei Shen’s skills develop as the game progresses.