Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

This is an old but gold game, really fun to play. Combat is linear but fun and stylish. Driving is arcady but none the less kinda fun. The mechanics and upgrades systems are good and easy to do. The graphics are really good for a game this old, DLCs are fun too. Sucks there wont be a sequel but 100% recommend playing this.

Great open world game, recommended for those who are bored of GTA.

This game in an underrated masterpiece, it's the definition of GOAT

Cool game. If the melee and gun combat had more depth to it, the game would've been 10x better.

A little buggy and samey but a true classic. My generic controller couldn't be used properly in Steam, so I was stuck with the keyboard and mouse. Since there are so many different moves used to neutralize the baddies, it was a little tenuous and frustrating to remember the combinations and sequences to use for max points and results.

Crushin' Pork Buns and the ligaments of my enemies all in beautiful Hong Kong. What's not to love?

Open world crime game that takes place at Hong Kong
I really love hearing the cantonese conversation even though I don't understand a little bit

This game is incredible, combat is amazing and the story is great. Definitely get this game so much more than a GTA copy.

This game is amazing.
Just finished my first playthrough at 44 hrs doing most of the content in the game. (aside from dlcs)
The game is a solid 8/10.
Only thing that bumps it down is a few bugs that were frustrating, but these usually resolve themselves eventually.
Everything else is great, Gameplay, Story, and an open-world that doesn't feel copy-paste.
Absolutely play it, my only tip is to prioritize the clothing set bonuses as soon as possible.

starting of this game is little bit boring but with the time and story this shit is getting intresting

10/10
favorite game of all time
sadly never gonna have another game since the studio doesnt exist anymore

One of the best games I've ever played, love the setting and story.

Would buy a sequel instantly.

Great combat, visuals, gameplay and story. It's unfair to compare it to GTA, despite the similarities.

This game made me to accomplish a dream: run over motorcyclists.
10/10, the best sensation of my life, would infinity repeat

Beat this game on Xbox, This game is super slept on, probably one of the funnest most immersive games I've played. I know that sounds weird, but man they did a great job with this game!

its just freaking good. stop reading reviews and go play it.

the story was fantastic and i really enjoyed it, but I think it would be even better if we can choose our dialogue

Sleeping Dogs takes a different approach on how an open-world game can play out, sacrificing the over-the-top content for a much more focused experience. The game does cut loose, where the story is decent and somehow manages to engage you. The melee combat is certainly a blast. All the little side tasks are quite entertaining, but they all lack depth and finesse and often feel separated from the main story and its emotional impact. Overall this is a solid but conventional open world action adventure

7/10

It is a wonderful game. I enjoy very much. The soundtrack is great. I would tell someone, however I have know friends and I prefer to play alone. So that is my comment.

This game is an underrated gem . just like gta open world design with very fully packed content, the main positive things of the game is hand to hand combat mechanism is terrific just like jackie chan and there is a small gripping and very interesting story in this game and the last thing the definitive edition is so good to play during the raining climate the game looks so beautiful

Review- 9/10
This game is very good and it still holds up even after a decade.
The main gameplay focuses on melee combat which is exceptionally well-refined and it is somewhat the main focus of the game. Driving around in cars also feels good and arcadey. While sleeping dogs shines in its accurate brutal melee combat, it is not the same for the gunplay. The gunplay is not bad but it can be labelled as above average. But the gunplay is not a major portion of the gameplay since you only get to use for story missions or other cop jobs. All in all, it has fun and satisfying gameplay mechanics.
The openworld is good but not the best.The cities feel alive with crowded streets and roads. There are many other optional events you can play called favours. The map may feel small but it makes up to it with more unique events.

The story is also very unique and very good. The basic premise is that you are an undercover cop trying to infiltrate the Sun-On-Yee.
The graphics of the game look gorgeous and still hold up today.

Should you buy it?- Absolutely yes, this is a very underrated game and I recommend anyone who likes brutal action, a fabulous story and pork buns should play it.

The game is pretty...archaic. It didn't run very well on my laptop (3070+i7 11th). and I wasn't even able to find the full-screen option

A mix between Yakuza and GTA series, taking the best out of both. Story is remnicient of the 2000s gangster, action, drama movies, and it is very well written. There are so many activities to do, on every corner; whether its racing, fighting, gambling, singing, training and much more.

The combat, while it does get sometimes tedious (especially later on), there are so many combos that you can unlock, and on top of that there are melee weapons and guns. It is responsive and well animated combat system (I literally killed a person with a fish).

The movement can be wacky sometimes, but most games from 2010s had a rough around the edges movement.

The game is 20$, it is well worth the buy. Easy 9/10

Sleeping Dogs surprised me. At first, I thought it would be just another generic GTA-like game, but it turned out to be much deeper than I expected.

You step into the shoes of Wei Shen, an undercover cop infiltrating the gangs of Hong Kong. His life is anything but easy—constant traumas haunt him with nightmares, a troubled past tied to a dysfunctional family, the tragic overdose of his sister, and the struggle of maintaining a double life as both a cop and a gangster. All of this makes Wei Shen an incredibly compelling character, someone you genuinely grow attached to.
The gameplay is satisfying, featuring Arkham-style combat, which feels fluid and rewarding. One aspect I particularly appreciated was the limited access to firearms, which is cleverly justified within the game’s story. Driving mechanics are also a blast, offering plenty of hilarious and adrenaline-fueled moments—especially when you send a cop car crashing into a wall Burnout-style.

While some bugs can be found, none are game-breaking. In fact, they often result in some good laughs, even during real-time cutscenes.
In 2025, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is still absolutely worth playing. After all, not every GTA-like game lets you roundhouse kick an old lady on the street.

4/5 – Here we ride with the Sun On Yee, CARAI!

Chinese GTA 5, Great story and simplistic yet fun combat, it's surprising how the game is only 17gb considering the graphics are great.

Definitely worth buying on sale, would even say it's worth full price.

For how old it is, its a good game. lots of bugs ive found but made the game enjoyable due to its many ragdoll effects and goofyness

The fighting mechanics was cool. The world felt immersive, it was almost I was in China or whatever place the game is situated. Story was great as well which is the main selling point of this game. I would rate this 10/10. A must try despite it now being an old game.

Jogo é muito bom, resolvi zerar ele depois de muitos anos. Não encontrei mecanicas de luta em jogo aberto como essas em nenhum outro jogo, o mapa pode deixar a desejar em alguns quesitos mas o gameplay é muito divertido. Única parte mais chata do jogo são os colecionáveis, são muitos o que pode deixar o processo de achievements um pouco entediante. 9/10 melhor kung fu de mundo aberto

Underrated open-world game. Not a diamond in the rough as much as a rough diamond, I guess.

Has its fair share of flaws:
- Somewhat repetitive mission structure
- 7th gen jank
- a few iffy minigames (in particular that digital lock-picking one on some of the lockboxes, just awful)
- Poor driving model
- Story gets inconsistent towards the end

That being said; combat is great, world is intriguing to explore and genuinely unique, and characters are mostly interesting to follow and invest your time in. These pros come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts that outshines most of the aches and pains from its issues. Some may see the good and bad here and think of Mafia III. I really wanted to like that game, but I couldn't get through it. This was an effortless 30 hours.

asian gta. aged alright. driving and shooting is a bit wonky but melee combat was a lotta fun. and thats the main focus anyhow. although i hated the protagonist, the story was written pretty well. lotta side quests and collectibles etc its a pretty rich open world game.

Enjoyable but the world is too limited compare to GTA 5 still a very good game. worth every penny

great game and crazy storyline

karaoke? in MY serious crime drama third person open-world action game that allows the player to learn hand-to-hand combat skills from a mentor set in an asian setting where u have to partake in organised crime? verily, this concept had yet to be executed once in the gaming industry!!

i am soo glad i finished this awesome game, its one of the few games that can blend pure video gamey fun and realism. the fighting mechanism is some of the best you will ever play even in 2025. the open world has some really cool side content that's fun and worth doing. i also love how they incorporate health and buffs through various simple but cool features like the infamous pork buns, the massages, drinks etc. really loved the characters they are all fairly well written but most importantly feel authentic and interesting something we lack a lot in modern games recently. Its just a breath of fresh air to play and chill around i loved every minute of it wish we got a sequel

played this back when i was like 13, graphics are a bit dated but otherwise it still holds up well. it's a shame we never got a sequel.

One of the best games i've ever played, great story and gameplay, it's sad that we're not getting sleeping dogs 2 :(

Tremendous.

Badass protagonist, gritty and engaging story, fun combat, pork buns...what's not to like.

You can also dress up like GSP and go around superman punching fools. 10/10

This game hits alot of nostalgic vibes for me played this game alot back on my playstation 3 and i just recently replayed the main story and ow my i cant get enough what i wouldnt do for the sequal to be released even if they charge me 100€ for it they will get it instantly XD i seen alot of people compare this game with grand theft auto and honestly no this game is on a league of its own there is no comparing this if i had a friend who asked me for a story rich game with a open world with all kind of activity's i would for sure recommend this master piece also truly loved all the kind of different fighting styles you can get and unlock by clothing pieces one moment i whas fighting as wukong with a big ass pole the other i had a sword the other i whas fighting drunken fist style like honestly there is so much to discover with this game so yhe absolutly recommended to play

I bought this game for like $6.00 or something and it’s worth. The combat is amazing, the story and the world were very immersive. I did enjoy the Karaoke and other things to do around the world. The main campaign was short but very good. But I still need to go back and play the DLCS. :side note I do appreciate that you can wear GSP clothes and do his flying punch.

Game i absolutely insane i have been playing this game since around the time when it cam out and have never stopped revisiting it i love it 10/10

really good game even after all this time ,the story is interesting, all the side activities are quite cool, and the combat reminds me a little bit of the yakuza series but thats a good thing , just remember to have the newest graphic drivers for youre gpu or this game might just randomly blow up and run in 3 fps till you update .

the driving mechanics was just simply crap,played it when it was first released in 2014,and installed it again few months back since this time it was a definitive edition,the crappy driving was still the same,fighting style was on point 5 * ,the rest is fine

This game is literally the reason I moved away from MMOs. Previously, I played nothing but MMOs (WoW, GW2, etc.) and I bought the original on sale (about $5, figured I'd give it a shot). Didn't get into it the first time but tried it again a couple years later and BAM! I was obsessed with it (a rarity for me). After that, it was GTA, Saints Row (2, 3, 4 & GooH... none of that reimagining thing), games like that.

This game is a gateway drug!

Simi Liu recently tweeted: "A man who never eats pork bun is never a whole man." Why did Simi Liu tweet this? Turns out that he is making a movie adaptation of the game Sleeping Dogs. Huh. I check my Steam library and saw that I had 'Sleeping Dogs'. Installed the game and started playing it.

I'm midway through the game and I can see why this is a fan favorite gem. Sleeping Dogs reminds me of the old GTA games like San Andreas and Vice City. The gameplay is very sandboxy with a lot of content packed into the small map of Hong Kong. Rockstar lost that spirit with the newer GTA games. Indeed, many open world games in urban settings could be like Sleeping Dogs. Less is more and what not.

Recommended (Or Not) for Specific Gamers

Gamers who hate bugs

Sleeping Dogs is a great game marred by one annoying bug. You have to drive your car on the left. Argh! I can't believe developers skipped this major bug! They even forgot to patch it post-launch and in the Definitive Edition!

Some would say I am griping. But these kind of bugs have real world implications. Trust me: you dont want to hear kids in the bus screaming when you're almost driving on the left like in game. Next thing you know you're catching hell from the parents!

Gamers who hate UI issues

Another minor gripe here: it's hard to hire a taxi cab without hijacking it. The button command is the same for both functions which sucks UI wise. I eventually found a workaround for this. Go to the back/front of the taxi and then press the 'Hire Taxi' button. Makes playing the game a lot easier.

The HUD is also an annoying distraction. I wish there was a toggle HUD hotkey so I could immerse myself more in the game (you can do this in the settings but it is multiple steps each time). Same applies for the Social Hub notifications which get distracting after a while.

Hong Kong & East Asia Lovers

Sleeping Dogs makes you want to visit Hong Kong. I cannot say how authentic the game is to the actual city. But the setting in game is lively, intricate and makes for an amazing immersive experience.

If you miss the 80s/90s/the 00s, try experiencing those decades from the perspective of a different country! Trust me, nostalgia hits different when you go beyond AmerIca or the West in general. Because of Sleeping Dogs, I went into a rabbit hole watching classic action films from Hong Kong. You get the feel of an era gone by and it hits the right spot. Recommendations? You won't be disappointed by John Woo films, the Young and Dangerous series and the Infernal Affairs trilogy.

Realism Gamers

Do you enjoy going to the restroom in video games? And you should be able to pee and wash your hands afterwards right? This game lets you do that. I can't remember the last time I did that in a videogame (or IRL really). Beautiful.

Mental Health Fans

Fans of mental health will appreciate the little touches in Sleeping Dogs that speak to those issues. Being an informant is a tough job. There is a lot of psychological stress involved and you could die (often in a brutal way). As Wei Shen, you can really feel the stress and anxiety he is weighed down by. In between missions, you see Wei experiencing nightmares from all the violence he is exposed to. Wei gets up abruptly from these nightmares, shaking and gasping. You see him get up, still feeling jittery, telling himself to "keep it together." I would stop for a few moments just to watch Wei and process what he was going through. Very few games made me feel that way, to actually care for the mental health of my video game protagonist.

It is because of things like these that I am sad about the closure of United Front Games. Really wish they were still around to launch Sleeping Dogs 2.

(Side note: If you want to watch a film about the informant life, I'd recommend the Scorcese masterpiece 'Departed'. Also does a great job of showing the stress and strain of being an informant.)

Open Carry & Second Amendment Fans

I am a huge fan of the Second Amendment (specifically of its universal adoption across the world). As my fans (and haters) know, I advocate for open carry no matter which game you are playing.

Wei Shen lived in America. He used guns there like any true American. So why shouldn't he have free access to guns in HK? He does not sadly and that is crazy!

Guns are hard to find in Sleeping Dogs. You are forced to defend your life with fists and knives. Just like the commoners in Britain do.

This game also fails the open carry in games test sadly. Try going about with a gun on you in Sleeping Dogs. Vendors look upon your big assault rifle with suspicion. They refuse to do business with you. Civilians cower in fear (despite your reassurances) and promise to "be your slave." As if things couldn't get worse, the police will outright chase you if you are open carrying. This is sad!

Melee Combat Fans

This game is focused on melee combat as a core mechanic. Sleeping Dogs is inspired by martial arts films. You are able to do a variety of martial art moves, some of which are lovely to use. Everytime you do a bonebreaker or limbbreaker, it is satisfying to hear that crunch of breaking bone and the scream of your hapless victim.

Driving Fans

I really miss the Midnight Club games. I would spend hours racing tuned up cars through densely populated night cities, pumped up on high octance trance and rap tracks. Midnight Club captured that core experience so well for me and I've been seeking it in many games.

Sleeping Dogs devs did a good job capturing some of that of Midnight Club magic. The race tracks are well designed and the rubberbanding is not too bad. The race music is mostly meh. If you're struggling with the races, I'd recommend purchasing more vehicles. That should makes the races easier.

Vehicular combat is also satisfying to play and master in this game. You learn how to ram other vehicles and wreck them. Okay cool: the mechanic gets boring after a while. But then the game introduces you to shooting while driving. Damn! High octance vehicle chases combined with gun battles on the freeway. The missions with this mechanic are pure fun. GTA games have never done driving+shooting well. Rockstar devs should take notes from Sleeping Dogs in this aspect.

Music Enjoyers

Sleeping Dogs has some banger tracks. Even the main menu theme is a bop to groove to (someone should put bars to that ).

The Sleeping Dogs soundtrack features songs from many genres such as Cantopop, Canto rap, Western rap, electronic music etc. Check this guide for a full list of songs.

Achievement/Completionist Hunters

As I said, this game lacks polish and has some achievement breaking glitches and bugs. Sadly those issues were not fixed in the Definitive Edition.

At several points in the game, the achievements don't pop up. This was the case for collectible achievements. I checked the forums and there are others who faced the same issues. (Reloading a past save helped here.)

In the Nightmare in North Point DLC, you can lock yourself out of killing demons and getting an achievement for that.

Because of these issues, I can't recommend Sleeping Dogs for completionist gamers.

Conclusion

Sleeping Dogs is an underrated open world masterpiece. This game lacks polish and has glitches and bugs. Even so, it is worth playing from your backlog. I really hope the upcoming Sleeping Dogs movie is a good one that pleases longtime fans. The Sleeping Dogs franchise deserves to keep growing. Maybe the next movie or game will feature a sleeping dog, yeah?

Overall Rating

Great game, don't have a pork bun in my hand, 9/10

I like how the developer presents this game, the Asian country atmosphere is presented beautifully, the story is beautiful, the graphics are charming and the fighting animations are very cool.

Sleeping Dogs is an exceptional open-world action game that delivers a gripping story, fluid combat, and an immersive setting. Set in a beautifully crafted Hong Kong, the game perfectly blends intense martial arts combat, thrilling driving mechanics, and a compelling undercover cop narrative.

You play as Wei Shen, an undercover officer tasked with infiltrating the dangerous Triads. The story is engaging, filled with moments of tension, loyalty, and betrayal that keep you invested from start to finish. The characters feel real, and the relationships Wei builds throughout the game add emotional depth to the experience.

What truly sets Sleeping Dogs apart is its combat system. The hand-to-hand combat is dynamic and satisfying, allowing players to execute brutal martial arts moves and use the environment creatively. Whether you’re slamming enemies into phone booths or countering attacks with expert precision, every fight feels impactful. The driving mechanics are also well-executed, making high-speed chases and stunts incredibly fun.

Beyond the main story, the world of Hong Kong is full of life, with side missions, street races, and collectibles that make exploration rewarding. The city feels authentic, with bustling night markets, neon-lit streets, and Cantonese voiceovers that enhance the immersion.

Despite being an underrated title, Sleeping Dogs stands out as one of the best open-world action games of its time. If you enjoy story-driven experiences with strong gameplay mechanics, this is a must-play. I wish they have a sequel to this game.

One of the most underestimated games ever. Awesome combat with real martial arts, gameplay like no other (basically what GTA could have been but never evolved to), extremely immersive story with awesome development and very good graphics, aging well even considering today.

A fantastic game. Stellar writing, fluent combat, visuals that hold up more than a decade later. The undiscounted price is still a shameless rip-off from Square Enix, so get it on a hefty sale. It goes on a 90% sale pretty regularly.

If you're not a completionist, you should skip the two separate DLCs. Especially the spooky one; It's a tiresome slog through tanky enemies, even though some of the writing is funny. The new-years DLC is just a bit bland.

If you ARE a completionist;
Save-scum the gambling/cock-fight achievement, and do the same when killing Yao-Guai with swords. Despite what some outlets would have you believe, the Derby and Cruise missions accompanying the Wheels of Fury DLC are indeed necessary to get the Chief Inspector achievement in the Definitive Edition.

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is a high-quality re-release of one of the best open-world action games. The game immerses you in the atmosphere of criminal Hong Kong, where the protagonist, Wei Shen, works undercover in the triads. The plot is well written and keeps you in suspense.
The main emphasis here is on hand-to-hand combat, and this system is implemented really well. The fights look spectacular, combos feel smooth, and the ability to use the environment makes combat even more interesting. Shooting and chases are also up to par, although shooting sometimes seems too easy because of the auto-aiming.
The game world is not as large as GTA, but Hong Kong looks lively and atmospheric. The streets are filled with NPCs, neon signs add color, and music on radio stations helps to immerse yourself in the local environment.
All in all, this is a great crime action movie worth trying, especially if you like Hong Kong action movies with a hand-to-hand combat bias.

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It's clearly inspired by Grand Theft Auto but it's much more than that. It has a unique atmosphere and vibe. Amazing gameplay, story, characters, voice acting, DLC, and more. This game aged well and is worth every penny.

I'm super excited for the movie adaptation and sequel finally coming.