It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay article! This is the series where we head backwards in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this August 14 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re taking a trip back 8 years to when Sleeping Dogs first launched on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. That’s August 14, 2012. Developed by United Front Games and published by Square Enix, Sleeping Dogs transported players to a modern-day Hong Kong, where protagonist Wei Shun is tasked with investigating a Triad organization. After a successful launch on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, the game was later remastered for PS4 and Xbox One.
The GameRevolution Sleeping Dogs review awarded the game a 4/5, praising the “Cantonese (and the swearing),” the “decent cast of characters,” “solid melee combat and adequate gunplay,” the “visually impressive open world of Hong Kong,” there being “plenty of side tasks and missions,” and the “Social Hub, including mission replay.”
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
While SLEEPING DOGS comes close to matching the standard of GRAND THEFT AUTO, it has a fair share of mishaps. In addition to the few game-freezing glitches I experienced, the game doesn’t have a difficulty setting, making the experience less challenging. Restarting a mission from a checkpoint shouldn’t reset Wei’s temporary boosts and take away his firearm, and docking cop points for property damage during missions is frequently unavoidable when evading the cops. All of the mini-games—hacking, bugging, tracing, and unlocking—are a nuisance too, since there’s usually no time limit, no reward for doing well, and hardly any penalty for messing up.
Despite several setbacks with authenticity and character depth, SLEEPING DOGS delivers an entertaining and realistic enough interpretation of Hong Kong to warrant a sequel. United Front Games should be commended for sticking it out after being forced into limbo when the game was dropped by Activision, and Square Enix should be commended for believing in them. And really, how can I let down my Cantonese brother? You know, represent. Dragons and everything. (Crap, I made myself crave dim sum…)
Check out the original Sleeping Dogs launch trailer embedded below:
