Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition Reviews

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is ranked in the 67th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
4 / 5.0
Oct 10, 2014

For those who missed out on Sleeping Dogs two years ago, the title is correct: this is the definitive version. Unfortunately, those who already visited the compressed streets of Hong Kong will have almost no incentive to go back.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 4, 2014

If you missed it the first time around, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is well worth picking up. It plays beautifully, has a great story, and will introduce you to a world you never knew you wanted to explore. There's also no doubting that it's better than the original release. It has been improved in many ways; the graphics, presentation and gameplay have been tweaked and there is some additional content, even if not a great deal. It's just a shame that it hasn't been improved enough to make it feel at home on the new generation of consoles. It's a superb game, but not one worth upgrading your hardware for.

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Digitally Downloaded
Matt S.
Top Critic
Oct 21, 2014

I have issues with these kinds of games, in that they do tend to romanticise organised crime and vigilantism, and Sleeping Dogs, despite having a policeman as the protagonist, doesn't actually do enough to reflect the actual horrors that the Triads inflict on any population they involve themselves within. However, as a gangster-style narrative, I can't think of one I enjoyed more than this. I loved the game when I played it as a freebie on PlayStation Plus ages ago. I love it even more on my shiny, powerful, PlayStation 4.

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Oct 12, 2014

The biggest flaw of 'Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Editio'n isn't really anything in the game itself, it's the fact that Square Enix has priced the game at the same MSRP as brand new 2014 games, $59.99. At such a high MSRP, it doesn't make any sense to upgrade to the Definitive Edition if you still own a previous generation console or a gaming PC. Heck, the base game was free for Xbox Live gold members during January 2014 and for PlayStation Plus members during May 2013. In addition, the base MSRP of the Definitive Edition on PC is half of the Xbox One edition, $29.99 (a price that will likely drop under $10 during the Steam Autumn Sale).

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7.5 / 10.0
Oct 31, 2014

While Sleeping Dogs is still an excellent game, the Definitive Edition simply doesn't bring enough to the table to make it fit in with other games on the new consoles. Without adding more than some aesthetic polish, it simply doesn't feel worthwhile unless you missed out on the game in the last generation.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 16, 2014

Square Enix's open world crime saga remains distinct, but this re-release doesn't fix its flaws

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Oct 14, 2014

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is a better-looking console version of a solid open-world game. That might be the most generic description of a game I have ever concocted, but it breaks it down perfectly. I enjoyed playing through Wei Shen's story again, but the hefty price tag makes it a little hard to recommend, especially to those who have already played it

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7 / 10
Oct 8, 2014

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition provides a good excuse to get involved with Hong Kong's shady dealings if you haven't already, but a lack of new features makes it difficult to recommend a return trip – at least at full price. It's still a fantastic sandbox title, however, sporting cohesive, engaging mission design, satisfying gameplay, and a great story – a formula which makes Wei Shen's tale a fantastic alternative to the likes of Watch Dogs and even Grand Theft Auto V if you're looking for an open world time sink.

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Oct 13, 2014

That having been said, if you own a new generation machine and you've never played Sleeping Dogs, the HD Definitive Edition is well worth picking up. It's just not an essential purchase for any player who has already walked a mile in Wei Shen's shoes. Everything that made Sleeping Dogs a memorable and fun open world game is present in its last generation counterpart – and right now, that's a good deal cheaper at retail.

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Oct 23, 2014

That it only receives the slightest of graphical upticks is less a sign of laziness in porting the game to next gen so much as a testament to how well-crafted Sleeping Dogs was to begin with.

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7 / 10.0
Oct 19, 2014

I loved Sleeping Dogs the first time around. As a fan, there's not enough in the Definitive Edition to call it "Definitive." It's adequate, and it's overpriced especially given the fact that the exact same game is selling for half the cost on PCs.

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7 / 10
Oct 19, 2014

Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition is a smart, accessible, and enjoyable open-world adventure with plenty to do. The terrific melee combat system and intriguing story are more than enough to warrant a recommendation to anyone yet to play it, but if you've experienced the streets of Hong Kong before then the slightly sharper visuals and included DLC are a tougher sell.

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65 / 100
Oct 8, 2014

While the core Sleeping Dogs experience is still worth playing, the Definitive Edition is loaded with graphical issues and costs way too much for a game that plays worse than the PC version released two years ago.

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VideoGamer
Top Critic
6 / 10
Oct 8, 2014

As a package this is as feature-complete as you could want, but it's a long way from the version it could have been.

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Oct 29, 2014

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is still a great game, but the asking price makes it a bit of a tough sell — at least on consoles.

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60 / 100
Oct 14, 2014

Overall, it remains a good game play experience. . . . It's more average than definitive.

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Oct 8, 2014

Still a very good game, but it's on the more pointless end of the rerelease spectrum, and they really should have fixed those bugs.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 22, 2014

A fantastic and underrated game is let down by a less than stellar remaster and too high a retail price.

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Wait
Oct 9, 2014

The original Sleeping Dogs presented a colorful, vibrant Hong Kong filled with interesting people and an entertaining, if a bit cliched, story of alliances and

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Gamers FTW
GamersFTW
Top Critic
Unscored
Oct 18, 2014

The game was already a winner in my book. With a compelling story, engaging gameplay and a heap of additional content this'll keep you busy for hours, although the minor niggles still exist and there aren't any changes that are major enough to warrant a re-release in my opinion. This is clearly meant for those who missed it first time around and for those people I highly recommend it.

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