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Release Date: October 14th, 2014 Movie Release Year: 2014

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

Overview -

Back in 2012, there was a game that had all the makings of AAA bust. The spiritual successor of the 'True Crime' franchise, this was a game that had been batted around and was left twisting in the wind after Activision Blizzard axed  its original incarnation, 'True Crime: Hong Kong.' Ultimately, Square Enix picked up the publishing rights to the series and 'Sleeping Dogs' was born. With the gritty underworld of Hong Kong as a backdrop, the game became a last-gen (and PC) hit. 'Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition', packages the core game with three main story DLC packs as well as over 20 DLC packs with additional vehicles, weapons and costumes. The new version also promises some light rebalancing and fixes as part of its new-gen polish. In addition, the release has been upgraded to native 1080p with the promise of a more robust, vibrant Hong Kong due the additional horsepower of the Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

OVERALL:
Worth a Look
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p
Audio Formats:
LPCM 7.1
Release Date:
October 14th, 2014

Video Review

Ranking:

Directly comparing the PS4 version of 'Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition' with the PS3 outing, the PS4 boasts a sharper, little brighter image versus the slightly washed-out visuals on PS3. There's more gloss and polish. Small details (i.e. the air conditioner in Wei Shen's room) are murkier on PS3, while fully refined on PS4. Nature comes to life in a more vivid way, but the leaves (for example) reveal their flatness and limited design, which is the true mark of an upscaling job. More refined, yes, but also a bit more sterile. The underbelly of Hong Kong was grainy and gritty, and is now cleaned up. Even the filth is has been enhanced. Draw distance is greatly improved, whereas the PS3 still utilizes N64-esque fog. Barely noticeable, though, while in hot pursuit of gang members. The PS4's framerate is more consistent, which is to be expected compared to a console six years its senior. The iconic Aberdeen Bridge has lo-res rendered buildings in the background, compared to the very detailed building on the PS4. The city vista view you get at Victoria Peak leaves a lasting impression on both consoles. In all, 'Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition' impresses visually, but has too few improvements to be considered a graphical flagship for the fledgling console. Just cruisin' in your car with a top tune and the soft rains of April caressing down remains a truly sublime gaming experience.

Audio Review

Ranking:

'Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition' has slightly crisper sounds, but is on the whole very comparable to the original PS3 version (which admittedly had very sound sound design as it was). Sound bites impress with sonic clarity, but the PS3's night market had more grit and background hiss which made for a more immersive and realistic background environment. As if they've removed buskers and beggars and just focused on the merchants. Gentrification of Sleeping Dogs' Hong Kong leads to a too cleaned up interpretation of the former raw streets. But rest assured: the excellent choice of music all around is still proudly present.

Final Thoughts

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). 

It feels like Square Enix lost an opportunity to encourage owners of the previous generation game to upgrade to the Definitive Edition. Anyway, I can only recommend this edition to gamers that only own an Xbox One or PS4 and never played the game on any other platform. If you are brand new to Sleeping Dogs, the Definitive Edition is the absolute best way to experience the game. In addition, look into preodering the physical disc edition rather than the digital edition. The disc edition comes with limited edition artbook packaging, a cool collection of concept art related to the game.