Sleeping Dogs (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC), SquareEnix's crime game based in Hong Kong, might have Rockstar's longtime GTA series to thank for its some of its game play mechanics, but for me, the former's strong narrative is what makes it such an enjoyable game.
Filling the shoes of undercover cop Wei Shen, who recently moved from the United States back to Hong Kong to infiltrate the Son On Yee triad, players will find much that reminds them of GTA: side quests, in-car radio stations, chases involving pursuing police cars, pedestrians that yell out as you bump past them and mission locations found using an in-car GPS system. But Sleeping Dogs has a story and a combat system that I think is more compelling than GTA's.
As the game develops, Shen gets deeper and deeper into the triad culture and while it starts off fairly slowly - the first few missions are nothing more than tutorials for the game's mechanics - by the time a major event involving a family celebration is over, the game suddenly kicks into fifth gear and becomes a much deeper and more compelling story.
As the story unfolds you can start to see Shen's internal conflict between his duties as an undercover cop and his loyalties to the crime family he has risen through the ranks of. It's a story that has kept me up late at night as I lead Shen deeper and deeper into the murky world of triad gangs.
So, what have you been playing lately?
* I'm heading to Auckland tomorrow to attend Microsoft's TechEd NZ conference until Thursday so the chances of a blog between now and Friday are slim. Just thought I'd let you know in case you came looking for one on Wednesday.
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I was playing Sleeping Dogs, but I beat it, and then started seeing the holes in the game. The girlfriend system feels like it was meant to have a more in depth story, but didn't. Also the way the ending just cuts in seem's rushed.
Lately I've been playing Star Wars The Old Republic. There is a lot of things you can say about SWTOR, and not all of them are good, but at least I can log into the server and look at a game that doesn't have 1000 jaggies on each texture. Now if only they would fix the unbalanced classes, limited customization, and replace their texture designers. Particularly the guy who does level design, whom I swear was the same one that did DA2's level design...
just picked up arkham city GOTY edition for $60 which was a steal in my opinion! so much extra content to keep ya busy.
I hired this game thinking that I'd save money, and regretted it. I wish i had purchased it (usually it's the other way around). It's not perfect, but it is good.
Sleeping Dogs, I've been focusing on all the side missions more then the actualy story line. In GTA/Saints Row the side missions/collections usually seemed like tedious work but somehow in Sleeping Dogs I want to go out and collect all the figurines and pray at the shrines and find everything.
Sleeping dogs and it has been epic. Usually I get bored of these types of games and the final third of the game is a slog. This time however I'm genuinely gutted that it's over.
Been playing Diablo III, & also Fallout 3 (which I downloaded in the recent Steam sale). Never played any of the Fallout games, but have played Oblivion and Skyrim, so the RPG format is similar. Loved the way the game started, got sucked in immediately. Only at Megaton at the moment, am interested to see how the story progresses.
Didn't get a lot of gaming time in during the weekend but when I did play I managed to almost totally polish off Sleeping Dogs (now just have to buy all cars/clothes, and do 5 more stat awards (and one more random event)) to 100% it.
In between I have been playing the Demo for NHL 13. Super excited for this one, the new skating system is a game changer on par with the skill stick.
Bought Sleeping Dogs, Max Payne 3, and the original Saints Row on the weekend.
Sleeping Dogs is just incerdible, would recommend to anyone. Anything that's in a sandbox with people is called a GTA Clone (TM), but it's got a lot going on, fighting's done brilliantly (GF winced as she watched Wei Shen knock all manner of heads together), story is interesting enough, loads to do on the side.
Also played Walking Dead episode 2 (iOs is an episode behind) - was great.
back into BF3, cant wait for Armored Kill
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Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon - pure 80s homage
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Tabletop gaming gets hi-tech facelift
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Tamahere couple drop brothel bombshell
New leads in Madeleine McCann case
Humbled Mark Hammett fuming at officials
Police officer accused of working with gang
Taylor, Williamson help steady New Zealand
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Flush Kiwi charities failing to pay out
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Waka welcomed home from epic journey
Tourists land to rude Kiwi awakening
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I played some more of Darksiders 2 on the weekend (although not as much as I would have liked!). Really enjoying it so far, one of the first games in a while that has got me seriously addicted.