Editor's Choice - Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

Everyone’s at it – polishing previous gen games before releasing them on the latest generation of consoles. But has Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition been buffed up enough to warrant buying on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One (and PC)?

Released in 2012 after a somewhat torturous development cycle, everyone was expecting Sleeping Dogs to be a car crash. It turned out to be the exact opposite – cynics found themselves gripped as they hurtled through the streets of Hong Kong on four or two wheels before screeching to a halt to beat up bad guys in this open world brawler. With a generous raft of DLC pushed out post-release too, Sleeping Dogs managed to carve out its own identity in a world dominated by Grand Theft Auto wannabes.

Enter the definitive edition, which features all the DLC and a host of other additions. The action is now presented in 1080p, plus the game engine offers increased draw distances and a smattering of cool effects including some ah-so atmospheric fog – but to focus purely on the aesthetics would be a mistake.

What has always made Sleeping Dogs stand out is its unique setting, character-driven plot and focus on melee combat. The game’s story of an undercover cop taking on the Triads in Hong Kong still feels fresh compared to the satire-obsessed competition, and its setting makes for a welcome change to the usual US-centric locales found in other open world titles.

Sleeping Dogs’ focus on bone-snapping melee remains intoxicatingly addictive too, and when combined with the ‘arcadey’ driving that allows you to ram enemy vehicles off the road, you have an open world game that still stands out from the crowd.

But that key question remains – is this edition worth the price of entry? If you’re already a veteran of the game, perhaps not – unless you missed out on that extensive slew of DLC. But for those who passed on this open world epic first time round, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is an essential purchase.