

The screen tearing which was present in the original looks to have been despatched too, as the frame-rate is more consistent both in general motion as well as in cut-scenes. On a technical level, the more powerful hardware has brought significant improvements to the game’s performance with the game now rendering at a native 1080p. In many ways it’s the locations that have seen a bigger improvement in the remaster, with enhanced draw distances and lighting effects making everywhere much brighter and more distinct. Overall, returning to the Xbox 360 version of the game actually emphasised how well it has held up, with character models still appearing distinctive and well drawn. The animation of the characters has remained exactly the same, but was already of quite a high standard, particularly during combat. Sadly the level of difference between the key characters and the other NPC’s can be a little jarring at times, which is a shame given how well Hong Kong itself is brought to life. As with the original game, the ‘extras’ are a clear step down from the main protagonists, though those in the definitive edition are still better realised than they once were. Textures and details are more distinct, with facial appearances much improved. As with Tomb Raider, the main character has received a substantial visual upgrade, whilst the main story characters have also had a definite graphical bump. The immediate, and if we’re being honest, the single major change, is the visual upgrade. It’s also worth noting that the vehicular handling is arguably amongst the best you’ll find in the genre. Moving about the city can be done either on foot, with your character capable of a certain level of free-running, or by car, motorbike or van. From a gameplay point of view, the hand-to-hand combat in the game bears strong comparisons with the Batman: Arkham series, balancing strikes with well-timed counters and environmental attacks.


It follows Chinese-American police officer Wei Shen as he goes undercover with the Sun On Yee Triads and attempts to take down the organisation. For the uninitiated, Sleeping Dogs is a third-person open-world title set in Hong Kong, with an emphasis on hard-hitting martial arts combat.
