Many new games were released last year, and big titles such as Halo 4 and CoD: Black Ops II dominated the game market and overshadowed a few lesser-known titles, ones which were just as good as the big games.  One of these titles was the action-drama game Sleeping Dogs.

In Sleeping Dogs, players assume the role of Wei Shen, a Chinese-American undercover cop who must infiltrate the fictional Sun On Yee organization, which is one of Hong Kong’s most dangerous Triads.  Shen must retain the trust of the Sun On Yee while simultaneously working to bring them down alongside Police Superintendent Thomas Pendrew.  However, while he plays the role of double agent, Shen is faced with situations that put his true loyalty to the test.

As Shen, players can explore an open-world Hong Kong to its fullest, and the opportunities the city holds are limitless.  Players can choose how to complete objectives, and while doing so, they can use impressive martial arts, sabotage, car chases, and much more to achieve their objectives.  However, players must choose their objectives carefully, as it is very possible to lose the trust of either the Triad or the Police force Shen works for.  Thus, the game has a good story packed with epic action and intense drama- a story that will end only when the player wants it to.

In addition, Sleeping Dogs features an all-star cast that provides the necessary dramatic acting.  Wei Shen is played by Will Yun Lee (you may not have heard of him yet, but you will- he plays the main villain, Silver Samurai, in Marvel’s upcoming movie, “The Wolverine”). Thomas Pendrew is played by Tom Wilkinson, who also played Benjamin Franklin in the series “John Adams” as well as Carmin Falcone in Batman Begins.  Amanda Cartwright is played by Emma Stone, who is most well-known for her role as Gwen Stacy in “The Amazing Spider-Man.”  There are plenty of other talented actors as well, and they all come together to create an ensemble of believable characters.

If you are a gamer who enjoys free-roaming, butt-kicking, and a good story, this is the game for you.  Unfortunately, because it was released against some stiff competition in the game market, Sleeping Dogs didn’t quite get the attention it deserved, but more and more people are starting to realize what a good game this is, and I can’t help but agree.  I highly recommend this game to all gamers who want to have a good time.