Square Enix has released a new trailer and new screenshots for upcoming open-world title, Sleeping Dogs.
The new trailer, which appears to consist entirely of gameplay footage and some cinemas, discusses the basics of the game. The game is set on the island of Hong Kong, which is home to the criminal organization known as the Triads. Players control undercover cop Wei Shen, whose job is to infiltrate the Sun On Yee Triads and bring them down. Wei’s loyalty to the Triads will be pushed to the limit, torn between the Triads’ code of honor and his loyalty to his police work. He’s trapped in a spiral of deceit and paranoia.
To prove his loyalty to the Triads, Wei will need to shoot, maim, and kill enemies to follow their orders. Wei is an expert martial artist, which allows him to take on a wide variety of enemies. The trailer claims that Sleeping Dogs has the most advanced fighting system in any world game. Wei can use both the environment and objects to take down his enemies. Sometimes, enemies will escape and Wei will have to jump, slide, and dodge obstacles to catch them. He can disarm opponents and use their weapons against them. He can also take cover and when the time is right, vault out of cover to activate slow motion.
Wei will sometimes be tasked with shooting his enemies from vehicles as his allies drive them. Wei has his choice of vehicles, of which more than 65 different kinds are included in the game. He’s shown stealing a car by leaping from one, onto the roof of another, and breaking into it. If Wei doesn’t have a gun, he can ram his opposition off of the road.
In order to survive, Wei will have to toughen up his skills. He’ll have to earn money to purchase outfits, items, and vehicles. Items and some outfits provide vital buffs to character stats. Wei can use his Triad connections to help with ongoing police investigations. He can also participate in underground street races and perform Triad favors to unlock new buffs and moves. Wei can “live like a true Triad” and get to know the four districts inside and out, try his hand at singing at the karaoke bar, engage in fights in the fight club, gamble for cash in the gambling dens, or hit the dockyards to bet on cockfights. Wei also appears to be able to interact with women to some extent, but to what extent is unspecified.
Every act Wei accomplishes affects his “face” or social standing. He can also earn XP on two levels: as a policeman and a Triad, but if/how those affect gameplay is unspecified. Face points increase as Wei completes jobs, takes over neighborhoods, and gains favor among the Triads. The higher Wei’s face level, the more respect he commends. With more respect, Wei can have more opportunities to access high-end shops, get better discounts at stores, and move up in the Triads to unlock new missions. The trailer closes with a bit more footage, the game’s release date and a message to pre-order now, and then the Sleeping Dogs Facebook and site URLs.
To view the “101” trailer, click on the video below:
To view the screenshots of the game, click on the Media Gallery below:
Sleeping Dogs will release for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on August 14th.
What do you think about the trailer and screenshots? Let us know in the comments!
