True Crime believers, your suffering has not gone unheeded. Square Enix has formally unveiled the rumoured Sleeping Dogs, a "gritty and visceral open-world cop drama set in the vibrant city of Hong Kong".
It's the game once known as True Crime: Hong Kong, cancelled by Activision last year, and it's down for release on Xbox 360 in the second half of 2012.
Players step in to the shoes of undercover cop Wei Shen, locked in a butt-kicking, bullet-dodging war with the Hong Kong Triads. You'll "explore the bustling and crowded Hong Kong island" with its "neon-lit side streets and sprawling street markets". Expect "an incredible story... of loyalty and betrayal, where Wei begins to question his own motives as he is sucked in deeper than he could ever imagine". Blimey.
It's being co-developed by original True Crime outfit United Front Games and Square Enix's London Studios, whose credits as collaborators include Batman: Arkham Asylum and Just Cause 2. United Front general manager Lee Singleton reckons the game is "fresh and a bit special".
"Sleeping Dogs has one of the best melee combat systems out there," he commented in a release. "It's super brutal with devastating takedown moves, and when added to UFG's proven heritage in driving games, a first class story and the vibrant backdrop of the Hong Kong underworld we get a fiery recipe with fun written all over it."
Written. All. Over. It. Executive producer Stephe Van Der Mescht was equally upbeat. "Working on Sleeping Dogs has been such a huge passion for the team at United Front Games and we're really pleased to be working with Square Enix London Studios."
"The extensive experience both our studios have in creating compelling open-world gameplay and rich and rewarding combat makes for a perfect partnership. Working together we can make sure that Sleeping Dogs is the most intense and immersive experience it can be."
Actions speak louder than words, right? And here's a live action trailer to hammer that home. Why shoot a live action trailer rather than gameplay footage? "Because it's awesome," to quote marketing man Andre Vu.
10 comments so far...
msbhvn on 8 Feb '12 said:
Wow, I think that's the fastest turnaround from rumour to confirmation I've ever seen.
Clanger67 on 8 Feb '12 said:
Sounds pretty good i will be keeping an eye on it.Lets hope it's not another stranglehold.
comabob on 8 Feb '12 said:
Stranglehold was and still IS an awesome game. It sold well and it rated highly - whats wrong with it?
ALso - True Crime is nothing like Stranglehold - the older TC games were more beat em ups than shooters. And yeah - they were both awesome.
The first game had Christopher Walken in it!!
Clanger67 on 8 Feb '12 said:
To be fair i thought stranglehold was crap repeat to fade gameplay.Alright it had john woo behind it but i prefer his films and he has never done another game.
comabob on 8 Feb '12 said:
It was a shooter!! ALL shooters are "repeat to fade gameplay" - Stranglehold had the benefit of NOT being the same repetitive run n gunning throughout. With more acrobatic gunplay than most other franchises manages to have.
Clanger67 on 8 Feb '12 said:
Plus how do we know what the new true crime is going to be like.I have high hopes for it as i liked the first ones.
CunningSmile on 8 Feb '12 said:
Why do spokespeople insist on saying awesome? It's become meaningless and more than a little irritating.
msbhvn on 8 Feb '12 said:
Casey "Awesome" Hudson is the worst culprit. It is meaningless, as I've never felt fear and reverence, the dictionary definition of awe, for a game. It's a North American thing (can't say US as BioWare is in Canada), where they can't be bothered to learn the meaning of words and either make up a new meaning or make up a new stupid word with the same meaning (burglarize, anyone?).
Bezza89 on 8 Feb '12 said:
To be fair, Mr Hudson hasn't said it in a while. Which is pretty awesome.
Metalratex on 9 Feb '12 said:
Asian GTA?