I think it's fair to say that (not counting the ridiculous parade of exclusive excellence on the Wii U) there's not that much for next-gen--just a lot of tentpoles also available on current-gen systems (or PC) and prettied-up redos of older titles. This is usually when gamers start looking to their back catalogs, to finish up an RPG that they didn't quite get through, or spend some extra time helping friends grind for gear... or in my case, revisit a world and story that gives me almost everything I want in a video game.
An important and weird fact about me: I rarely go on rampages in open-world games. I tend to stick to the story, follow laws, roleplay as much as possible within the game's world in terms of clothing and gear, and it leaves me feeling very invested in the whole process. What helps even more is if there's a specific theme and style to the game, like Bully, Red Dead Redemption, or United Front's Sleeping Dogs (and why the "kitchen sink" feeling of Saints Row never really hooked me). For fans of open-world action--and specifically fans of Hong Kong cinema--Sleeping Dogs is a game that I was more than happy to revisit.
Playing out like a Johnnie To movie starring Donnie Yen, Sleeping Dogs is the story of Wei Shen (motherf**ker), a former Triad tough who's back in Hong Kong after living in the US. He's quickly sucked back into the world of minibus rackets, underground fighting tournaments, scheming lieutenants, and corrupt record executives, but what Wei Shen's not telling anyone is that he's also a mole for the HKPD. It's as basic as basic gets for a video game story, but where Sleeping Dogs excels is in the ineffable feel of a Hong Kong crime actioner, right down to the DLC content that's included in the Definitive Edition.
From your first car chase in a shitty grocery-getter minivan through gridlock, to your first brutal fight to the finish in the pouring rain, to fighting your way through a crazy, colorful '70s-style martial arts tourney to taking on a lethal cult during a Chinese New Year's parade, Sleeping Dogs is the first game to take this setting, this style, and make it all actually work. However, it's important to point out that if it's all the same to you, then you're not really going to get as much out of Sleeping Dogs as a fan who can tell the difference between Sammo Hung and Yuen Wo-Ping choreography. The combat system feels like a more brutal version of Batman: Arkham's Freeflow Combat, but with gunplay included--there's no John Woo/Ringo Lam-style dual-wielding, but there's plenty of slow-mo, slide-over cover style to go around. Whether fighting barehanded, with a melee weapon, or with a gun, you're rewarded for style and efficiency, and even the driving--normally half-assed in open-world games--rewards the action-movie mindset with Burnout-like sideswipes and jumping from one car to another in the middle of a chase.
Sleeping Dogs doesn't quite have a morality system to play up the cop/criminal duality, but your score at the end of each mission is tallied in terms of Triad and Cop Scores, both of which go to necessary character upgrades. Earn Triad Score by neutralizing enemies (earning more points for headshots, melee finishers, and environmental kills), combative driving, and fast-talking your way through situations. Cop Score is gained for flawless driving and free-running, but it's ridiculous how hard it is to earn Cop Score during chase scenes--you'll constantly get your score docked for "property damage" (i.e. hitting everything on the road, other cars, people) or my personal favorite, "clumsy" (miss a prompt during platforming). It's a pretty irritating imbalance, and you'll definitely level up your Triad skills faster because of it.
Here's the real problem, though: there's very little point in going next-gen with this title. There's no fresh content, just all the DLC that's been released previously. Even then, Sleeping Dogs didn't stand out all that much on the visual front, so only the rich Hong Kong background stands out. Hardcore fans of Asian action cinema who have never experienced the game can play the best possible version, but there's really not much else to offer. Sleeping Dogs is great, and I want more--I'm more than happy to play through it again, but that doesn't mean everyone else will. On the surface, it's a GTA clone right down to a few hilarious (to an Asian) stereotypes, but underneath, it's a love letter to Hong Kong cinema. You're getting something good for the asking price, but I don't see any real reason to recommend this over the already-excellent current-gen version. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go fight like ten guys in a fish market with a cleaver.
REVIEW ROUNDUP
+ One of the best, most atmospheric open-world games is back on next-gen consoles
+ Incredibly tight action on all fronts--melee, gunplay, and driving are all top-notch
+ The plot may be familiar, but it hits all the right beats and captures the feel of a Hong Kong crime flick
+/- Varied and worthwhile upgrades, but frustratingly imbalanced Cop/Triad scoring sours the experience
+/- Certainly looks better than the original, but not that much better
- Little to no point in going next-gen
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