Manual
Welcome to the Sleeping Dogs™: Definitive Edition web manual.
You can use the Contents menu on the left to skip directly to the section you're looking for. Alternatively, click the Enter button to access the manual, and use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate page by page.
Can't find what you're looking for? There's even more information in the FAQs and ReadMe: you can view them using the buttons at the top of the screen.
A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to certain visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear in video games. Even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause these “photosensitive epileptic seizures” while watching video games.
These seizures may have a variety of symptoms, including lightheadedness, altered vision, eye or face twitching, jerking or shaking of arms or legs, disorientation, confusion, or momentary loss of awareness. Seizures may also cause loss of consciousness or convulsions that can lead to injury from falling down or striking nearby objects.
Immediately stop playing and consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Parents should watch for or ask their children about the above symptoms—children and teenagers are more likely than adults to experience these seizures. The risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures may be reduced by taking the following precautions: Sit farther from the screen; use a smaller screen; play in a well-lit room; and do not play when you are drowsy or fatigued. If you or any of your relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy, consult a doctor before playing.
As part of the Steam download process, the game has already been installed on your computer. To start playing the game, read the Getting Started section.
Double-click on the Steam application icon. By default this is located in the Applications folder on your computer's hard drive.
If you are not already signed in, the Steam Login dialog will appear. Enter your account name and password, then select Login.
The Steam application will launch. Select the Library tab.
In the library, highlight Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition in the list of games on the left-hand side of the window, then select Play.
The Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition pre-game Options window will appear. Click on the Play button. The game will launch.
After the loading screens, the Title screen will appear. Press the Return (↩) key.
A message will appear explaining that the game will autosave periodically. Select OK.
The First Time Setup window will appear. Press the Return (↩) key.
You will now be asked to adjust the brightness. Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to adjust the brightness until the logo on screen is barely visible, then press the Return (↩) key.
You will now be asked to adjust the sound volume. Use the Arrow keys to adjust the different volume and subtitle options, then press the Return (↩) key.
You will now be asked to adjust the UI scale. Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to adjust the size of the interface, then press the Return (↩) key.
The Main Menu will appear. Select Main Story.
Select Start a New Game.
After the opening video, you'll find Wei Shen fleeing the scene of a drugs bust through the crowded streets of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour…
Welcome to Hong Kong, a vibrant neon city teeming with life. Its exotic locations and busy streets hide some of the most powerful and dangerous criminal organizations in the world: the triads. You play the role of Wei Shen, an undercover cop trying to take down a triad from the inside. You’ll have to prove yourself worthy as you fight your way up the ranks, taking part in brutal criminal activity without blowing your cover. Torn between your loyalty to the badge and a criminal code of honor, you will risk everything as the lines between truth, loyalty and justice become permanently blurred.
| Name: | WEI SHEN | |
| Rank: | Detective, San Francisco PD | |
| Status: | Seconded to Hong Kong PD | |
| Age: | 28 | |
| Moved to San Francisco from Hong Kong at age 10 with mother (Margaret Shen) and sister (Mimi Shen). Attended PS 121 High School, graduated 2002 with honors. Enrolled in San Francisco State University September 2002, majoring in politics. | ||
| Voluntarily departed SF State 2004 to pursue other career options. Applied to SFPD June 1, 2006. Graduated top of the 2007 police academy class. | ||
You can play Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition with either a keyboard and mouse or a gamepad. The instructions in this manual refer to the default keyboard controls; if you have customized your controls or are using a gamepad, the controls listed here will not apply.
The default keyboard and mouse controls are detailed below. You can customize your keyboard configuration by selecting Options → Controller Layout from the Main Menu.
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition requires you to right-click in order to perform certain commands. If you are using a Magic Mouse or a Trackpad, your secondary click may not be activated by default: see Can I play Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition using my Magic Mouse or Trackpad? in the FAQs for detailed instructions on how to enable secondary click.
| Miscellaneous Controls | |
| Open phone | Up Arrow key |
| Close phone | Backspace (←) |
| View map | Tab (⇥) |
| Cycle objectives | M |
| Pause | Escape (esc) |
| On Foot Controls | |
| Rotate camera / Change target | Mouse |
| Movement | W/A/S/D |
| Sprint | Shift (⇧) (hold) |
| Parkour (vault) | Shift (⇧) |
| Grapple / Take hostage / Pick up enemy | F |
| Reload / Pick up weapon | R |
| Free aim weapon / Melee lock on | Right Mouse button |
| Stow/equip pistol | Down Arrow key |
| Light attack / Shoot weapon | Left Mouse button |
| Heavy attack | Left Mouse button (hold) |
| Throw / Melee attack using firearm | Space |
| Perform counter / Fast talk / Interact / Enter vehicle | E |
| Enter/exit cover | Control (ctrl) |
| Toggle alt fire (flash light/grenade launcher) | Mouse Wheel |
| Drop weapon | Down Arrow key (hold) |
| Hire taxi | E (hold) |
| Driving Controls | |
| Rotate camera | Mouse |
| Accelerate | W |
| Brake / Reverse | S |
| Steer left | A |
| Steer right | D |
| Enter/exit vehicle | E |
| Handbrake | Space |
| Fire weapon | Left Mouse button |
| Free aim weapon | Right Mouse button |
| Ram / Reload | Shift (⇧) |
| Horn | H |
| Look back | V |
| Action hijack | Q |
| Motorcycle lean back | Control (ctrl) |
| Motorcycle lean forward | Alt (⌥) |
| Change radio station | Left / Right Arrow keys |
| Volume adjust | Left / Right Arrow keys (hold) |
| Miscellaneous Controls | |
| Open phone | ↑ |
| Close phone | 1 or 3 |
| View map | Select |
| Cycle objectives | 9 (click) |
| Pause | Start |
You can play Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition using a dual analog stick gamepad. The diagram on this page is based on a standard controller layout; all gamepads have similar buttons but some may differ in layout from the gamepad shown here. For more information see Can I play Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition with a gamepad? in the FAQs.
NOTE: Gamepad controls cannot be customized.
| On Foot Controls | |
| Movement | 9 |
| Sprint | 2 (hold) |
| Parkour (vault) | 2 |
| Rotate camera / Target switch | 10 |
| Grapple / Take hostage / Pick up enemy | 3 (hold) |
| Reload / Pick up weapon | 6 |
| Stow/equip pistol | ↓ |
| Drop weapon | ↓ (hold) |
| Lock on (melee) / Aim weapon | 7 (hold) |
| Shoot / Throw | 8 |
| Cover | 5 |
| Light strike | 1 |
| Heavy strike | 1 (hold) |
| Counter / Interact / Enter vehicle | 4 |
| Toggle alt fire (flash light/grenade launcher) | 10 (click) |
| Hire taxi | 4 (hold) |
| Driving Controls | |
| Accelerate | 8 |
| Steer | 9 |
| Brake / Reverse | 7 |
| Orbit camera | 10 |
| Handbrake | 3 |
| Shoot | 6 |
| Aim weapon | 5 |
| Ram attack | 1 |
| Horn | 10 (click) |
| Action hijack | 2 |
| Motorcycle lean back/forward | 9 |
| Exit vehicle | 4 |
| Change radio station | ← / → |
| Volume adjust | ← / → (hold) |
This shows you a map of the nearby streets and alleys. It also highlights (in the form of blips) nearby jobs, events and favors, as well as stores and services you can use.
Objectives are blipped in different colours:
The minimap also acts as a GPS route finder and displays the path to your chosen objective.
This indicates the distance and direction to your chosen objective.
During combat, your current health is displayed on the left-hand side of the minimap.
The Face meter is displayed on the right-hand side of the minimap. Fill it by intimidating opponents with brutal and precise attacks. When full, it grants combat upgrades for a limited time. Additional upgrades are unlocked automatically as your Face level increases.
During shooting combat, your currently equipped weapon, the number of rounds in your magazine and your total ammunition are displayed in the top-right corner of the screen.
Face experience is earned every time you complete a favor or do impressive things. Higher Face XP makes merchants respect you more, giving you access to higher quality products, greater discounts in stores, powerful and luxurious vehicles, designer clothing and more powerful buffs. Face XP also unlocks combat abilities triggered by the Face meter.
When you gain enough Face XP, your Face level will increase and additional Face upgrades will be unlocked automatically.
Triad experience is earned in combat by countering attacks, performing headshots and finishing enemies using the environment or heavy attacks.
When you gain enough Triad XP, your Triad level will increase and you will receive points to spend on Triad upgrades.
Cop experience is earned by solving cases and by avoiding causing harm to civilians, police officers and property during cases and missions.
You receive Cop XP at the end of a case or mission. The amount you receive is reduced if you harm civilians, damage property or kill fellow police officers during the case or mission: if you avoid all collateral damage, you will receive the maximum possible experience. Cop XP is used to unlock new perks and utilities.
When you gain enough Cop XP, your Cop level will increase and you will receive points to spend on Cop upgrades.
Your Face level represents how the citizens of Hong Kong regard and respect you. Completing favors, events and street races, as well as interacting with people, will increase your standing and renown.
At each Face level, you gain new Face advantages. These include upgrades to your Face meter, making it even more powerful in combat and granting you increased toughness, unblockable attacks and greater damage. Face advantages also include new shopping options: new and better cars and clothing will become available and vendors will start selling you more potent products and offering you discounts. Buying better cars will grant you entry into the elite street racing scene.
Tip: The best way to increase your Face is to complete favors.
Triad upgrades give you new offensive and defensive fighting moves and are unlocked by increasing your Triad level by earning Triad experience in missions. Earn a better Triad score by intimidating your opponents in combat: mix up your moves and use combos and special moves effectively.
You can replay missions from the social hub to try and achieve a higher Triad score: if you earn more experience than you did the first time you completed the mission, the additional experience will be added to your total.
Cop upgrades give you new shooting and utility perks, such as the recoil compensator, which improves your accuracy with firearms, and the slim jim, which lets you break into cars without setting off the alarm. Cop upgrades are unlocked through increasing your Cop level by earning Cop experience in missions, cases and drug busts. The less harm to civilians and collateral damage you cause during a mission, the more experience you will receive at the end of it.
You can replay missions from the social hub to try and achieve a higher Cop score: if you earn more experience than you did the first time you completed the mission, the additional experience will be added to your total.
Execute a light strike by clicking the Left Mouse button.
Execute a heavy strike by holding the Left Mouse button.
Heavy strikes are powerful attacks that can break through your enemies’ defenses and stun them or knock them down.
You can perform combos by executing multiple light strikes in a row. End your combo with a heavy strike to make it even more powerful. You can chain up to four light strikes before finishing with a heavy strike.
Press the F key to grab an enemy and enter the grapple state. While grappling an enemy, you can perform the following actions:
Drag your enemy around by moving.
Use your enemy as a human shield by holding them between you and other enemies, preventing them from attacking you.
Throw your enemy by pressing the E key.
Strike your enemy by clicking the Left Mouse button.
Sprint with your enemy by moving while holding down the Space bar. Sprint into a wall or other obstacle to throw them against it.
Finish your enemy using the environment by approaching an item highlighted in red and pressing the F key.
You can perform advanced defense techniques like counters and reversals by pressing the Right Mouse button when an attacking enemy is highlighted in red.
Fire by pressing the Left Mouse button. While behind cover, you can vault over it by pressing the Space bar and simultaneously target and fire at multiple enemies. Time is slowed while vaulting, allowing you to take better aim.
When armed with a projectile weapon, hold the Shift (⇧) key to aim.
When unarmed, hold the Shift (⇧) key to focus your attacks on one enemy: all your attacks will be directed towards that target. All enemies will be indicated by a red circle around their feet, while your target will be indicated by a filled red circle.
To attack an enemy other than your target, hold the Arrow keys in the direction of the enemy you wish to attack.
Use free running to get around the world quickly. Most free running moves (jumping/sliding over objects) can be used on the streets and to scale vertical surfaces of a certain height during rooftop chases.
To run, hold the Space bar while moving. Tap the Space bar just before obstacles to trigger a clean action, which allows you to clear them more quickly.
While driving and approaching another car, you can perform an action hijack to leap between the moving vehicles. Hold down the Q key while driving to initiate an action hijack, then approach another vehicle. When the white arrow pointing towards the target vehicle turns green, release the Q key then press it again to leap between the vehicles.
Motorcycles make it easier to navigate the crowded streets and narrow alleyways of Hong Kong. When armed, you can fire your weapon by holding the Shift (⇧) key to aim and clicking the Left Mouse button.
Water transportation is essential to the inhabitants of Hong Kong. Sampans can be found in rivers, coasts and bays, while zodiacs, speedboats and yachts are only located in coastal harbors.
If you have the money, you can use taxis to travel to selected locations on your map.
To hire a taxi, approach it and hold down the Right Mouse button, then select your destination on the map screen.
You can purchase new outfits, including trendy t-shirts, sharp suits and accessories such as hats, shoes and watches, from the various clothing stores in Hong Kong.
Wear matching clothing sets and certain accessories to gain special bonuses and effects.
You can change into any of the clothes you own using the wardrobe in your safehouse.
You can purchase new vehicles from the vehicle stores located across Hong Kong. Your vehicles are stored in the parking lots found throughout the city. To access your vehicles, approach any parking lot and press the Right Mouse button.
There are four classes of vehicle: A, B, C and D. Different classes of vehicle (A, B and C) unlock different street races. Class D vehicles cannot be used in street races.
There are jade statues hidden throughout the city. Recover them and return them to Sifu Kwok in the dojo in Northpoint to unlock more combat moves.
There are red health shrines scattered throughout the city. For every five shrines at which you pray, your maximum health is permanently increased by 10%. This bonus health is represented by a blue bar over the health meter.
Lockboxes contain money, useful objects or clothing.
Eating food restores health and may give you temporary buffs. For more information, see Buffs and health.
Massages sharpen the senses, giving you a temporary boost that makes your Face meter fill more quickly.
You can converse with a wide range of characters in the city. Some are simple conversations with vendors in which you can buy food, clothing or other items. Others are necessary to progress in or start missions, favors and cases.
You can talk to any character with a speech bubble icon above their head. To start the conversation, stand next to the character and click the Right Mouse button.
At certain points in some conversations a key icon will appear: if you press the key quickly enough, you will deliver the correct response. This fast talk counter is similar to the melee counter system in combat. A successful reaction may give you access to closed-off areas or reveal additional information.
You can purchase items to upgrade your safehouse. You can add furniture, luxuries and decorations, or even get a pet. Not all of these items come from legitimate stores: some are stolen goods being traded by criminals. To access these items you will need a high Face level.
Buff items provide you with increased health and health regeneration. These buffs improve as your Face level improves.
Access your PDA by pressing the Up Arrow key.
Use your PDA to access:
Access the map by pressing the Tab (⇥) key. The map shows you your current position, your objectives and various areas of interest.
Set a waypoint by moving your cursor to the desired position and pressing the Return (↩) key.
 |
Drug Bust |  |
Player |
 |
Social / Date |  |
Mission |
 |
Parking Lot |  |
Lead / Case |
 |
Clothing Store |  |
Favor |
 |
Apothecary Store |  |
Street Race |
 |
Vehicle Store |  |
Safehouse |
 |
Gambling Den |  |
Apartment |
 |
Karaoke |  |
Cock Fighting |
 |
Martial Arts School |  |
Massage Parlor |
Use the social hub to track the awards you have won, your best times for each race, your high scores for missions and a log of all challenges issued to and from your friends list.
A summary of your recent scores and achievements.
Your awards for completing specific achievements: you can receive a gold, silver or bronze award for each achievement, depending on your performance.
Your top scores for various challenges, including longest wheelie, longest car jump and others.
Your scores for each mission you have completed. To replay a mission, highlight it in the list and press the Return (↩) key.
Your completion times for each street race. To replay a race, highlight it in the list and press the Return (↩) key.
You must be online to receive and issue challenges. Your online status is shown in the top-left corner of the social hub screen. Challenge your friends to beat your score by opening the Social Log tab. Scroll through your results and press the Q key to open a pop-up showing your friends list. If anyone has a lower score than you, you can challenge them to beat yours.
To accept a friend’s challenge, open your PDA while in game and select social hub to read the message.
Your friends are shown in your friends list. You can add friends via your Steam account.
You can access the Pause menu by pressing the Escape (esc) key.
Continue playing your current game.
Access the Map screen.
Access the Upgrades screen to see which upgrades you have unlocked and which are still available.
Access the social hub and view your current rankings. Use the online leaderboards to compare awards, best times for each race, high scores for each mission and a log of all challenges issued to and from your friends' list with other players.
Tip: Visit
Return to the last checkpoint reached during the mission.
Cancel your current mission and return to the open world.
Access save and load options.
View logs of previous mission objectives and hints in the order you saw them.
View your gameplay stats, including collectibles found and vehicles and clothing purchased.
Adjust settings for Audio, Display, Game and Controls and Controller Layout.
Return to the Main Menu.
Every effort has been made to make Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition as compatible with current hardware as possible. However, if you are experiencing problems when running Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition, please read on.
The latest version of the FAQs can be found by selecting the FAQs button in the Support tab of the Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition pre-game Options window (this is the window that opens when you launch the game), or by going straight to the Feral website: http://support.feralinteractive.com
Contacting Feral
If the FAQs and/or updates do not solve your problem, then please feel free to contact us. The following information must be obtained before contacting Feral Technical Support:
All the information required can be obtained by opening Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition and clicking on the Support tab in the Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition pre-game Options window. In the Support tab, click on the Generate Report button. Once the report is generated it will appear as a file in your ~/Downloads folder (the “~” symbol refers to your home directory). Now click on the Create Email button. Remember to attach the Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition Report.txt file to your email.
In your email, please include a brief description of the problem you have experienced with Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition.
email: support@feralinteractive.com
Please check the warranty information provided by Steam.
