An open-world crime game à la Grand Theft Auto set in Hong Kong with a unique undercover cop twist. The game's immediate emphasis on gameplay plays to it's credit, putting the story on the back burner for the first couple missions and really focusing heavily on the martial arts combat system -- (an obvious Yakuza inspiration) -- utilizing a pretty rewarding combo system that feels both crunchy and satisfying, and a thankfully easily forgotten grappling system that frankly adds little in way to spice up the gameplay, even with upgrades later in the game. Enjoyable side content and a genuinely engaging story, and protagonist in Wei Shen, has me wanting more even after finishing the game. Unfortunately, DLC is mid at best and does not necessarily continue the story in any meaningful way, and the undercover cop plot feels like it slows and drags down the story more than helps it, and also really hinders the freedom of the open world, losing cop score during missions for doing illegal actions or sometimes, comically, just for being "clumsy". What however does not hinder the freedom of the open world are the vehicles, which often feel overwhelmingly fast and suspiciously slick for the streets of Hong Kong, but make for a tight, fast paced experience between destinations. A fairly solid 4.5/5 rating for me and a well deserved Editor's Choice Award.

All review scores are indicative of my personal enjoyment of the game and are not meant to be taken into consideration for the quality of the reviewed game(s). A negative review means I genuinely came away from a game feeling as if I had wasted my time.