Triad Wars is a new game from United Front Games set in the Sleeping Dogs universe, but it’s not so much an iteration as it is a step sideways into a different genre. The reason I begin my discussion of Triad Wars with this is because all through my time with the game, I never really shook my sense of discontent that this free-to-play game I was playing was a sequel to Sleeping Dogs. That doesn’t mean I won’t comment when a game doesn’t focus in on the parts of it that I think are the most fun, but it’s not my place to insert myself into what a game could or should have been. And finally, if Rockstar wanted to venture into full-on spiritual successor territory, Grand Theft Auto 6 could even take on Sleeping Dogs' Hong Kong setting.One of the guiding principles I try to abide by in this job is “write about the game you’re playing, not the game you wish you were playing”. Otherwise, GTA 6's story should, like Sleeping Dogs', be more focused on character and plot than satire, ditching the quickly-aged jokes for solid storytelling. Hopping from car to car, one-versus-many melee fights, and other elements could help shake up the rest of its gameplay, as well. GTA 6 could utilize Sleeping Dogs' combo-infused, Arkham Asylum-style melee combat (perhaps the protagonist could be a boxer or MMA fighter rather than a kung fu master) and Max Payne-like gun combat to make its fights less stale. It's an all-around more entertaining experience, and it's one that GTA 6 should absolutely copy.Ī Rockstar-developed Sleeping Dogs 2 would, of course, be the hope, but a Grand Theft Auto 6 inspired by Sleeping Dogs is the more likely of the two scenarios. Sleeping Dogs also features far more interesting car hijinx than any game with " grand theft auto" in the title, allowing players to hop from vehicle to vehicle mid-drive and shoot out cars' tires to produce fiery crashes. GTA's simple shooting and melee don't come close to Sleeping Dog's over-the-top kung fu battles and gunfights, which are infused with cinematic elements like slow-motion cover vaulting and contextual takedowns to keep things flashy and fresh. What makes Sleeping Dogs better than GTA 5 is, well, everything - its combat system, its action-oriented driving mechanics, its unique setting, and its grounded story. Why GTA 6 Would Be Better As A Sleeping Dogs Spiritual Successor If Sleeping Dogs only had Rockstar's notoriety and budget, it may have earned the same legacy, because it's much more fun. It continues to break video game sales records all these years later, becoming the most profitable single entertainment product of all time. One year after Sleeping Dogs' release, Rockstar took the next step in the GTA franchise, releasing Grand Theft Auto 5 to much critical acclaim. Related: Why Sleeping Dogs Is The Best True Crime Game The Hong Kong setting also makes for an interesting and varied open-world - one that's more vibrant than any big-budget GTA game's to date. Betrayal and violence ensue, as expected, but the story features plenty of twists to keep players engaged. Players follow Wei Shen, a Chinese-American police officer and martial artist tasked with infiltrating Hong Kong's Triad gangs. Released in 2012, Sleeping Dogs adapted the open-world formula Rockstar delivered with GTA 4 into a Hong Kong crime thriller. Sleeping Dogs, an overlooked, PS3-era GTA clone, improved the series' formulas in ways Rockstar didn't, and Grand Theft Auto 6 would be better if it took inspiration from the game it inspired. Whether literally or in spirit, Grand Theft Auto 6 should be the " Sleeping Dogs 2 " fans of the original never got.