Sleeping Dogs is a third-person open-world action-adventure game set in contemporary Hong Kong. Players control Wei Shen, an undercover police officer who infiltrates a Triad organization called the Sun On Yee. Gameplay emphasizes melee combat using martial arts moves, grapples, and environmental attacks over gunplay, alongside driving, parkour, and open-world exploration. The game features a triple experience system split between Triad, Police, and Face progression paths, each unlocking different abilities and rewards.