World History with Sleeping Dogs: Hot Coffee’s Back to School Gaming Guide

Whether you're getting yourself together to head back to class in fresh new kicks or you're at a point in your life where this is just the hot time of year when you hate your job, you've only got a few weeks left to make summer count. Around here this means there are only a few long days left to avoid the sun and knockout some highly anticipated titles from our video game to-do list.

With heavyweights like Halo 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and the Wii U arriving as the weather turns cold and the NFL returns, these end-of-summer titles are hoping to get our last few laidback gaming moments before things turn really hectic. You've gained and lost your tan, you're back from vacation and your grill is off duty until Labor Day. Here are the games that will educate and stimulate --broken down by school subject matter-- before you have to face that dreaded lunch lady again……even if she's at a four star restaurant.

Sleeping Dogs - World History

You're playing as undercover cop Wei Shen, tasked with taking down one of the most powerful organized crime syndicates in Hong Kong. You can't help but learn about Chinese culture, history and the role of syndicate crime in a society. And it will likely be tough to keep track of the lessons as you blast bad guys, race through the tight streets of HK and illegally gamble on fighting roosters.

We're not saying you should take what you experience in Sleeping Dogs and then go roaming around Hong Kong for real and start shaking down food cart owners. Sure it was easy to do in the game, but in real life those folks will come at you with cleavers if you're not tough enough. Likewise, you'll be driving on the left side of the street in Sleeping Dogs too. You're not going to hop in your hoopty and start driving on the left side all of a sudden are you? Have some common sense. You're not Jason Statham.

We are saying, however, that in the subtle moments of gameplay where you're learning about the relationship between organized crime and law enforcement or about the concept of "face," some of that stuff might stick to the insides of your head and you'll be a better person for it. Then when summer is over, you can impress your friends and make them think you're suddenly an expert on Chinese culture. Just keep your topics limited to Hong Kong styles of high speed chases, cockfights and underworld assault rifles and you'll be fine.