Sly Cooper and the King of Thieves

Note: This review contains spoilers related to Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.

While I enjoyed Sly Cooper: Thieves in time in spite of its faults, it wasn’t until years later that I found out developer Sanzaru games was not going to follow up on its cliffhanger ending, a statement made in 2014. Around the same time, I also discovered that this soured the reputation of the developer amongst Sly Cooper fans, a sentiment shared by Tron fans with the game Tron RUN/r, also by Sanzaru. Years later, however, Sanzaru seems to have come to their senses, releasing a long-awaited surprise sequel to Sly 4 that attempts to address issues players had with said game, chief among them the infamous plot twist and cliffhanger ending, with a simultaneous release on PS4 and Vita. After getting to play it upon launch, I can safely say that the Sly Cooper franchise has gotten back on track and is better than ever.

Review Hub - Sly Cooper

Since its release in 2002, the Sly Cooper game series has been considered a classic in a similar vein to the Ratchet & Clank and Jak and Daxter series, to where a movie was initially announced to follow Ratchet & Clank, only for it to eventually be put into a state of limbo in wake of that movie's poor box office performance. However, a Sly Cooper television series was later announced, which seems right at home with the tone and style of the games.

Aside from this, as of this posting, this year also marks the 15th anniversary of the franchise. In honor of this, below is a list of every Sly Cooper game and comic book reviewed on this blog, sorted by chronological order. (Links to Second Opinions will be listed next to the main review link in parenthesis.)

  

  

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
The Advenutres of Sly Cooper (Comic)
Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
The Sly Collection
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

2013 - The Highlights (Tetris_King)

At the end of every year, it is sometimes good to reflect on what we may have liked or disliked about it. Below is a list, in no particular order, of what I liked or disliked about what came out this year that got reviewed on this blog, with links provided to the appropriate review.

Top Movies of 2013

Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising

Yes, I am putting another Transformers product, a TV movie, into the positive end of one of these lists, but I really, and legitimately, enjoyed this conclusion to the Transformers: Prime cartoon. I think everything really came together in the end, with the animation and voice acting being some of the most impressive here since Darkness Rising. It may not have answered every lingering question, though at least one of them was through an interview in an issue of the Collectors’ Club Magazine, but the end result was nonetheless satisfying.

Monsters University

In a first for these lists, we have a newer Pixar movie not considered a disappointment. While not quite as good as the film it was made be an extension of, Monsters University is more of a return to form for the studio, with a good story and great characterization proving that they have not yet lost their touch. Hopefully their next project, The Good Dinosaur Inside Out, continues this trend.

The World’s End

The third and final part of the Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy, and one of the few comedies of the year that actually grabbed my attention, The World’s End is an extremely funny movie, which is to be expected of an Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg/Nick Frost collaboration. Though the film is most definitely not for younger audiences, it stands out amongst other high profile movies released this year for having a more light-hearted atmosphere and sticking with it, even as the major sub-plot continues to develop, though I can’t say the same for its final minutes. Regardless of how it ended, this is a comedy that did not disappoint.

John Dies at the End

Another good comedy movie, this one based on a book by David Wong from Cracked.com, John Dies at the End is a great blend of hilarity and horror from start to finish (it also counts for this list because even though it was initially released in 2012, its theatrical run took place in 2013). Having gotten accustomed to David Wong’s style of writing, I thought the movie, directed by Don Coscarelli of Phantasm fame, served as an enjoyable adaptation of an enjoyable book, adapting whatever worked for the medium to great effect while taking creative liberties that worked in its favor. However, it should be stressed that this is not a movie for everyone, more so than The World’s End, due to the concept, graphic imagery, and rampant cursing. In spite of this, I would recommend people in the right age group to give this movie a shot, especially if someone who is already a fan offers you the chance.

Top Games of 2013

DmC Devil May Cry

As someone who had never actually played a Devil May Cry game until this one, I actually had a fun time with it. While the controls may be a little complex and some arguably important game mechanics were missing, I enjoyed seeing how well the new version of Dante was handled, as well as the conflict that unfolded between him and his brother Vergil. While this new interpretation of the Devil May Cry mythos might upset some of the older fanbase, I found this game to be a good starting point for any newcomers and hope that any potential sequel continues to improve on what was on display.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

After a few years of inactivity, we finally have a new Sly Cooper game for a new generation of PlayStation (before the PS4 came out). Even with a change in developer it feels just like a Sly Cooper game, down to the characterization and gameplay, along with a couple of extra features to keep things fresh, such as the connectivity between both the PS3 and Vita versions. Though some minor things in the plot might be a little questionable, it still feels like a natural extension of the previous game and I hope developer Sanzaru Games continues to show their passion for the Sly Cooper brand in any games in the series they might make down the line.

Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4

As a fan of the Penny Arcade webcomic, I enjoyed my time playing the Rain-Slick tetralogy of games, with Episode 4 being a fitting conclusion to the story. The Pokémon-esque battle system was executed well and the characters were developed and explored rather nicely, each displaying what exactly was on the line by the end. With shocking twists combined perfectly with Penny Arcade’s brand of humor, this game deserves a spot on this list.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

The ideas behind Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons are not only interesting, but the game executes them really well. Even if you can’t understand what the characters are saying, there is enough in the animations that you can still understand them, not to mention there are some absolutely gorgeous background visuals that really flesh out the world. The game also has some interesting puzzle elements and the controls, while seemingly unorthodox at first, are an integral part of the experience. This is definitely a game that should not be passed up.

Top Disappointments of 2013

A Good Day to Die Hard

Having seen every Die Hard movie, including both the theatrical and uncut versions of Live Free or Die Hard, I expected this movie to continue working with what made the fourth one so good. However, A Good Day to Die Hard did not really live up to these expectations, instead having an uninteresting story with moments that feel out of place in a Die Hard flick, and on top of that the timing of the series’ well-known catchphrase was way off. If a sixth Die Hard movie ever gets made, I’m hoping it can once again raise the bar for the franchise like the fourth one did.

Star Trek Into Darkness

Since I enjoyed watching the first in the recent reboot of Star Trek movies, I expected the second of these, Star Trek Into Darkness, to take full advantage of the fact that there is now an entirely new universe to play around with. Instead, it turned out to be a remake of Wrath of Khan from the previous continuity, with some iconic scenes altered in some way. Benedict Cumberbatch did do his own take on the Khan character, but it didn’t do Ricardo Montalbán’s performance from the original series enough justice. Since there evidently won’t be a new movie in the new universe for quite some time, I’m left to wonder why there isn’t more of an effort, outside of tie-in comics, to keep fans interested in the meantime.

Man of Steel

I don’t have much personal experience with the Superman mythos, having only seen one movie all the way through and read only a handful of his stories, so I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this latest interpretation of the character, Man of Steel. This movie didn’t really do much for me, since it not only seemed to break from the whole point of the Superman character, what with people punishing him in his youth for saving lives, and felt more like an installment from the Dark Knight trilogy with Superman stuff on top of it. If this is how DC wants to begin their own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they certainly got off to a bad start with this movie.

God of War: Ascension

My reasoning for considering this game as a disappointment is similar to why I considered Alice: Madness Returns to be one for last year, in that it mainly comes down to the gameplay, more specifically the combat, which is more akin to what’s present in the (unnecessary) multiplayer function, rather than trying to improve upon what already worked in previous entries. Aside from that are the visuals of the game, which can often seem too good (this is a rare time in all of the games I have played where a game’s imagery made me physically squirm). Ascension is otherwise an acceptable entry in the God of War franchise, even if I wasn’t expecting it to top God of War III.

Even Bigger Disappointments of 2013

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls

I wasn’t expecting much from this movie, especially given the teaser trailers, but somehow I walked away from it with even less. Though it has some real talent attached to it, it seemed like the script could have used at least one or two more re-writes before being handed over to the voice actors, since much of the plot and characterization felt rushed and the fandom nods forced, not to mention it felt more in some places like a re-telling of the first episodes of the base show, but with humans in place of ponies. The TV edit makes the overall experience better, but sadly not by much.

Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don’t Know!

The world of Adventure Time presents many great ideas for a potential video game, with the many creative landscapes and monsters, not to mention the various RPG elements, presented in many of Finn and Jake’s adventures. A boring, repetitive dungeon crawler that punishes you for wanting to save something for later is not one of them. It may feature the original voice cast from the show and have creator Pendleton Ward as head writer, but these good elements are not enough to outweigh the bad, with the only real reason to play being to see the big reveal at the end.

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time - Time Is On Sly's Side

It's been about 8 years since the last one, but finally, after all this time, a brand new entry in the Sly Cooper franchise has been released. To celebrate this, this blog has gone over as many of the entries in what has been referred to as Sony's "platforming trio" (Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank up to All 4 One) as possible before the release of this game. However, it should be noted that, rather than Sly creator Sucker Punch Productions (who seems to be busy with their Infamous IP), it is developer Sanzaru Games, the ones who ported the original Sly trilogy to PS3, that is responsible for this game, as they are actually fans of the Sly Cooper franchise. Though the game was theoretically made by fans, it's clear that Sanzaru had a real passion for the franchise, said passion helping to keep this game feeling like a true and welcome entry in the series.

An undisclosed amount of time has passed since the end of Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, Sly Cooper himself having faked amnesia so he could be closer to Inspector Carmelita Fox. Bentley has been conducting scientific research with his girlfriend Penelope; one day, Penelope mysteriously disappears, along with, as Bentley discovers, the information written in the Thievius Raccoonus, the book belonging to the Cooper Clan. As generations of Cooper history literally vanish from the book, Bentley shows this to Sly and Murray, along with his advances in the field of time travel. With the Cooper Gang's van fitted with Bentley's time machine, they perform a museum heist so they can get the machine working (in order to travel through time, you need an object from the same era) and save Cooper history from being permanently extinguished.

The plot of Thieves in Time is, I must say, pretty well executed. It does its job by jumping off from the end of Sly 3, taking its premise from Bentley telling the player at the end that he has been working on a time machine while also expanding upon Sly's false amnesia. There is also some focus on the relationship between Sly and Carmelita, exploring on their feelings for one another as they see it from each other's perspectives. The main plot is rather interesting, as the Cooper Gang has to rescue Cooper history as they face equally interesting adversaries along the way. There's plenty of intriguing plot twists to keep the story interesting, though one in particular doesn't feel entirely justified despite its shock value. That aside, it feels very much like a real Sly Cooper plot and a true expansion on the third game's ending.

The Cooper Gang (from left): Sly, Murray, and Bentley.

The story of the game is told through cut scenes of course, both animated with in-game graphics and through special animations. The animated cut scenes are narrated much like the previous games, but what sets them apart from the others is that they are in full motion, rather than like a motion comic, and the animation is simply amazing. The fluid animation helps the characters seem more alive, and the variety of expression helps create some interesting scenes while the full motion enables easier insertion of humor. A few of these scenes also use a variety of art styles to help illustrate a character's backstory, which helps them feel more unique. (A particular cut scene I like is the one describing a boss named The Grizz, where as Sly is explaining his origins, The Grizz only stands in one spot while everything changes around him accordingly.) This effort, combined with the promotional short released prior to the game, make Sly 4 the closest you will ever get to a full-fledged Sly Cooper animated series, which this franchise seems like it would be able to pull off in reality. Fortunately, as with previous games, you can go back and watch earlier cut scenes in all their animated glory.

If you've played Sly Cooper before, you should be able to recognize this scene.

On that note, the in-game graphics are equally spectacular, updating the designs of each character while still retaining the cartoonish elements in a way that looks visually appealing. Character designs such as Murray's are more closely modeled after their real-world counterparts, though they are thankfully still stylized to fit more in line with a Sly Cooper game. There is a lot more detail to be found here, mainly due to the game being designed for HD, especially when it comes to the more furry characters such as Sly and his ancestors, among others like Carmelita and another boss named El Jefe. The characters also move very fluidly and characters with long tails have equally fluid and realistic tail animations, which is something I (admittedly) have always enjoyed about the Sly cooper series' idle animations.

Then there is the voice acting. Aside from the returning actors of the main trio (Sly, Bentley, and Murray), the game also has the talents of Steve Blum and Nolan North, voicing Sly's ancestor Rioichi Cooper and Sly's enemy El Jefe respectively. These voice actors, along with the likes of Yuri Lowenthal and Grey DeLisle and many others, help make each performance worthwhile and give each character their unique personality. Though it's been years since the returning cast has been involved with Sly Cooper, save for the recent PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, their performances in this game prove that they've still got it in them. Grey DeLisle's performance as Inspector Carmelita Fox works really well for the character, though how any of her other voices compare is up to you, much like another video game character who can't seem to keep his voice straight.

Gameplay is similar to previous entries in the series, making it familiar for returning players, but with some new twists. First off is that the Cooper ancestors each have their own unique abilities in addition to Sly's own, such as Rioichi Cooper having an extended version of the Ninja Spire Jump and Tennessee "Kid" Cooper being able to shoot multiple targets at once with the gun in his cane (with one in particular showing a nice bit of attention to detail regarding his abilities). The ancestors also each have their own stealth take-down animations and special attacks, making each one feel different enough to not feel like a rehash of Sly's move set. There's also some challenge to be found in the boss fights (except for the last one, since it's just a series of Quick-Time Events), each one bringing something new to the table in such a way as to make them memorable (for example, The Grizz's boss fight involves ice-skating of all things).

Sly facing off against El Jefe.

Another addition to the game is a set of costumes Sly can wear, each of which also give him special abilities (in some cases in exchange for being unable to use his regular thieving moves) rather than just providing a disguise for sneaking around in. For instance, a set of Japanese armor allows Sly to be fireproof and reflect fireballs while an archery costume allows Sly to interact with a bucket of arrows to fire at a distant target, creating a tightrope to walk on. These costumes can be switched out through a special menu by holding down a button, then selecting your outfit while holding the button (otherwise it defaults to the last one you used). Some areas require multiple costumes, while others are made to show off what your new clothes can do, and the game does what it can to make sure you use every costume. Carmelita and Bentley have similar menus for their weapons, but you'll probably be less likely to explore those options, as I was.

There's also some points where you have to complete a rhythm-based mini game, much like in Sly 3, only this time you must hit them in time as they pass by on the bottom of the screen, similarly to Guitar Hero (or Secret Agent Clank if its rhythm sections had any actual semblance of a beat). There's also one near the end that provides a small workout as it requires you to shake your controller, though I won't tell you the context here.

Bentley once again does his hacking thing in this game, but with some improvements. The twin-stick hacking you've come to expect is there, but with some major graphical improvements that make it gorgeous to look at. Thanks to the graphical power of the PS3, there's plenty of detail to behold here, the end result being something that wouldn't feel out of place in Tron. There's also some variety in the hacking this time around, with a side-scroller of sorts where Bentley's avatar looks like a Ninja Turtle with guns (though not exactly), and one where you use the SIXAXIS controls to move a ball of energy through a pinball-like set-up with a timer and pitfalls. This level of variety in the hacking helps the game feel like a fresh installment and not a simple rehash of Sucker Punch's existing work on the franchise. Of course ThiefNet is back in full swing, taking its more convenient money-making system from Sly 3, though I should point out that you will never be short on coins in this game, since they are rather easy to come by (though I'm not complaining, since it alleviates excessive grinding).

There's also plenty of collectibles scattered around each level, which are actually required to unlock more things in the game. Collecting hidden treasures scattered throughout each (hub) map unlocks arcade cabinets in each hideout, while collecting hidden masks in every area unlocks hidden items, such as character and Para-Glider skins (I have yet to collect all of them). Clue Bottles also make a return in this game, which provides a perfect incentive to explore every new territory to unlock a safe containing a useful item, a few of which make call backs to the first Sly game. But if collecting items tires you out, you can always play a round of virtual ping pong with Bentley back at the hideout.

For when repairing the time-space continuum gets boring.

Finding these treasures is made infinitely easier thanks to the power of the PlayStation Vita, which you can get a free copy of this game for if you purchase the PS3 version via Cross-Buy. In the PS3 version, if you turn the AR Server on, then you can activate the AR Treasures feature in the Vita version of the game to scan your TV screen for hidden treasures and Sly masks in applicable areas. If you tap the Vita screen while in this mode, a helpful cross hair will show up on the TV in the PS3 version to help you find each item. However, this feature is best implemented when you have a second player, since using it by yourself is rather awkward and unwieldy. With another person at the controls, it makes finding collectibles infinitely easier.

This game also supports Cross-Play, where you can Cross-Save your data from one version onto a cloud server and then continue playing on the other. This is a very useful feature, since I was able to keep playing when the PS3 was being used or I was on the move (I even transferred my save to another PS3, using my Vita as a sort of vessel to transfer data between consoles). Gameplay is very similar to the PS3 version of Sly 4, with clever use of touch screen and touch pad controls to make up for the lack of shoulder buttons, while also taking advantage of the Vita's gyroscope for certain tasks, mostly anything that would normally involve the SIXAXIS. Of course, everything in this version is sort of a visual downgrade of its bigger sibling, but the experience is nonetheless similar to what you can find on the PS3 version and is perfect for when you want to continue playing outside of your own home.

As I was playing this game after beating the campaign, I gained knowledge that there is a secret ending to the game, which is obtained by getting the Platinum trophy and then (re)watching the credits. I have yet to complete all the objectives necessary to see this ending for myself and, while a YouTube upload is tempting to watch, I would much rather earn this ending on my own time so I feel more satisfied with all my hard work.

In short, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is an excellent return to the Sly Cooper franchise after such a lengthy absence. Sanzaru really did their homework on this one, pulling out all the stops to make sure you get the full Sly cooper experience and more. While the opening does try to explain the happenings of the series to newcomers (for those who choose the option at the beginning to watch it), I would actually recommend playing the original Sly trilogy first, if only for the sake of the plot and to gain a better understanding of Sly's world and history. For both new and existing fans of the series, I would tell you to get both versions of this installment, if only because both versions actually go hand-in-hand with each other. Sanzaru clearly knew what they were doing when they were allowed to to make their own Sly Cooper game, and I can't wait to play Sly 5 when it comes out (hopefully we won't have to wait 8 years for that one).

The Adventures of Sly Cooper (Comic)

As seen with other comic reviews on this blog, comics can be used as a way to add more depth to a video game series, while also providing a convenient way to promote the next game in a series by telling a story that takes place between games, which is the approach of many of the comics reviewed here. Some however, like The Darkness II: Confession, while acting as a transition point, are only available through a promotion like Free Comic Book Day or otherwise as a free give-away, like a hand-out at a convention (the aforementioned The Darkness comic was actually given away through both of these means). The comic I will be talking about here was released in a similar fashion, as a promotional item through the now-defunct GamePro magazine. Tying into the events of the Sly Cooper games, The Adventures of Sly Cooper is a 2-issue miniseries, with each issue published at different points, the first as a transition between Sly 1 and 2 and the second issue taking place between Sly 2 and 3. Due to their limited availability, these comics can go for high prices online, ranging in several 10's of dollars (you can probably find The Darkness II: Confession much easier and for a much lower price). With these comics being about as the games they were made to promote, the question here is not just whether they are good, but also whether they are still good after all this time.

The first issue of The Adventures of Sly Cooper tells one story, but is divided into 3 sections: "The Heart of a Thief", which revolves around Inspector Carmelita Fox trying to protect the statue "Venus de Whalo" as Sly Cooper and co. attempt to steal it; "The Cookie Connection", a flashback sequence to the Cooper Gang's very first heist (stealing cookies) back when they were in an orphanage; and "A Chase Down Memory Lane", where Sly and Carmelita partake in a flashback to when they first met each other. The last two parts are related to the first in that, after the gang steals the sculpture ("The Heart of a Thief"), Sly must stall for time until another boat arrives (they were a few minutes behind schedule, causing them to miss a boat to use in their getaway). On the way over to Carmelita, Sly reminisces back to his youth at the orphanage ("The Cookie Connection"), and once he reaches her, Sly stalls by having both him and Carmelita reminisce about their first meeting as they tell their own side of the story ("A Chase Down Memory Lane").

The framing device of a heist serves as a good way to tell each of the three stories presented so as to not make the book an anthology of three short stories, and the way is which this is presented helps add more depth to the Sly Cooper mythos without any form of non sequitur. The narrative also provides more backstory on the character of Dimitri, an important character in the then-upcoming Sly 2, in addition to adding depth to the relationship between Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox.

The cover of the second issue.

The second issue of the comic follows from the aftermath of Sly 2, expanding on the first few minutes of the then-unreleased Sly 3 as Sly learns more about his family history and tries to get the gang back together. This story is also divided into chunks, this time 4, although only two of them have proper titles: The first section sees Sly breaking into prison in order to talk to a walrus named Big Jim McSweeney, his dad's old thieving partner; the second, "...And Then There Were Two!" sees Sly and Murray breaking into a hospital to get their injured pal Bentley out so they could pull a heist better; the third, "Good Looking from afar, but Far from Good Looking Up Close!" has Carmelita investigating a failed heist by Sly and Murray while a co-worker named Winthorp tries to admit his crush on her; finally, the Epilogue details the events of the following day, leading into the events of the first few minutes of Sly 3 as Carmelita prepares to take down Sly Cooper and drama occurs within the Cooper Gang.

This comic uses a similar sort of framing device to the first to connect the four stories together, which again works in its favor. It gives the comic a unique feel to it while also expanding on events brought up at the beginning of Sly 3. The execution provides a good narrative flow that makes it feel like a Sly Cooper story, telling a story divided into chapters like the game the comic is promoting.

The comic does not really make clear who the creative teams are for each issue, but whoever wrote these comics did a good job with the setting and characters. The dialogue feels natural for each character and I could imagine each characters' voices as I was reading, which, as I have said in other comic reviews, is a really good sign (except for Carmelita, whose voice changes as often as Dante's, so I had to try to settle for one as I was reading). The artwork is also very exceptional, perfectly matching the art style of the games and feeling very lively in places. The art feels very fluid and, like the games themselves, keeps a similar atmosphere to the series at those points and makes everything stand out like in the cut scenes (in fact, I've read that some of the comic panels actually were used for the cut scenes, which I wouldn't be surprised about since some images in the second issue look like they were ripped straight from the third game). One thing I noticed, however, is a coloring error that pops up a few times in the first issue where Sly's gloves are colored entirely yellow, as opposed to blue gloves with a yellow trim. Aside from that, while I can't pinpoint exact names, I thought the creative team (teams?) did a very excellent job (I wouldn't be surprised if it was Sucker Punch employees who worked on it).

Overall, The Adventures of Sly Cooper is the perfect advertisement for a Sly Cooper game. With some great writing and artwork, the comic not only provides more development for fans of the series, it's also a good way to entice newcomers to check it out. The comic might be hard to find now, but it's still worth taking a look. On a related note, Sanzaru Games did something similar to this comic to promote Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, which comes out next week, in the form of an animated short, first scattered across the 'net in three pieces and then brought together as one. The animation and voice acting (despite only having one voice) are truly amazing and I would highly recommend watching it.

The Sly Collection - It's A Steal

Due to school and a number of other factors, playing this collection for a review took longer than expected (and somewhat decreased my recent output). In any case, reviewing this collection means our build-up to Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is drawing to a close (but it's not quite done yet). Released a couple years ago, The Sly Collection was developed by Sanzaru Games, due to Sucker Punch being busy with the Infamous series, after God of War Collection started and popularized HD remakes. Supposedly, the people at Sanzaru are big fans of Sly Cooper, so they were given the task of remastering the PS2 trilogy as a sort of test. Having recently finished another playthrough of these games, I would say they passed with flying colors.

While there isn't any change in the gameplay, there certainly is some in the graphics. The visuals of the games look more refined than their earlier counterparts and seem to run a little smoother at times. However, there is a minor difference I noticed while playing photograph missions, regarding the photos themselves. In the original PS2 versions of Sly 2 and 3, when a photo is taken, it stops to show what you took while zooming out a little and tilting slightly to the right; in their PS3 remasters, the photo just stays there without moving. To be fair, while it does sound silly that I'm going into such detail over a minor change, I found it fairly noticeable after playing the original games before playing the collection.

To increase the collection's replay value, Sanzaru has included a few special minigames, each utilizing the functionality of the PlayStation Move. These games primarily involve shooting/moving through targets, and the trophies associated with them aren't too difficult to get when playing solo. When played with another person however, these games actually become somewhat more competitive. The Move controls also work extremely well and move with 100% accuracy (whether the icon perfectly follows the glowing orb depends on your calibration) without any sort of lag. While it is possible to use a regular controller for these minigames, as well as being able to outdo a Move user half the time, I would recommend using the Move instead, if only due to increased accuracy and speed. (As a side note, these games are only local multiplayer, so fans expecting online play are out of luck.)

Despite these improvements however, I still ran into some technical difficulties. During my replay of Sly 2, I had a moment where, while playing as Bentley, I was literally knocked out of the game level while inside a deadly corridor, thus costing me the mission and forcing me to start over from scratch. I would also recommend not leaving your disk in the system for too long, since a couple times when I ended up doing that, I encountered some static from the audio that made affected cutscenes and subsequent gameplay harder to understand, requiring me to exit the game and start it back up again. I also had the sound drop out completely once during Sly 3, which again required a restart to get it going again. Aside from this and a single game freeze, there wasn't that much wrong with it technically speaking.

Before I end this review, I would also like to bring up a small comment on the 3D capability, but not concerning whether it works or not since I didn't use a 3D television. As I have said before, Sly 3 has an option where certain levels can be played in 3D via a pair of special glasses that can cause eye strain. In the HD remaster, these levels are presumably done by using the functionality of a 3D set. I'm assuming you only get the screen giving you the option when you're playing on one of these sets, because I did not see that screen at all while playing, so character dialogue referring to "optimizer goggles" otherwise seems to come out of nowhere.

The Sly Collection is a must-have for Sly Cooper fans who want to see their favorite characters again in glorious HD, technical issues aside. For those who don't have a PS2 but still want to experience the original Sly trilogy, this is a good way to do just that. Plus, combining the clue bottles from the first two games, the time trials from the first game, the multiplayer games and extra missions in the third game, and the minigames included with this collection, you get an incredible amount of replay value that offers more bang for your buck.

Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

At last we have come to the final game in the current Sly Cooper trilogy, Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, originally released the year following Sly 2. Within this short time frame, some changes have been made to the Sly Cooper formula, which may either help or detract from the experience depending on your perspective. As a whole though, though it nicely ends Sucker Punch's run on the series, it isn't my favorite thieving adventure.

Sly Cooper and the gang have reached Kaine Island, on which sits the Cooper Vault, containing the Cooper family fortune that has been built up over several generations of thieving activity. Once Sly finally reaches the vault, he opens it, only to be stopped by Dr. M, who happens to own the island. Furious, Dr. M, having plugged himself into one of his experimental creatures, grabs hold of Sly and attempts to crush him. As this happens, Sly begins to think back on what led him to this point in time...

The remainder of the story is told primarily through flashback, retaining the heavier tone set up by the second game while still having a few lighthearted moments to offset it. There are some rather interesting plot twists to be found along the way, and some old faces show up from the first two games to help (or hinder) you along the way. As with before, the villains that the team must face are actually pretty interesting, and while they may not be likable, they are no less memorable. The overall experience still manages to have some of that Saturday morning feel to it, which again isn't really a bad thing.

The level design of Sly 2 is retained here, with the exception of the clue bottles from previous entries. I found the absence of this feature somewhat odd, since their inclusion encouraged exploration throughout each world in the previous game. Regardless, I got somewhat used to this as I kept playing. In its stead there are a few times where you have to search for a number combination within a painting, with the assistance of a magnifying glass of course, although it quickly gets to the point where it seems they didn't even try to cleverly hid the numbers.

Like with the last game, some changes have been made to the gameplay. For instance, whenever you pickpocket a valuable item from a guard, the amount the item is worth is automatically added to your coin total instead of having to go back to the Safehouse and selling it off through ThiefNet, which admittedly helps the game go by faster. Other features include safe cracking, in which you unlock a safe by turning a lock and feeling controller vibrations; and wearing a disguise to get around certain areas, though if a guard sees you, you must repeat a password given to you by Bentley.

Much like the last installment, you have the ability to play as Sly, Bentley, or Murray at any given time, though in certain mission you are able to use even more characters, including Carmelita (though these are in the guise of Sly/Bentley/Murray missions). Each of these characters has their own unique playstyle, which adds more variety to the gameplay presented and allows each mission to get a little more creative. However, it sometimes becomes apparent that Bentley has gained somewhat more bloodlust between games, as some of the missions involve murder (ex. feeding guards to a crocodile in order for it to chase other guards out of an area).

Continuing the trend from the first two games, Carmelita Fox once again changes voice actresses, this time being voiced by Ruth Livier. I didn't have too much of a problem with this voice, though at times she sounds sort of nasally, which can get a little grating. In the end I thought her performance was okay, it's just not my favorite Carmelita voice.

While I did actually have a good time with this game, there were a few things that bogged down the experience for me. At a later point in the game, there is a pirate themed stage that introduces new gameplay concepts, including treasure hunting and ship combat. While I understand the need for variety in a game, I think the stuff in the pirate stage feels like a little too much and only serves to introduce players to a multiplayer mode and another bit of extra gameplay (more on that later). On the other hand, the ship combat does prove to be an excellent source of coins.

Another point I want to address involves said coins. This time around there's even more abilities that you can purchase through ThiefNet for Sly, Bentley, and Murray, but at the same time it also gets more and more expensive. This can lead to hours of grinding simply to get that new button combination (for Sly) or another fire-related ability (for Murray). Because of this, I decided to forego grinding during my last run-through, which made the game go by much faster and allowed me to absorb the story more. This also allowed me to weigh my ThiefNet options and think about whether or not the ability I was about to purchase would actually be useful. (In essence, I wholly recommend not grinding.)

The game also has extra missions that can be done once a section is over, adding replay value in place of the clue bottles. However, it is possible to quickly lose interest in these side quests, since completing all of them essentially requires you to play the game twice in order to get 100% completion, whereas in Sly 2 you could easily get full completion in a single run.

Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves also introduces a couple new features to the Sly Cooper series, one of them being 3D functionality, namely analog 3D (the one with the cheap red/blue glasses). There are only a few sections that use this function, and soon you figure out why: while it works really well, especially in a dark room, it can cause minor eye strain after an extended session. Whether or not this is worth it depends on the player, but I would still give it praise since it really gives you a feeling of depth.

The other new feature to the series is local multiplayer, which accommodates two players. The modes you'll find here are simple in nature, including hacking, plane combat, the aforementioned ship combat and Cops and Robbers; in Cops and Robbers, two players (one as Sly, the other as Carmelita) must compete to get 5 points, Sly by stealing items and Carmelita by hunting Sly. Of the mutliplayer modes that I explored, I personally found the Cops and Robbers one to be the most exciting, since it was the most unique.

Extra features aside, Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves is a good way to cap off Sucker Punch's run on the Sly Cooper series. It has a compelling story that hits the right marks for a Sly Cooper title and there is some good variety in the gameplay, though some of the new elements can sometimes get in the way. Regardless, it is a game that Sly fans must have in their collection, especially since it ends with a lead-in to Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.

How good will it be? Only time will tell...

Sly 2: Band of Thieves

Continuing the legacy of Sly Cooper, Sucker Punch released another entry in the series two years after its predecessor, entitled Sly 2: Band of Thieves. The first game, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, was a short, yet highly enjoyable platformer with enough variety to keep the player invested. This sequel not only improves on the formula, but also delves deeper into the mythology and characters.

After the defeat of Clockwerk a couple years ago, Sly Cooper and the gang perform a heist in Paris in order to steal back a Clockwerk piece so he may never be resurrected. However, Inspector Carmelita Fox and Constable Neyla are there to ambush Sly in an attempt to capture them. When Sly tries to explain what he was doing, Neyla casually tips him off to the Klaww Gang, a group of criminals who are using the Clockwerk parts for their own schemes. Once Sly, Bentley, and Murray make a quick getaway, they set off in search of the Klaww Gang, hoping to once and for all rid the world of Clockwerk.

The story of this game is somewhat deeper than the last one, setting a more heavier tone by including more serious and dramatic moments to drive the narrative, such as a point where Bentley is separated from his friends after they were taken into custody, along with a few interesting plot twists throughout. However, there is still some of the humor from the first game thrown in to help relieve the tension. The game still retains some of the Saturday morning episodic feel the first game had, but that's not necessarily a bad thing since you can say which episodes you liked and which ones you didn't.

Which brings me to the level design. Contrasting with the presentation of the first game, each of the 8 episodes comprising this game consist of an open world (instead of a hub world) with mission points spread throughout. These missions are based on the current state of the narrative and are, of course, mandatory to progress. However, you do not have to do them immediately, since you are also given the opportunity to explore each stage and become familiar with its architecture. Personally my favorite episodes are a pair that are set in Canada, since they are brightly-lit compared to the rest of the game worlds and they are much more open (plus the first of these stages is an excellent source of coins).

Now that I mention coins, I should mention that some game mechanics are different here than before. For starters, whereas the first game had a life system, this one replaces it with a health bar, so that you have more than one hit during combat. As such, health is something you can pick up, which not only refuels your life, but also another gauge underneath. This gauge allows you to use special powers for a limited amount of time, which you can obtain either by opening safes after gathering enough Clue Bottles, or purchase at the Safehouse through ThiefNet. This is where coins come into play, which you can get by smashing objects or taking out various enemies. You also have the option to pickpocket enemies as well, during which you can get a valuable item that you can sell through ThiefNet if the target's pocket is glowing.

The characters, much like in Thievius Raccoonus, are good in their own ways, and the villains have unique and interesting backstories that help explain their motivations; those that survive even have their own happy endings as indicated by post-credits sequences. I'm still not sure exactly why Clockwerk had such an intense hatred for the Cooper clan, but that's not necessarily required to enjoy the narrative. The background music is still nice to listen to during each episode, even if there is a little dissonance at least once, and nicely fits into each locale without becoming a distraction.

On the subject of sound, this game starts a sort of trend where Carmelita inexplicably changes voice actresses between games. If I was to comment on this, I would say that I think Roxanna Ortega did a good job in the first game, though I have mixed feelings about Alésia Glidewell's performance here. For the most part she does a fine job voicing Inspector Fox, but sometimes it sounds a little off, as if not enough was put into it. Then again she also voices Neyla in this game, so that might have come from trying to have a distinct voice for each character.

Another change between games is character playability. In the first game you primarily controlled Sly, with the chance to be Murray during driving sections and Bentley in a single hacking minigame. In the sequel, you get to explore the world as all three of them (not at the same time) and they each have their own missions and abilities. Sly has the most mobility in the stages, thanks to his agility, and has the ability to pickpocket guards; Bentley is the weakest of the three, though he can perform hacking minigames and his inability to pickpocket is made up for with an array of sleep darts that can knock out enemies so he can blow them up; and Murray, being the strongest, also cannot pickpocket but he can lift heavy objects and throw them with great power (plus he can beat up enemies faster). As such the abilities you can give them are based on these skill sets; Sly's powers focus on sneaking around and getting around more quickly, Bentley's are based on technology, and Murray's center around fire and brute force. This sort of variety helps keep things interesting, as there are some things that only one of them can pull off that the other cannot.

Sly 2: Band of Thieves is an excellent addition to Sly Cooper franchise and is a definite must-play for fans of the series. Those that enjoy a good stealth game will want to give this one a try, especially if you own a USB headset for the PS2. (Admittedly I have not played the game this way, but from what I have read, using it can create an extra layer of challenge regarding stealth.) When next I look over Sly Cooper, we shall see how well Sly 3 can get the job done.

Now go outside.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

After concluding Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank series, it's time for the main event in the anticipation for Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. In 1999, Sucker Punch Productions produced their first game, Rocket: Robot on Wheels, for the Nintendo 64. Later in 2002, Sucker Punch would create the character Sly Cooper, leading to an acclaimed trilogy of games on the PS2. The first game, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, is an excellent start to the trilogy and delivers a memorable platforming experience.

Sly Cooper is the last of the Cooper family, a raccoon family long known for thievery, namely stealing from other thieves. Sly was to inherit the Thievius Raccoonus, a book passed down in the Cooper family for generations that details the thieving techniques from each previous owner, when his father was attacked by a group known as the Fiendish Five, led by an owl named Clockwerk. Each member of the Fiendish Five has taken a section of the Thievius Raccoonus while disposing of Sly's father, leaving him in an orphanage where he meets his friends Bentley and Murray. The three of them have become a master thieving trio over the years, all the while looking for hints as to where the Fiendish Five may be. After breaking into a police station in Paris, France, Sly finds what he is looking for and sets off to not only recover his family heirloom, but also defeat the Fiendish Five, including the villainous Clockwerk, once and for all.

While the story isn't very deep, it doesn't need to be in order for you to want to keep going. The events of the game play out with a tone not unlike a Saturday morning cartoon, helped by the stylized and colorful graphics, which isn't exactly a bad thing. In fact, one of the bonuses by the end is the introductory clip done in a style more akin to Japanese anime, and I must say it looks rather amazing. If there was an animated series based on Sly Cooper done in that fashion, I would totally watch it.

Getting back on track, the main characters are pretty likable and you don't need much in order to support them. The villains are actually given fair reasoning for wanting to turn to a life of crime, though Clockwerk's motivation went unexplained. Regardless, the game does a good job with whatever characterization there is and it makes me want to see what happens to the heroes next. The music is also nice to listen to, setting up an appropriate tone with repeating sounds made not annoying. One bit of music stood out in particular while I was playing, during the boss fight with Mz. Ruby that functions like a rhythm game. It can take a while to get the beat down, but to me it seemed like something that could easily be sampled or mixed into its own song, and I would go so far as to call it one of my favorite bits of background music from the entire game.

The game is a platformer, but it has some interesting things in it. As you go through each stage you can learn new ways of getting past your enemies, such as rail walking, spire jumps, and turning invisible to name but a few, and by the end your skill are put to the test on your way to Clockwerk. To learn these skills you must either defeat a boss or break enough Clue Bottles hidden in the area to unlock a safe with a three-digit code. The regular platforming segments have some elements of espionage, such as sneaking around guards or avoiding lights and lasers, among other things. There is however some variety in the gameplay of each locale, with a few racing and shooting segments mixed in, along with timed levels involving a vehicle.

For a game that's roughly 10 years old, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus holds up surprisingly well. It's a fairly short game, but that time is entertaining nonetheless. If you want a good, simple platform game or wish to start your Sly Cooper experience, I would direct you towards this game. It is an experience you won't forget any time soon.