Sly Cooper was once a huge platforming icon. After debuting in 2002, his series stood proudly with Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank as one of PlayStation's most popular properties. Since then, the thieving franchise has fallen off the map. This is a true tragedy.
Sure, some elements of these stealth platformer titles don't hold up. The in-game animations, for instance, are stiff and recycled. That said, these are still quality adventures with strengths far outclassing their contemporary peers. With the series hitting its 20th anniversary this year, now is a great time to either revisit these games or experience them for the first time. Gamers owe it to themselves to do just that. True to his suave nature, Sly Cooper has aged like fine wine.
6 Style
This series doesn't wear the innocent face of most mascot platformers. Instead, the games cross film noir with a Saturday morning cartoon. The mix sounds odd on paper, but it proves perfect for the subject matter.
Sly Cooper brings an infectious class to every caper, equipped with several stylistic quirks to strengthen that sense. The comic book cutscenes are appealing and purposeful. The suave soundtrack is both memorable and atmospheric. Words like "Pow!" and "Zap!" pop up whenever the heroes punch out some thugs. All of these combine to create something slicker than almost any other crime game.
5 Graphics
The animated aesthetic also aids in appearance. The developers deliberately limit the textures on the world and characters, layering a coat of cell-shading over much of it. They don't require anything more to achieve a cartoonish quality.
Combined with vibrant colors and strategic lighting, this means Sly looks as good now as he did at the time. Games with a realistic approach simply can't keep up, as technology inevitably advances to include more detail. Sly's developers never strive for such detail. They know the limits of the hardware and work within those limits beautifully.
4 Gameplay
These games operate on stealth and platforming, and both of these elements feel polished from the start. The eponymous raccoon has a weightless agility to his movements. He uses that physical prowess to dance across ropes, spires, and other narrow points to sneak past enemies. The sneaking itself is simple yet effective, appropriate for the lighthearted (and light-footed) gameplay. These work in tandem, and blending them feels intuitive and immensely satisfying. One would think piling other characters on top of this would muddy the waters, but that's not the case.
Bentley and Murray are just as well-realized as Sly. Their unique mechanics are essential to every heist, and nearly all of them are enjoyable to some extent. Although both teammates have strengths and weaknesses, controlling them is never a hindrance. That's something that all too many franchises get wrong when adding playable characters.
3 Level Structure
The Sly games organize each chapter around a heist. While tragically wasted in the first entry's linear levels, the concept comes alive in the sequels. Players perform various infiltration, sabotage, or thieving jobs around a hub world brimming with personality. These set the stage for a climactic heist to cap off the chapter.
That structure may sound familiar, but the execution is sublime here. These tasks let Sly and his friends utilize their respective skills in organic ways. The resulting variety staves off any repetition, which is additionally aided by the pacing. The levels last exactly long enough without overstaying their welcome. Other crime titles like Grand Theft Auto pepper the essential missions with padding or filler tasks. Thankfully, that's not a problem here. All jobs contribute to the heist in some way. Players can easily see that and are more motivated because of it. That sense of purpose means the core gameplay loop never gets old. More importantly, it ensures fans are pumped once the plan finally comes together.
2 Characters
Despite their unscrupulous profession, the Cooper Gang is easy to like. These characters just pop off the screen. They have defined personalities well beyond their archetypical first impressions, and they naturally convey that depth through witty dialogue and enthusiastic voice acting. The only thing more entertaining than the characters themselves is their interactions.
Sly, Bentley, and Murray have a warm, brotherly chemistry that is hard not to love. They can prop each other up or crack wise at one another's expense. That enjoyment even extends to Carmelita Fox, a cop who would have normally killed the mood with her attempts to arrest the gang. Her cat-and-mouse game with Sly is endlessly amusing, stimulated by banter as delightful as it is cheesy. With such spicy dynamics, these colorful characters ensure players never tire of watching them.
1 Storytelling
Audiences may not expect a complex tale from a cartoon, but the Sly series weaves a plethora of dynamic narratives to match its sleek presentation. These are well-paced, globe-trotting adventures, keeping players both entertained and engaged. This is especially the case with Sly 2, which brilliantly unravels its methodical mystery with enough twists and turns to satisfy any crime story fan.
The other games' plots are admittedly more basic, but the themes of living up to one's legacy and moving beyond it are potent throughout. In addition, the smaller story threads remain invested in where they take the characters. With such narrative prowess, the Sly games emerge shockingly poignant while avoiding the excessive dourness most story-driven titles fall into nowadays.