Sly 2: Band of Thieves

"Another Platformer, Another Masterpiece!"

Ok, first off I must say that I started playing Sly 2 with very high expectations. The first Sly game was the first game I bought for my Playstation 2. All I wanted was for the game to be longer and for the missions to have more variety. I got exactly what I wanted. Sly 2 adds in about another 10 hours of gameplay, making it one of the longest platformers of the year. Also, this time you can also play as Sly's friends, Murray the Hippo and Bentley the Turtle. The gameplay is very diverse and you now go through the game by chapter.

Graphics

I will use one word to describe the graphics in Sly 2. Breathtaking. The graphics are simply amazing. The game does look like a cartoon, as the graphics are cel-shaded. The characters are well made and it is evident that a ton of detail went into creating each character and enemy. Also, the game is very colourful at times, while dark and mysterious at others. There is no flaws in Sly 2 in the graphics department. It's just pure eye candy.

Sound

The sound is very good as well. The voice acting was very well done, especially the voice for Bentley. The sounds of elephants trumpeting and alarms sounding really puts you in the mood. I never turned off the sound for Sly 2. It's just shows alot of polish and it just goes to show the dedication that the sound crew put into the game.

Gameplay

Sly 2 greatly proves that it should be one of the best platformers of the year. There are now three characters to play as, meaning that some missions are only for a certain character. The mission variety is huge. The missions range from Bugging an office, taking undercover photos, destroying a bridge and even ballroom dancing. The game is much harder than the first. Don't expect to fly through the game, beating everything first time and knowing what to do at any given moment. The game worlds are large and diverse, ranging from a little town to a middle of nowhere hideout. The game is also a lot of fun to play. Not only this is a platformer, but a stealth game as well. Sly is a thief and steals many items from the enemy. If you want a realistic stealth game, go buy a Splinter Cell game. If you want a fun and diverse experience, pick up Sly 2.

Story

The story is very good in Sly 2. Some people stole the piece of Clockwerk, the big baddie in the first game. They are using the piece for criminal activities, such as making fake money. Sly Cooper, Bentley and Murray have to set out and recover the pieces and make sure that Clockwerk isn't resurrected.

Controls

The controls are also well done. You will have no troubles sneaking around and using any of your moves. The controls were well thought out and very well-executed.

Replayability

The game does have a bit of replayability. You can go back and get 100 percent on each chapter. You can also replay the game, which would be well worth it, seeing as it is a very fun game.

Playtime

I beat the original in 8 hours and 30 minutes. This new Sly expands at least an extra 8 hours of gameplay than that. I must say that I am pleased that Sucker Punch would make a platformer that is this long. You will not go rushing through this game.

Overall Thoughts

Buy Sly 2: Band of Thieves. It is a spectacular game that deserves to be played by everybody. You can also buy it for fourty dollars Canadian. It is a great deal for a great game.

Final Score

10 out of 10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/21/04