Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

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List Price: $39.99
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It has been 8 years since Sly 3's release on the PS2. There was a cliffhanger at the very end of the game, in the last cutscene; "... but I'm building a time machine to find out!" And then... Sucker Punch closed the doors of the Sly Cooper series, convincing everyone that there wouldn't be another game from the infamous thieving raccoon. But then... the doors were opened up again.

Sanzaru games, for those who don't know, remastered the original trilogy for the PS3, titled "The Sly Collection". (I recommend that one to all who have only played Thieves in Time.) They did a phenomenal job on remastering the trilogy in HD. When it was announced that Sly game was going to be entirely developed by Sanzaru, Sly fans, including myself, were a bit skeptical. The last PS2 icon that was developed by somebody else was bastardized. (Jak and Daxter; The Lost Frontier. EPIC FAIL.) But Sanzaru was releasing bits of gameplay footage and it eased everyone's minds that the Sly series may be in the right hands after all. I mean, it is better than no game at all, right? The wait is over, the game has been released, and now... the review!

GRAPHICS/ENVIRONMENT: Holy crap! These graphics are insane! Running at 60FPS, the game is crisp, colorful, and the environments are more detailed than ever before. Sly and the gang have all gotten re-designed from the ground up. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of the "new" Sly Cooper design, but it has kind of grown on me. I really don't know what they could have done any differently. Regardless, it does look like the old Sly that we know and love, so you can't ask for much more than that. There are times, where the frame rate does drop, such as a boss battle where lots of visual things are going on. It isn't enough to affect the gameplay, but it is noticeable. Overall, it's an incredible makeover and a definite welcome one. Sanzaru has also dwelled into the story mode and pulled some cool easter eggs out of their hats. For instance, on the first mission in Japan, you can see Clockwerk (Villain from Sly 1) at one point sitting on the wall. He's actually moving around and doing stuff. It's really cool to see, especially if you understand his significance to the story. The music is done by the original composer from the original trilogy and he does wonders for this game. The music is extremely fitting and as Sly-like as ever. Kudos to the composer! The original voice actors are back, too! Well, at least for the Sly Cooper Gang. Carmelita, of course, has a different voice actor than before. She's had a different voice actor for all 4 games and I never understood why. Regardless, Sly, Bentley, and Murray all sound like they always have from Sly 2 onward and it really credits Sanzaru for tracking these guys down and going that extra mile for the fans. It really puts you back into the saddle of a Sly Cooper game well.

GAMEPLAY: The gameplay is solid, fluid, and very original and faithful to the series. The controls are all original, with a few exceptions here and there, such as Murray's "Thunder Flop" now being X+Triangle. Nothing major whatsoever, just a simple observation. There are now clue bottles again! I am at 29/30 on the first chapter. I'm trying to find the last one using no game volume and my Turtle Beach Ear Force Foxtrots, but I think Sanzaru made it a little more challenging this time around by lowering the clue bottle volume because you can't hear the things until your about 6 feet away from them. Well played, Sanzaru. Other than Clue Bottles, you can also collect Sly Masks, which, when collecting enough, allows you to unlock stuff, such as Murray's "Seal Team Murray" outfit. Since I pre-ordered the game, I got the Seal Team Murray outfit with the two exclusive para-glider skins. You can also open the vaults once you get the clue bottles, just like you could in Sly 1 and 2. I haven't opened a vault yet, so I can't say what's inside. However, if it's anything like Sly 2, then you'll get some badass new moves that you can't buy on Thiefnet. Bentley's hacking minigames have drastically changed. The very first one on the prologue mission is what everyone is used to. However, Sanzaru went in totally different directions with this one. There is one that reminds me of the hacking tool used in the Ratchet and Clank series, where you have to guide a spark of electricity through a path and obstacles to it's destination. It's a cool addition and Sanzaru was definitely thinking outside of the box on that one. Murray's the same. Literally nothing has changed. However, now, any playable character can open the vault, at least on the first mission. The vault is in a totally open area and even if I'm playing as Bentley or Murray, I can still see their holographic logos by the vault handle. That tells me they can open the vault, too.

VERDICT: The game is solid and everything the fans want it to be. There's really nothing more to tell you. If you want a solid game for the PS3 that could possible be a staple in your collection, such as mine, then I would take a long hard look at this Sly Cooper title. However, if you want the full story, add "The Sly Collection" to YOUR collection. It is a really good story and there are some easter eggs that you may not understand unless you play through the first 3 games as well. At a $39.99 price point, you can't go wrong.

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Whereas games from the "Ratchet and Clank" universe make me feel as though I'm in the middle of a Pixar movie, "Thieves in Time" achieves an equally impressive feat: It makes me feel like I'm taking part in one of the hand-drawn afternoon cartoons of the 80s and 90s (which I would regularly watch after school, while nibbling on snacks). I love everything about the presentation in this game: the characters are adorable, the story is hilarious and absurd, and the cel-shaded approach has never looked finer. The time traveling plot and assortment of anthropomorhpic animals takes me back to the days of shows like "DuckTales".

There is, however, a complaint that I have with this game: I wish I had control of Sly Cooper for greater lengths of time (ALL the time would be even better). While Murray and Bentley are cool characters, and they make for an awesome family/team, I found that I began sighing every time one of their segments began loading. When Sly is in control, this platformer can attain a certain level of "zen" as you engage in your chains of stealthy featsleap, perch, climb, balance, strike, repeat (and the controls are identical to the PS2 games, as far as I rememberthey've aged wonderfully). However, when the other characters are in control, this becomes something of a clumsy, forced platformer that left me longing for Sly's stealthy, agile ways. That's just my humble opinionothers may enjoy the segments of Sly's friends and the attempts to instill gameplay diversity, but I was always anxious to return to the thieving raccoon. And in the defense of the developer, controlling Sly's friends has always been a part of the experience, even with the original "Thievius Raccoonus".

The inclusion of Vita functionality (Cross Buy) with this title makes it pretty enticing for any Sony gamer (especially at $40). I'm a fan of the PS2 Sly Coopers ("Thievius Racoonus" still being my favorite), and I have not been disappointed with "Thieves in Time" (and there are still TONS of collectibles in these worlds calling out to me), so I can wholeheartedly recommend it to those who are in the same boat. I'm not sure how gamers who are new to the series will receive it, but I would definitely suggest considering it, particularly if you enjoy cartoons and non-violent games, or if you're looking for something suitable for younger gamers.

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I just beat Sly 4 and thought it was fantastic, for Sanzaru's first Sly and taking up the torch after Sucker Punch they really made Sly better than ever before. Here are a few things.

Gameplay and controls

Level design is superb, some of the very best platforming segments I have seen in years

Sly plays just as comfortably and fluid as he did in Sly 2/Sly 3, there is a slightly weighted feel added to him due to the deeper physics and it goes nicely with the platforming and climbing mechanics.

Bentley, Murray, and Carmelita feel very developed this time around, from their missions to their gameplay styles

Sly's ancestor's are great additions to the game, not all of them play like Sly with new abilities but each ancestor that does has an ability that adds a new dimension to Sly's gameplay.

Sly's new costumes having their own gameplay styles is one of the best things to happen in this game, not only do they change up Sly's play but they are surprisingly a blast to use.

New upgradable moves with the returning upgrades make taking out enemies much more enjoyable and adds a lot of depth to the combat

Bentley's hacking mini-games are a lot more fleshed out and impressive, but there is one controlled via motion controls (usually about 30 seconds long though) that was annoying.

Missions offer lots of variety making the game never feel tedious like past Sly games, it's pacing is beautifully done

Bosses being done in layered battles like the first Sly Cooper makes them some of the best in the series

Graphics

The game looks sharp and crisp running in 60fps

Nice lighting and graphical effects with cel-shaded visuals really bring the game and character models to life

Levels are vibrant and detailed, the open world levels especially look great

Story

I was very impressed with the story, quite a few twists and nice character development with the plot itself unfolding in a way that keeps you interested from start to finish.

Le Paradox is a great villain along with his back-story

The episodes each standout in their own ways due to the interesting bosses and Sly's ancestors were all nicely done

Production values in this game are the highest level in the series, not only are there the classic animated scenes the games are known for but a lot of action-packed in-game scenes that add a lot to the game

Replay Value

The game itself is quite lengthy, but there are a lot of collectibles like Clue Bottles and treasures that make the open worlds worth exploring

There are a lot of unlockables, including a secret ending

Overall, I highly recommend getting the game and it's a steal being only $40 for all it packs. It's also a great entry point into the Sly series, if you are a new player you'll be able to experience the game with hardly any problems with how well it explains previous events and introduces all the character all over again. Sly Cooper: Thieves in time was seriously worth the wait and the best yet in the franchise

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Easily the best Sly Cooper game, it has great graphics, it's chock full of content,great gameplay, and has the best story of the series. For any Sly fan, I give it my highest recommendation.

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It's been eight years since the last Sly title and once I started playing 'Sly Cooper Thieves in Time' it felt just like the older games from years past, but better. Sly, Carmelita, and the rest of the gang never looked better. This is an amazing game to own. The graphics, gameplay, and story are great and filled with excitment that one would expect from Sly and gang. It's a game that can be enjoyed by all ages and still leave an impression. I would recconmed this game to anyone.