Summary Short but good

Reviewer's Comments

Although short, this game is quite enjoyable and it's landed pretty high on my favorite game list. Not quite number one, but not far from it. I only wish it had lasted a little longer!

Note: I originally wrote this over a year ago and forgot to put a controls section, and since I haven't played the game since, I can't add one now and be confident that it's accurate. But from what I can remember, the moves were fairly limited and therefore easy to remember and use... Though the bonus moves were all assigned to one button which you had to switch between, which made them a bit of a hassle.

Story
Sly Cooper comes from a long line of thieves, who have all written their techniques in a book which is handed down through the generations: The Thievius Raccoonus. But before Sly gets the book, the Fiendish Five break into his family's house, steals the book and kills his father. Sly is sent off to an orphanage, but he swears to get the book back and avenge his father's death. He makes a couple of friend's who help him accomplish this, and he sets out on his way. Every time you beat a boss you get some more of the story... there's plenty of character development and it's interesting to watch his relationship with Detective Carmelita Fox, who tries wants to arrest Sly, but he is always making romantic comments to her. It's quite entertaining!
9/10

Graphics
The cell shading is a bit different than what I'm used to, but it's done quite well. The whole thing has sort of a comic book look. There's a few places where you can see Sly's foot sticking out of a wall or something, but that's true for just about every game. The worlds aren't as detailed as some other games, but it is nice.
9/10

Sounds
The music is pleasant.. when you're just wandering around, it's something soft in the background. Not distracting, but good to have. When an enemy sees you or you set off an alarm, the music speeds up to fit the pace of the game.. when you sneak around the corner of something or creep up on a guard, it does sneaky music. It all fits what you're doing, which I liked. Voice acting is good, I was never annoyed by somebody speaking and they all seemed appropriate. Sly was a little hard to hear at times, but a quiet voice suited his character... and you can always turn up the TV. Other sound effects in general were sufficient.
9/10

Gameplay
The heart of any game. The main objective is to collect keys, which you earn by finishing a level or completing a mini game. I have to admit, some of the mini games were a little bizarre (How about whacking 50 chickens before the timer runs out... oh, and don't forget the bomb totin' roosters!) but were fun. There are also clues (bottles) in each level.. find them all and you get the code for a vault. Open it up and you get a new move or something else helpful... although not outright necessary, I found them to help a LOT in the later levels. You get things from being able to set up a decoy to becoming invisible! Time trials are the last objective... I haven't done any of them yet, although I did try one. I got maybe halfway through the level before the time was up, and I was rushing as much as I could! I don't know what the reward is, but it better be something good. If you've ever played Crash Bandicoot and have tried to earn a platinum relic.. well, this is harder! If they make a sequel, they ought to either lighten up on the times or get rid of them altogether. Overall the game is on the challenging side... there are several parts which will probably make you a little crazy, but none of it is impossible (besides the time trials I mentioned). It tests your skills, which I like. If a game is too easy, it gets boring quickly. Most of the time you are avoiding lasers and spotlights.. there's not a lot of combat, mostly guards you have to whack with your cane (or leave them there if you rather). The gameplay focuses more on jumping and running type things, which is also something I like. The bosses are different... I didn't think to myself ''Well this is just like the boss in such a such game'' I was more like ''This is new!''
9/10

Replay Value
Just like any platform, a lot of the thrill goes away after you find everything. I've redone a few levels to find the rest of the clues, and didn't really get bored but it wasn't nearly as fun as the first time around. If you run through it a second time to get all the clues and time trials, then it would definitely be worth it.
5/10

Rent or Buy
The game is pretty short, and you might not want to play it over and over, so you could definitely get away with renting it. I finished the game in just a few days and I didn't spend all day each day playing it. I don't personally like to rent platforms at all but if you do, then go for it.

Conclusion
I really enjoyed playing the game and recommend it to any fan of platforms. Even though the mini games were a bit bizarre and tough, and the time trials are flat out impossible, and it's on the short side, overall it's an enjoyable game that will have you addicted.