Sometimes, when all else fails, it takes a thief to do the job right. Now if that thief has a personal interest in the job …

Sly Cooper is up to his old thieving ways in the next edition of the franchise – Sly 2: Band of Thieves, a title for the PlayStation 2 console from Sony and Sucker Punch. Sporting a huge, free-roaming environment, terrific graphics and shaded with a hint of intriguing storyline, this is a title that should have Sly fans, as well as those interested in adventure gaming with a light touch in plot and some nice challenges, chomping at the bit.

To understand the premise of the story, you have to understand a little bit about Sly’s past. Not long ago there was a maniacal and envious villain known as Clockwerk. He was jealous of the Cooper gang, and eliminated Sly’s family. Sly ended up orphaned but it was during this time that he met Bentley and Murray, which became part of his new gang.

Bentley and Murray are actually playable in this game, hence the title – Band of Thieves.

Clockwerk was just a wee bit deranged and was replacing his body parts with mechanical devices. Though he was eventually destroyed, and his pieces scattered, he did remain a threat. Should those pieces ever be reassembled, it would spell disaster.

To that end, Sly has undertaken a series of missions to recover those parts.

The introductory missions act as a tutorial to the gameplay fundamentals, but also help evolve the plot. Sly finds out that the Klaww Gang has made off with some of the parts, and a nefarious artist named Dimitri is using the Clockwerk feathers to print bogus money. Dimitri made a name for himself, after his original artwork was roundly rejected, by forging copies of the masters and selling them off to unsuspecting buyers.

Bentley, the brains of the outfit, and Murray – otherwise known as The Murray, a superhero in his own mind – is the brawn that aids the slinking Sly through the world. The missions in this title are not overly complex, and you can use your binoculars to locate waypoints to most of them. There are also little glittery clues as to which direction you should be moving. All this combines to help gamers work through the setting.

And it is  precisely that environment that is one of the draws to this title. The city is Sly’s to roam and own. The streets and rooftops may have adversaries, but with a little ingenuity, and Sly’s trusty hook for climbing and fighting, he can avoid most of them while carrying out his missions. Bentley will help with mission briefings and his expertise in explosives, while Murray is around to pound anything that gets in the way – but only on certain occasions. This game really belongs to Sly and thus focuses on his antics for the majority of the adventure. The indoor aspects of the game are linear, but that only stands to reason.

The control elements are very simple and easy to use throughout the game, and the indoor missions are broken down and players will usually be able to work through with minimal loss of direction.

Sly 2 is accessible and entertaining. The graphics are rich and use a 360-degree rotatable camera, and the whole game is underscored with dynamic lighting and shading. The animation is very nicely done. This game looks like a lush animated cartoon in which players control the action.  The sound is nearly perfect to carry the mood of the game.

There is a lot to like about Sly 2, a lot that was done very well. This title is a terrific sequel to Thievius Raccoonus, and anyone that enjoys a good old-fashioned adventure, with clever writing and sterling eye candy, would do well to pick up this title.

Gameplay: 9

The environment is huge but the controls are simple enough to allow players to explore without complication. The transition from area-to-area is relatively seamless, and the game only loads out after completion of missions.

Graphics: 9.2

Stylized, with a terrific cartoon flair, this game is a treat for the eyes. The camera does hang up on walls occasionally, but that stands to reason.

Sound: 9

The musical score really supports the mood, and the dialogue is top-notch. The soundtrack of this game partners with the graphics for a well-rounded game.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium

The game does get slightly more challenging as you progress through the levels.

Concept: 9

Allowing players to take on the roles of Bentley or Murray, in addition to Sly, offers a nice diversity. The puzzles are not overly complex, but with a city to climb across, that doesn’t seem to make a really huge difference.

Overall: 9.1

This is entertaining adventure gaming in one of its best outings. Sly 2 expands the franchise, gives players more of the wonderful treats of gaming that the original did while advancing it just enough to make it feel fresh. Sly 2 is a delight.