Earlier this month, Sony added its first set of PlayStation 2-emulated titles to its PlayStation Plus service. For the longest time, the one PlayStation 2 titles accessible by way of the service have been video games launched in remastered types, or by way of PlayStation 3 collections that may solely be performed by way of cloud streaming. It’s nice to see that correct PlayStation 2 video games will likely be making their method to the service now, permitting players to expertise titles from Sony’s largest platform.
One such recreation that made its method to the service is Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, and I couldn’t be happier to see it return. Sly Cooper is a franchise that’s extremely particular to me, as this recreation was one of many first video games I ever had for the PlayStation 2. It’s an extremely underrated platformer franchise that I’ve been screaming out for a revitalization of for years now, and whereas this is just one small step, it makes me comfortable to see Sony acknowledge the franchise in any respect.
Sly Cooper Is A Particular Sport
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, for those who don’t know, is a PlayStation 2 platformer that was launched again in 2002. The unique Sly Cooper trilogy was developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the staff we now know because the creators of titles corresponding to inFAMOUS and Ghost of Tsushima. Whereas the franchise fell by the wayside a bit compared to different PlayStation platformers like Ratchet & Clank and Jak and Daxter, every title within the authentic trilogy offered effectively sufficient to be a part of PlayStation’s “Biggest Hits” lineup.
The fourth Sly Cooper recreation, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, was dealt with by Sanzaru Video games, who launched it for the PlayStation 3 in 2013. Sadly, it didn’t promote very effectively for Sony, leaving the franchise on a cliffhanger ending that went unresolved when plans for a DLC chapter have been canceled. Sony additional tried at separate occasions to adapt Sly Cooper into a movie and a tv sequence, however neither try panned out. Thus, the primary recreation’s re-release is the primary time Sony has actually acknowledged the franchise in over a decade.
Narratively, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus facilities round Sly Cooper, a thieving raccoon who comes from a protracted heritage of grasp thieves. One fateful night time, his father, Conner Cooper, is taken down by a murderous group often known as the Fiendish 5, who additionally steal the Cooper household’s most prized possession, the Thievius Raccoonus. An historic e book loaded with thieving secrets and techniques that would flip anybody right into a grasp thief; Sly was set to inherit the e book on the night time his father was killed. After assembly two buddies – a turtle named Bentley and a hippo named Murray – on the orphanage he’s dumped at, he units out to steal again the e book, avenge his household’s identify, and change into a grasp thief himself.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus is a singular entry in comparison with different platformer titles. Taking management of the titular character, Sly Cooper, the platforming components are blended with stealth components, rewarding gamers for taking a cautious strategy to defeating enemies. There are nonetheless pure motion components, in fact, however a lot of the main target is on taking a stealthy strategy to finishing ranges. The visible fashion can be distinctive, taking up a cel-shaded graphical design to provide the sport a movie noir fashion that also appears to be like nice to this present day. It’s the whole package deal of a recreation, and it nonetheless stands tall as among the finest titles on the PlayStation 2.
The New Definitive Model?
Already, Sly Cooper getting a re-release of any sort on the PlayStation 5 is nice to me. It’s good to have the ability to hearth up a current-gen console and get to play this basic recreation, particularly provided that it spent years locked on previous-generation {hardware}. Sure, there was the PlayStation 3 remaster in The Sly Assortment that players might cloud stream on the PlayStation 5, however the streaming expertise merely doesn’t beat attending to play the sport natively. And whereas the up to date visible scheme on the PlayStation 3 does an important job and brings loads of vibrancy and shade, I actually actually loved enjoying the sport in its authentic PlayStation 2 kind; it feels just like the remastered model took away a little bit of the “cel-shaded” really feel of the unique launch, so it was nice to see the sport in its initially supposed visible fashion.
Being that this re-release is a straight port of the unique PlayStation 2 model, it additionally manages to keep away from one of many pitfalls that the PlayStation 3 assortment had: glitches. Whereas Sanzaru Video games did a exceptional job bringing the preliminary Sly Cooper trilogy to the PlayStation 3, the remastered launch had its share of strange bugs and glitches. Chief amongst them within the first recreation was the Mz. Ruby boss combat, a rhythm-based part that, within the remastered model, was tougher to play as a result of the music wasn’t synced appropriately. Attending to play this re-released model was the primary time in years I used to be capable of play that boss combat the way in which it was supposed, and it was a large sigh of aid.
This re-released model additionally has some new options that make the sport even higher to play. Naturally, there are many unlockable PlayStation trophies right here, and to my very own pleasure, Sony didn’t take the straightforward method out and easily recycle the trophies from the PlayStation 3 remaster. The truth that there are a number of new trophies to unlock is a superb incentive to replay the sport, even for those who’re like me and also you’ve overwhelmed it numerous occasions.
Moreover, very like Sony’s re-released titles from the unique PlayStation, the rewind function and save states can be found right here, that are nice for a few of the more difficult sections of the sport. Though the sport isn’t overwhelmingly tough, there are quite a lot of tough moments, particularly within the again finish. Having a rewind function undoubtedly helps with getting previous a few of these moments.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus is by far one among my favourite video games. It’s a title that’s extremely particular to me in a franchise which means the world to me. With how underrated the franchise has gone, it at all times makes me comfortable when it will get formally acknowledged in some capability, and seeing it get a correct re-release on the PlayStation 5 is unimaginable.
What’s extra, with the brand new options afforded by the re-release, together with enhancements in comparison with the earlier remaster launched on the PlayStation 3, I’d go so far as to name this one of the best ways to play the sport. I really hope its launch will get extra individuals on board with the sequence, and ends in a correct new recreation someday quickly.
