Sly Cooper and his companions left a great hit for a platforming experience on the Playstation 2 thanks to Sucker Punch.  In fact, the trilogy featuring such a gang was such a success that it ported over as a high definition version to the Playstation 3 in the form of a single disc collection. Now finally, the fourth installment to the series, titled Thieves in Time, has just been released for both the Playstation 3 and Vita. Sly and his companions choose to steal some valuables in Paris and again runs into trouble. But this time, they are warped across time!
Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time allows you to choose amongst the three characters available. You have Sly, the one that we have come to love whose agility is boundless in the world of thieves. As well, you have a hippo named Murray and a turtle on a wheelchair named Bentley. Whoever you choose, you will go into their open-world hub where you’ll engage in missions across time periods. Each era along the way will introduce you to Sly’s ancestors that can actually be used.
As indicated before, Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time consists of some platforming action and fun. While there’s quite a bit of humor and craziness that will get you laughing, they approach the borderline of corniness. During the game, you’ll notice some areas that can’t be accessed, that is, unless you have the right costume on your character. Apparently, having a certain costume will grant you additional abilities. But as well, they can be down right silly in terms of appearance. Whether you’ll be taken away by its charm all depends on you.
In terms of controls, navigating your character around is simple for the most part. The only complaint I have is the camera which can be uncooperative at times. One thing to take notice of is that the Playstation 3 and Vita handles slightly differently for certain functions. Because the Vita does not have the L2, R2, L3, and R3 buttons, this is compensated with the front and rear pad functionalities. This works out pretty effectively and allows the gameplay to be seemless as well as intuitive. For example, on the home console, selecting your costumes is executed with the L2 trigger while on the Vita, you simply touch on the icon in the lower right screen. Furthermore, you can activate your compass with the L3 on the Playstation 3 or just double tap on the rear touch pad.
What helps to maintain the replay value of Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time is the number of content. All throughout the levels packed in this game, there are 60 hidden which will unlock alternate costumes. In addition, by gathering coins, you can add further abilities to your characters. Furthermore, if you manage to collect 30 clue bottles within the level, you’ll get access to a safe hidden which contains a treasure, that is, if you can find it before the timer runs out. And if you successfully locate all the treasures in a level, an arcade machine in your hideout will be unlocked.
Visually, Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time is packed with vibrant colors with cel-shaded graphics that looks great under high definition. Everything from the character design, animations and the background breathe life to this game. The music also contributes to Sly’s success with its variety and excitement. When you enter each time period, a distinguishable track is playing in the background, thus keeping the experience fresh and rewarding.
All this helps to keep the whole Sly Cooper experience enjoyable. The number of mini-games you can get access to allows the game itself to be diverse and fresh. However, there are some that may seem not worthwhile in playing. But as a whole, Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time will keep you enthralled and busy. Finally to note, while the game itself is priced at $60, you get both the Playstation 3 and Vita versions. However, if you prefer to have the latter one only, you can pick it up in the store or from the Playstation Network for $40. Either way, Sly Cooper and his gang will steal your heart with the amount of enjoyment you can get from their platforming action.
