Sly 2: Band of Thieves

So, Sly 2 really felt like what a nice sequel to Sly Cooper should be. Bigger hubs, bigger jobs, and more/better mechanics, such as the almighty health bar so you don't have 1-3 hits, maximum. Plus, there's a lot of exploring to do, but I'll get to that shortly.

So, for starters, the ability to play as Bentley and Murray, both with their own strengths, weaknesses and abilities, is a lot of fun. It gives the game more variety, of course. And, naturally, these jobs are things Sly couldn't pull off alone. Plus, everyone has some development as the story goes along. Personally I like how Bentley becomes a lot less afraid after he's been in the field several times, it really shows that he grows more confident and more brave as the story plays out. What else happens? Well, I'm not going to spoil it for you if you haven't played it, because you really should try it out.

I love exploring the open worlds. I enjoy pickpocketing guards of their coins and their loot to get even more money. I enjoy finding treasures in the field and rushing them back to the Safe House for even more coins. Obviously, buying abilities is a fun thing to do. The only ones that you NEED to buy are the Paraglider and Alarm Clock, as they're important to the story, of course.

And of course, the bane of my existence in this game: Clue Bottles. The very quiet "tink, tink" sounds they make are enough to leave the sounds echoing in your ears when you play other games. Finding all 30 in each level is a bit tricky, as turning off the music DOES help, but the ambient sounds, such as water and weather, are the same as sound effects, so some are still pretty tricky without some sort of walkthrough/guide. But finding all 30 in a level allows you to open a vault somewhere in the area that gives you an ability you can map to L1, L2, or R2 (R1 is exclusively for sprinting on foot and using the Paraglider in the air).

But all in all, this is still a fun game and a great sequel to the first Sly Cooper game. I hope you're all looking forward to the guide tomorrow. See ya then!