Sly Cooper 2 : Band of Thieves

Stealth, Style, and Storytelling

Sly Cooper: Band of Thieves is the second installment in the beloved Sly franchise. The series originally debuted on the PlayStation back in September of 2002, and Sly quickly emerged as a standout character for the console and for Sony as a whole. Naturally, it made sense for another adventure to follow just two years later—Sly 2: Band of Thieves dropped in 2004, and it became the very first Sly game I ever got my hands on.

Granted, I was just a baby when it launched, so it took a little while after its release before I actually played it. But I still played it early enough to experience it in its original form—on the PlayStation 2.

The Heart of the Game: Sly and His Crew

At its core, Sly Cooper is a story about best friends working together to uphold a legacy. Sly, a raccoon and the game’s titular character, is joined by his two lifelong companions: Bentley, a brilliant turtle, and Murray, a strong (and often hilarious) hippo.

Sly’s legacy runs deep—his family comes from a long line of master thieves, and he's determined to honor that history. But with legacy comes enemies. Over time, the Cooper family has racked up quite a few, and in Band of Thieves, we go toe-to-toe with some of the best villains the franchise has ever seen.

One of the most exciting updates in Sly 2 is that all three characters—Sly, Bentley, and Murray—are now playable. That wasn’t possible in the first game. Each character brings something unique to the table:

• Sly is the stealthy thief

• Bentley is the brains behind the operations

• Murray is the team’s muscle

The gang feels dynamic and well-balanced, and their chemistry shines through constant banter, teamwork, and clever mission design.

The Villains: Enter the Klaww Gang

In my opinion, Sly 2 features the best lineup of villains in the entire franchise. The main antagonists—Dimitri, Rajan, The Contessa, Jean Bison, Arpeggio, and Neyla—make up the Klaww Gang, the major threat of the game.

Each villain controls a unique location, and every setting feels fresh, cohesive, and well thought out. No character feels out of place. Each one brings their own flair, memorable dialogue, and engaging boss battles that push the story forward.

Traveling across the globe to take on each member of the Klaww Gang gives the game an adventurous tone that few platformers at the time could match.

A Major Step Up From the First Game

What really sets Band of Thieves apart from the original Sly Cooper is the structure of the gameplay itself. Rather than completing a single level and moving on, you spend extended time in each location, completing multiple missions as Sly, Bentley, and Murray. Everything builds toward a climactic boss fight, making each chapter feel like a fully fleshed-out mini-campaign.

The open-ended hub areas let you explore, collect items, and interact with enemies. You can pick up coins to buy new skills and movesets from Thief net, which adds a light RPG progression system. Plus, hidden green clue bottles scattered throughout the maps unlock vaults containing special abilities for Sly—encouraging exploration and replayability.

Quick side note—the music and sound design in this game are fantastic. Every track fits its environment perfectly and adds so much to the game’s immersive feel.

Final Thoughts

Sly 2: Band of Thieves is packed with lovable characters (heroes and villains alike), a thrilling and twisted storyline, well-designed missions, and tons of secrets to uncover. It’s a game I’ve come back to again and again—first on the PlayStation 2, then the PS3, and even on the PlayStation 5.

This isn’t just some old-school platformer that’s fun for nostalgia’s sake. Sly 2 is a complete experience that holds up incredibly well, even by today’s standards. Sure, there are a few gameplay mechanics that can feel a bit clunky from time to time, but none of them take away from the overall quality of the game.

Final Verdict: 9.25/10

Sly Cooper: Band of Thieves is a near-perfect blend of storytelling, stealth, action, and humor. If you’ve never played it before, now is the perfect time to dive in.