The Sly Trilogy Retrospective : Part 3 | Beyond Pictures

We are free
My Twitter: @B_Mask_
My Patreon: / bmask
My Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/b_mask
My Discord: / discord
Music-
Jake Weller- / @jakewellerofficial
Comic dub actors-
Davis Kimball (Sly)- @CorgiSword
Zach Fuller- (Mcsweeny/Murray)
/ zachxfuller
Abigail Turner- (Carmelita) @abigailturnervo
/ @abigailturner4841
Sly dev team alumni-
Dev Madan: www.devmadan.com/
Travis kotzebue: @HominidsComic / hominidscomic.com/
Gamerland Podcast: www.blogtalkradio.com/gamerla...
Cloudcuckoocountry's channel: / cloudcuckoocountry
The Sly Cooper Wiki: slycooper.fandom.com/wiki/Sly...
Thanks so much to all of you.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
02:15 The road to Sly 3
06:34 Prologue
13:14 Changed priorities
27:37 Expanding Horizons
43:55 Conflict
58:15 Cohesion
1:09:49 Evolving style and moving on
1:15:03 The final chapter
1:35:47 The Sly Trilogy
1:40:34 Final thoughts
1:43:32 End

[@Eph_Wilson]

Sly 2 Bentley: “Heh heh, I’m in danger.” Sly 3 Bentley: “Heh heh, YOU’RE in danger.”

[@AndrewAce.]

LMFAO

[@Dead_Pegasus]

I legit thought he was gonna say "Now he doesn't need to blow his nose, he needs to blow your head off"

[@rafaelquinta7541]

@@katariinamartens3406 , LP Petra

[@FuckYoutubeAndGoogle]

Sly 2 Bentley: "Call an ambulance!" Sly 3 Bentley: "But not for me"

[@mangaprofilepicture5820]

Bently IS the danger

[@FlameOfUdun96]

Seeing this notification made me almost as overjoyed as when I buried myself in my mom’s pasta sauce

[@Korhi]

This is the perfect comment, we can't get any better than this.

[@Subpar1224]

Just... amazing.

[@johndanie150]

Glad I wasn't the only one XD

[@BMask]

That's strange

[@gamerguy6990]

Can you cram me in there as well?

[@CZsWorld]

It's over. I've seen everything. Time to go outside.

[@layhtoo]

Love this reference

[@frankkennedy4500]

Nicely said

[@nonbinarybastard]

Sly 4?

[@yourexistencehasexpired9545]

@@nonbinarybastard What's a Sly 4?

[@nonbinarybastard]

@@yourexistencehasexpired9545 in 2014 they released a new sly cooper game for the sonny PlayStation 3 but sadly it was as good as the original trilogy but i still want to play it again its been so long i forgot most of it

[@basedbattledroid3507]

"If strength were all that mattered; Tsao would be an ideal son-in-law." Oof.

[@AndrewAce.]

big oof

[@Zistheone2]

Not so sure about strength though since General Tsao's Chicken

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

Not sure if Panda King just owned Tsao or himself

[@PLATINUM_Rook]

​@@tsnophaljakarax9963Both

[@sokumotanaka9271]

*Dad cooper* : Maybe the treasure, was the friends we made along the way. *Dr. M* : Screw that I want my gold!

[@crimsondynamo615]

Atomic Beast especially when his vision was blinded by years of greed and madness. Vices have a way of shaping someone.

[@MidoriMushrooms]

​@@crimsondynamo615 nobody goes mad for no reason though, the initial seed of envy came from somewhere, even if that somewhere was a misunderstanding or an exaggeration. it speaks to the nature of a true hero when they ask themselves if they could engender that seed in someone else in the first place just by being thoughtless or selfish, even if the other party is the one nurturing it.

[@supersonicmario56]

@@MidoriMushrooms "Dirty, Attention Grubbing, Thieves" That's how Dr. M describes them. Considering the whole episode he has with Sly on the blimp, along with his conversation with Bentley, I'd say he was more envious of the Cooper's legacy rather than their wealth. Sly's father was clearly becoming more famous, or infamous, leaving Dr. M and McSwiney in the background. Dr.M was probably being taken for granted, compared to his counterpart, Bentley, whose had the most drastic change in this entire series. This can idea can also be traced back to Clockwerk, who "kept himself alive for hundreds of years with a steady diet of Jealousy and Hate". It might even explain why a certain character went rouge later . . . .

[@moneylover318]

Well at least the sly acknowledges his father wasn't perfect unlike most main heroes in this situation. And apparently sly does treat Bentley and Murray more better than his father did with M and Mcsweeney

[@AndrewAce.]

Bruh 🤣

[@lepermessiah2608]

I never noticed the irony of Panda King defending Murray with a turret until just now.

[@kevuwevu]

Same. It's a beautiful turn-around.

[@AndrewAce.]

I did. It was perfect!

[@nelzelpher2088]

You protect Murray with a turret just like the first game, big deal.

[@Bauglir100]

@@nelzelpher2088 From the Fiendish Five's henchmen, including those of the Panda King. But now instead of you using a turret to protect Murray from the Panda King's henchmen, the Panda King himself is using a turret to protect Murray.

[@acebi_ly9246]

OH MY GOD YES ! HOW FUCKING STUPID AM I ????

[@SpiderandMosquito]

I would like to share news; Rick May, the voice of Dr. M, passed away on the 13th of April 2020 due to complications of covid-19; his other most famous roles are as the voices of Andross and Peppy Hare from Star Fox 64, and the Soldier from Team Fortress 2. Let us pour one out for this now lost talented

[@logannottheonefrommarvel9917]

God Bless America, God Bless Soldier, and most importantly God Bless Rick May.

[@AndrewAce.]

Damn... He was amazing as Dr. M... 😔

[@danield9725]

May he Rest In Peace 🙏

[@thatwouldbeme]

He was Soldier? 👁️👄👁️

[@christopherbetancourt4643]

Pours a Saints Row 40oz on the floor

[@AndrewAce.]

*Most people in wheelchairs:* _"This is my life now"_ *Bentley in wheelchair:* _"FOUR JUMPS BITCHES!!!"_

[@KC-zi7pw]

tell me why I read that in Bentley's voice 😭😭

[@jacobg6628]

@@KC-zi7pw I think we all did

[@CalebratedTV]

B-Mask: And that's it, the end. It ended so strongly. Us: Oh, but what about Sly 4- B-Mask: AND THAT'S IT, THAT'S THE END. *I T E N D E D S O S T R O N G L Y*

[@nessix6273]

SLY 4 IS NOT SO BAD

[@illansuu9572]

@@nessix6273 i mean depends on what ur talking about. They compleatly fucked up the charracters

[@jespertiden8054]

Its garbage

[@nessix6273]

@@jespertiden8054 what? sly 4? if um ean sly 4 this is getting out of hand

[@phoebeaurum7113]

@@nessix6273 The gameplay is fine but the story....

[@technicolormischief-maker5683]

What makes King’s introspection so special to me is that it doesn’t come off nearly as hokey as it could. It’s obvious that being wholly aggressive is the wrong answer, but it also shows that being wholly passive is too- in pursuing humility to the exclusion of all else, King lost his daughter. Not because he was overpowered by Tsao’s forces, but because he had completely lost his will to fight them at all. Murray had more passion for saving a car than King did for protecting his own flesh and blood. So the resolution he reaches is that he needs both strength to fight, and the humility to know when fighting is unnecessary. I think that that’s the sort of advice that that kind of setup rarely approaches. The easy answer is to say that humility trumps anger, period, and I respect this game a lot for trying to offer something a little more pragmatic.

[@BMask]

Absolutely spot on.

[@technicolormischief-maker5683]

:) While I’m at it, the conversation between Bentley and Dr. M is much the same. Rather than going for the basic “bawww friends are useless” “no deathkill they’re my strength” setup that a lot of more basic stories go for, M straight up tells Bentley that Sly isn’t his friend at all, and is just manipulating him. And Bentley, knowing that Sly really is a good person even at his most arrogant- knowing that he risked his life to save Bentley and Murray during the face off with Clock-La, that he genuinely tried to patch things up with Panda King despite their baggage, and other such things- rejects that completely. At the same time, the fact that he even considered it in the first place shows that the Coopers’ egotism really does present a tangible threat. If Bentley, the most logical member of the group and friends with someone as well-meaning as Sly, can be temporarily swayed by Dr. M’s mania, then experiencing the same from other people is all but inevitable.

[@jacksonsmith2046]

@@technicolormischief-maker5683 man i love coming back to this video just to read the comments and see how people are analysing this game. Your comments are wonderful and really got my brain going thinking about this game's themes! These silly cartoon raccoon games are so narratively rich stg

[@jtmgamer]

Are we not going to address the fact that Dr M spent 20 years trying to open the vault and Carmelita just fucking busted a window open to get inside?

[@shcdemolisher]

I think that window was likely a secondary hatch that was for storage, since... given the sheer variety of loot, you are gonna need a lot of heavy machinery to get it in there. So for M to ignore it, it likely was camouflaged well.

[@TehSkullKid]

It's the ultimate catharsis sitting here and watching this. Sly is barely talked about in the conversation of gaming storytelling and writing. Even when the topic is on PS2 platformers, Crash, Jak, Ratchet and Spyro seem to overshadow it every time. Now years later we have a trilogy of lengthy, well-put together videos as a testament to the series' quality. To commemorate the games and show that they're just as fondly remembered and influential to the medium as any others. Thank you for making this.

[@childhoodisthatyou9869]

Someday when Im rich Im going to buy the IP rights and make movies, tv shows, games, comics, and other merchandise.

[@acha8017]

Travis 23 dude I’ve had the same idea for so long. See you in 10 years or so! Let’s keep hustling

[@Eevee860]

Quartet*

[@leol9389]

its really weird too how spyro always finds himself in the convo when hes a ps1 mascot with a really bad ps2 run. Technically, Spyro shouldn't even be a factor.

[@AndrewAce.]

Indeed

[@Vanisonic]

The pasta sauce interaction, to this day, is still the most I've ever laughed playing a video game ever.

[@davymcgravy7778]

CB Transcendental when I was a kid me and my little brother couldn’t stop laughing at Bentley’s insults on the grapple cam

[@fhornmichaelmac]

@@davymcgravy7778 "Hey, you! Unattractive person!"

[@SpiderandMosquito]

"Yo mama!"

[@SpiderandMosquito]

For me it was the fact that Sly obsessed over it... over your in game communication with him... ya know, the one that's always been used for plot and/or tutorial. Here it's being used for a one sided Jerry Seinfeld conversation so irrelevant to the game. And so uncharacteristic too... this is not the kind of subject I imagine Sly ever getting overly distracted by.

[@SpiderandMosquito]

But ya know what for me it was Bentley insulting Mugshot... that was golden!

[@GOUSTX]

B-mask: it ended strong Sly Cooper 4: I'm about to end this whole man's dreams

[@morganrobinson8042]

Yeah. To properly do a retrospective, you unfortunately need to broach the subject of that disheartening ending.

[@Tytoalba777]

Stop kidding yourselves, Sly 4 doesn't exist. I mean, Sucker Punch is too busy, so that'd require them selling the brand to some nitwit video game company who'd completely botch the game, and we all know that wouldn't happen...

[@AncelDeLambert]

I don't understand what you mean, there are only three Sly Cooper games.

[@biraptor6205]

@@AncelDeLambert What they are reffering to is Sly coopers monster

[@Msa9898]

Sly TiT is a fangame with a proper budget

[@brian78721]

1:07:20 Bentley : I WISH I COULD JUMP AND PRESS THE O BUTTON!!!

[@PoisoNico93]

The one true way to rob a KFC

[@SpiderandMosquito]

@@PoisoNico93 I understood that reference

[@AndrewAce.]

Sometimes I feel that way too, but then I remember that his wheelchair comes fully equipped with all the handy-dandies...

[@shcdemolisher]

@@PoisoNico93I'm still surprised that happened.

[@hayaokakizaki4463]

"You got a better idea?" "Yes! But it requires a giant fighting robot..." Hell yeah Murray!

[@heyitsmeskylar6564]

Murrey watches anime confirmed

[@toaferon1822]

Murray at seeing giant Carmelita: "Nice try world, but you can't fool me: That's a Gundam!"

[@Spawned4Dinner]

Get in the fucking Robot, Murray!

[@HellNutcase]

What can I say? Chicks dig giant robots.

[@wheezecheese2651]

I love how carmelitas ears react when she realizes sly got “amnesia” and then perk up when she gets to bring him with her

[@morfinny94]

Seeing someone bring attention and dissect one of my favourite games of all time so meticulously was an absolute joy. Well done.

[@TheHulk1850]

Sly Cooper was always the best of the big 3 platformers, of the Playstation 2 era. They were why I was so excited for Infamous, back in the day.

[@JayfroC]

It's been a while since I've seen anyone talk positively about Sly 3, so this video was a breath of fresh air ^^

[@KidSnivy69]

Where have you been!? This and Sly 2 are some of the most talked about games!

[@TheHulk1850]

@@KidSnivy69 Well, I remember back in the day, before Sly 4 came out, everyone hated Sly 3. But ever since 4 came out, it's the most hated.

[@KidSnivy69]

@@TheHulk1850 I preferred Sly 4 to 3 honestly

[@SunsetSullivan]

The first video thumbnail, showing Sly from behind and at a distance, is representative about how the first game laid the tentative groundwork for the series The second video thumbnail, about building on Sly as a character and his world as a setting has its thumbnail as a low angle shot, communicating his presence and depth The third video thumbnail, which is about moving away from Sly as a character, doesn't even feature him I t s l I k e p o t t e r y i t r h y m e s

[@TerrorOfTalos]

Holy shit dude

[@BMask]

;)

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

ceramics, dude *nods intently *

[@edwardnygma8533]

Hell, it's even a shot where they're *looking back* while they're *leaving him behind* . It really is like poetry.

[@morank3]

1:34:35 Such a cool character moment for Sly, and ties in really well mechanically as well. It was never about the loot; when I played these games I spent dozens of hours just wandering around picking pockets, and dozens more sailing the seas fighting pirates. I racked up like 200,000 coins, almost enough to buy every item in the game 10 times. It was just fun to be Sly. So when he finally gets into the vault, he just wants to see if he measures up. He's not looking to take anything with him. He realises that he values his friends more than some idea of legacy, and after coming close to dying he decides that what he really wants is a life with Carmelita. So he fakes amnesia and joins up with her. Then as the mountain comes crashing down, in his final gift to the gang he uses his cane to prop open an entrance to the caves. Simultaneously leaving behind his legacy (the cane was his father's iirc?) and sharing the victory with his friends by letting them into the vault to do what they want with it. Really great video, totally changed my perception of Sly 3 and the series as a whole. Thanks!

[@ryanhowe6543]

And that is why thieves in time is not (or ever will be) canon

[@Subpar1224]

I wasn't the only one who would collect a bunch of coins then haha I don't know if I eventually got 200,000 but I think I got like at least 50,000

[@rmiki96]

In case anyone is wondering, Dr. M's voice actor is the same as the Soldier from TF2.

[@MrJinglejanglejingle]

...Now that is amusing.

[@WristFreeze97]

This fortress is mine, maggots! You're nothing but a bunch of thieving cowards!

[@zach3861]

Team fortress 2 or Titanfall 2? Be specific please, both games have soldiers.

[@WristFreeze97]

Chef_Fiend Who uses TF2 when talking about Titanfall 2? TF2 means Team Fortress 2.

[@MrJinglejanglejingle]

@@zach3861 Sure. Its the Soldier from the TF2 that is actually worth a damn, and not a failure of a game.

[@AlexTenThousand]

Fun fact: the Ferris wheel cutscene once glitched on me, and Octavio spotted me during the scripted sequence.

[@betterfuelhuell3758]

Were you playing on PS2 or PS3?

[@AlexTenThousand]

@@betterfuelhuell3758 PS2, original European release.

[@jellybabi7600]

Oof

[@crimsondynamo615]

“I’ve got a shadow huh? You stink! Back in my day, thieves knew how not to get caught!”

[@seanS196]

Haha, this happened to me too!

[@Eph_Wilson]

“If strength were all that mattered, Tsao would be an ideal son-in-law.” Dang, that hit me deep there. 😳

[@KobeXKaioken]

“I’ll dive baby, I’ll dive for the loOoOOoOuuuuuIiiioooouuuuoooohhve”

[@thesnowyowl7771]

1:19:21

[@shenyongo]

B-mask: "The work is done. I won"

[@sokumotanaka9271]

It's also kinda sad if you think about it. Sly's father formed this team and the brains was so underappreciated that he held a grudge even after his death, only to die himself so close to the treasure he sought. Leaving McSweeney the only living member of his crew, alone. I'm sure if and when he heard of sly's dad's death both him and M felt a little sad at the loss of their friend even if a little. It's gotta be sad to know you're the last surviving member of your surogant family or group of friends.

[@sirchucklefuckle1423]

Bruh that's sad T_T

[@raven3067]

I'd say that Dr. M was a little sad at first but then he let his grudge and obsession go to his head resulting in him losing his sanity and lack of sympathy for his fellow team members. He only saw Sly as his dad and not Sly himself.

[@AndrewAce.]

Pondering

[@juliantapia1407]

Who knows, maybe M was planning on or would've planned on doing something to obtain the cane from sly's dad before the 5 got to him

[@Neo232100]

The sad part is that, there is a fan theory that suggests that Dr. M might have sold out Sly's Parents.

[@fruitlion8]

Dr M is an underrated villain for the series. From casually poisoning people to a grudge that could rival Clockwerk's.

[@Darkstar263]

That was such a brilliant debut scene for him when he poisons that guard.

[@thesnowyowl7771]

"He doesn't need to blow his nose anymore.. he'll blow yours" brother makes Bently sound like a badass

[@ChrisWrightReally]

I mean he is.... not counting 4. But Bentley had really grown throughout the series.

[@Max-nw]

B- Mask is making a new video tonight, and I'm starving! I'm gonna watch it three, no four times! Mama-mia I wanna be buried in his videos!

[@BMask]

Guess you a-really like my-a cooking

[@amala1333]

@@BMask we all do

[@Volroomste_melk]

@@amala1333 MAMA MIA

[@fhornmichaelmac]

@@Volroomste_melk I wanna be _BURIED_ in his analysis of 3D platformers and interactive storytelling! It's-a _HEAVEN!_

[@Volroomste_melk]

@@fhornmichaelmac can I join

[@Dem14]

The fastest 1:45:40 of my life. This video is truly a piece of art. Kudos to you

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

Man, I love Carmelita. The fact that she's been chasing this guy literally all over the world, but still cares deeply about him even though he's a criminal. Just when she could easily just snag him and arrest him while he had amnesia (supposedly) she instead gave him a second chance and told him he was her partner. Their relationship is so adorable but so entertaining as well >w

[@ryanhowe6543]

I’d love a soft reboot type game of just those two as the replacement “sly 4”

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

@@ryanhowe6543 That would be pretty cute....and also a nice way to forget Sly 4 existed >.

[@ryanhowe6543]

I would actually bring back the black knight as an antagonist, except it’s not Penelope

[@montanajackson3713]

I would love a soft reboot for the PS5.

[@shcdemolisher]

@@ryanhowe6543Maybe it's one that has Sly raising his own kids, that would be interesting to explore! Plus actually giving more background to Sly's own dad and mom. Do notice that his mom is like... never mentioned at all by him. Which means that he likely was a product of a single dad, or his memory doesn't ever think about the family member that gave birth to him. Either way it's a complicated issue.

[@CoffeeSuccubus]

Bentley got REAL savage in Sly 3. Like for real. I love it.

[@MrX626]

My god. I finally get it. Even with the sequel hook at the end of this game, there was no room for another sly game. Because sly’s story was done. Thieves in time was never needed. Nice as it was to be sly again, the plot just didn’t have room for it

[@SageofStars]

To be fair, there was no room for another 'Sly' Cooper game, same as there's no room for another 'Max' Payne game. That doesn't mean these worlds need to be left behind. I would love to play a game with Sly and Carmalita's kids, playing the roles their parents had. Or maybe even something involving the omnipresent Thief-Net, which is a background element, but still something odd about the world that's never really dealt with in a final kind of way.

[@QuestionableObject]

"You've got some fuzzy dice to come around here!" That line is crack up

[@MrJinglejanglejingle]

I mean... Honestly, he literally does have 'fuzzy dice'

[@Nulono]

@@MrJinglejanglejingle "Why do you have square nuts?"

[@SnowblindOtter]

I'm somewhat disappointed that you didn't even mention the whole dynamic that happened to Murray in the opening mission. When push came to shove, he didn't choose to break his vow of peace to save Bentley, _he willingly almost took another life to protect his friends._ That's _MASSIVE._

[@lepermessiah2608]

Fun fact: Dimitri, Don Octavio, and LeFwee are all voiced by David Scully who also voiced Sergeant Johnson in the Halo series.

[@Darkstar263]

He also voiced Rajan in the 2nd game.

[@shcdemolisher]

Oh god... Now I'm picturing Dimitri with Johnson's voice.

[@stevemcqwark7061]

So, whats your opinion on the third Sly Cooper game, B-Mask? B-Mask: It’s a long and awesome story! You got any gum?

[@DoktorInsano98]

What is this a reference to? It sound familiar

[@Darkstar263]

@@DoktorInsano98 The gum line was in Episode 1 of the game when Sly is reunited with Murray.

[@Bloodshade]

Darkstar263 it’s a reference to 18:25 of this video specifically

[@xyro3633]

Lmao

[@samwatson-tayler2805]

Penelope is so great, kind, helpful, adorkable and the perfect match for Bentley. Good thing there was never another sequel that ruined everything good about her and made her completely loathsome for no reason. That would have been terrible.

[@ryanhowe6543]

Nope! That never happened! And do you know what else never happened? Second son

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

Ryan Howe you just had to bring up Infamous Second Son, The Worst Infamous Game, or even a bad Infamous game, or an Infamous game, see what I did there, the title is called Infamo you know what let’s cut to the chase here, You’re not gonna hypnotize me are you, Because if you do, then it’s too late, your mind games are over, you’re under arrest for hypnotizing people of a video game that’s confirmed canon, gone to a good life in prison where you folks belong.

[@naf8787]

@@ryanhowe6543 am i the only one who loved second sons gameplay? Sure the story was a little bland but I still enjoyed the core gameplay

[@ryanhowe6543]

No problem if you like it

[@the603]

you didn’t mention it, but one of my favorite things about Sly 3 was how Bentley is in a wheelchair. There’s so little representation of disabled characters in video games that the fact that Bentley gets to be a person outside if disability is unforgettable.

[@justbny9278]

It's also so seemly well worked into the story and gameplay, it isn't just a minor aesthetic change but it doesn't overthrown Bentley's character

[@Chromeberd]

He did mention it though what are you talking about.

[@casperryborg4869]

So you spend your time thinking about how much disabled people are represented? Now that is one sad fucking life. Lets keep thinking like you: How come Sly isn't black as well? Oh and I think it is quite disrespectful that they chose to go with a gross "heterosexual" relationship, I think Carmelita should be a dude so Sly could take a FAT cock! You people are sad as hell.

[@MinoriGaming]

About M, I think he gives a great different perspective on Sly 1 and 2. The guy’s fueled not by greed, not by justice, not by passion, but by hate. The kind that leads to an obsession with the Cooper line and its death. The kind that results in a person whose mind could never be changed. The kind that drives a person to replace their body with gears and metal just to outlive their enemy. The kind that results in a death ray in a volcano. The kind that causes a person to lead a 5 person crew with the sole purpose of ending that legacy. The end of Sly 2 describes the destruction of the Hate Chip as the “lifting of a curse” but Sly was wrong. The source of Clockwerk’s hate was not a macguffin, but rather the Coopers themselves. Sly in the end lifted his own cursr by breaking the cycle and leaving the legacy behind him.

[@ryanhowe6543]

And thst's why Dr. M is my favorite villain of the trilogy, as horrible as he was, he wasn't completely wrong

[@casperryborg4869]

But... so was Clockwerk? He literally said "I hate you Sly Cooper" during the final battle..

[@ktownshutdown21]

I just watched your "Where's Sly 3" vid only a day or two ago, LOL, you're a man of your word. 2 months it was!

[@Rockstar-yv3cu]

Yeah, today I had the urge to re watch his Jam Video and after that went to buy Pizza and re wacht the Sly Videos. imagine my joy when I saw part 3 was uploaded

[@JimMcnugget]

Sly 2 was a special game, as was sly 1 and 3, but this was a special series. Thank you.

[@basedbattledroid3507]

Rest in peace Rick May, voice of Doctor M.

[@moneylover318]

Well there is one thing you got with knowledge about sly Bentley and Murray. The reason sly probably treats them better then and I the other Coopers did with their partners Is most likely because they all lived together and grew up together they all had no families so they are a family

[@TheGman4747]

That's pretty much why I love the scene where Sly before he goes into the vault, asks Bentley and Murray to join him in going in there with him. They deserved going in there as much as he did in his eyes. Also, the reaction of Bentley at the end of that scene was hilarious haha

[@skeptale]

I can't believe I never noticed it until now, but Persona 5 is just Sly 3 with Japanese high schoolers. In both games, a band of thieves faces a grand heist, only for the leader to be captured before it can be completed. The game then takes the form of a series of flashbacks recounting the series of heists that led up to this point, with the group slowly gaining more and more members. Finally, the flashbacks catch up to the current day, where the group manages to escape peril and complete the mission. The games both end with the group disbanding, with a glimmer of hope that they'll be reunited someday.

[@SirBuckford]

This is actually an observation that my sister made as soon as she began Persona 5's opening sequence where you hear each member speaking but aren't allowed to see them. Crazy how both games really are similar in a lot of ways.

[@SlainOracle]

Underrated

[@Elonyx.studios]

Well shit.... sounds like I need to actually play persona 5 now

[@amala1333]

@Shaman Xeed bruh

[@amala1333]

Its really dumb how 2 of my favorite games are about thieves

[@smoogieboogie1694]

I hope you read this comment so I can tell you how much this video series has meant to me. Sly 3 has always been a special game in my life. It’s the first game in the series I ever played, and it’s always been my favorite. Going back to play through the games that came before only increased my appreciation and moved the series as a whole from a fun one to one that immediately fills me with a sense of excitement over seeing these characters. Sly Cooper is my favorite video game series of all time, and Sly 3 is my favorite game of all time. I loved the story feeding off the interactions and bonds these characters shared. I loved the gang starting off fractured and never quite returning to the status quo they used to have. I loved Carmelita simultaneously taking the Cooper Gang more seriously and becoming more playful with them. I loved the gang finally responding to the heap of magical threats they’d faced and deciding to recruit a magical specialist of their own. I loved the Panda King’s path to redemption. I loved the opportunity to check in on characters we hadn’t seen in years to see how they’re getting on now. And I loved the slowly building story of Bentley’s more devious nature being fed to us so that when we were faced with a dark reflection of what Bentley could become, we became understandably worried. And I’ve also loved these videos for outlining why I love this series in a way I never could. Your first videos here came at a tough time for me. I was fresh off the heels of several big changes. My grandmother had died, I was transitioning from high school to college, and my brother, who had played these games with me growing up, had moved out and I rarely saw him. Your video on Sly 1 then came at a perfect time to bring me back to why I fell in love with this series, and get me thinking about how not everything had to change. After a bit of a wait, Sly 2 came along and evoked similar feelings, and your tease on what you’d discuss in Sly 3 got me immensely hyped. So here I am, roughly a year after that video released. I’ve never stopped following your channel. I’ve rewatched both of your original Sly Cooper videos numerous times, having them either as my full focus or playing in the background. I’ve watched the other videos you’ve made since then, as your sense of analysis and presentation reel me in all the time. Jem and the Holograms? What a random concept for a video? Count me in! So now you release your video on this game that has been a large part of my life, and the video happens to release at another great time of change for me. My grandfather just died, and I have been bouncing back and forth between an immense sadness and a sense of responsibility to carry on his memory ever since. And you release a video I’ve been waiting for that also happens to address the topic of responsibility? What is that about? That’s incredible. I instantly knew I was in for a treat when I saw the somber opening. This whole video had a sense of melancholy to it, which is fitting. The “Run With Us” song that I’d never heard before your videos but loved immediately now taken down a bleaker turn. Your cryptic hints at things falling apart and debts being repaid. And you delivered such a solid analysis that contained heaps of information I never would have gleaned otherwise. Sly beginning to feel drowned out. The Cooper Vault and legacy being oppressive. I have never once heard anyone before make the claim that Carmelita was right the whole time, but boy does it make so much sense. Anyway, I don’t want to spend this whole comment recapping your video. You know what you did, after all. I just want to thank you. Thank you for making these videos and making a case for why this series should be held up as a master in storytelling. Thank you for taking the time to make sure each video is worth the watch and not focusing on a scheduled release. Thank you for inadvertently affecting my life and giving me some answers I needed. And thank you for giving Sly 3 the respect it deserves. A game that many have accused of being bad over the years for the simple reason of “Why aren’t I playing as Sly more?” Just, thank you.

[@ArsonBoy5996]

That Carmelita boss battle in Australia awoke something deep in me as a kid and I've never been the same since

[@gekkogamer8740]

you too?

[@Domin0Head]

Darn. The ending “Run with us” moment has been silenced…

[@shcdemolisher]

What was the music that played in that part?

[@Darkstar263]

One aspect I liked is that unlike the previous games, this time none of the villains had an affiliation to each other. E.g. Fiendish Five in Sly 1 and the Klaww Gang in Sly 2. Each episode had a unique villain with their own agenda. General Tsao was a very impressive villain. He repeatedly outsmarted the Cooper Gang and even found their safe house (Only other villain to manage that feat was Jean Bison.) Though Sly beat him in a fight, for the first time in the series he was a villain that the gang couldn't beat directly and they had to escape after freeing Jing King. They had to trick Carmelita into arresting him which was quite fitting a fitting punishment due to his attitude towards women.

[@Doctor-Infinite]

You should've seen the grin on my face when I saw this in my notifications. FINALLY!

[@Tacom4ster]

I squeed

[@basedbattledroid3507]

Same lol

[@Callmejoelz]

This video is two years old, idk if you’ll ever see this comment but I cried my fucking eyes out over this trilogy of videos. I can’t believe how much I cared about these games. And revisiting through this series was beautiful. Thank you so fucking much for this video. Thank you so much. I will forever appreciate you.

[@TheBBCSlurpee]

Fr what a banger analysis

[@haharharley91]

Dude, I'm pregnant, you can't make me emotional like this! Sly Cooper was one of my favorite games growing up and remains one of my favorite go-to 's on rainy days. It's so lovely to hear this series given the love it deserves in this wonderful retrospective.

[@Doctor-Infinite]

Avengers: Endgame Will be the best last chapter in cinema history B-Mask: Hold My Cooper

[@crimsondynamo615]

Doctor infinite British person: “wait…”

[@KidSnivy69]

Don't push it!

[@TheRubberMatch]

@@KidSnivy69 hes right

[@KidSnivy69]

@@TheRubberMatch Talk to me when he hits a billion views

[@TheRubberMatch]

KidSnivy96 talk to me when we can have philosophical debates about a talking panda in avengers

[@zobrantley6672]

my god, this is so beautiful....I've got tears in my eyes. Thanks B-mask, you've succinctly communicated why the Sly trilogy is my favorite series of all time. Thank you

[@stickinittotheman1]

Agreed, definitely full of emotion. A wonderful finale for a wonderful series, both the videos and the games haha. B Mask, thank you for this, excellent work!

[@asomewhatdecentperson9190]

“The Murray Returns” still remains one of the best moments of the series.

[@felonyx5123]

The irony of the Sly series is having such a conclusive ending while presenting itself as episodic chapters from a comic book, something that could be endless. It makes such a strong case for letting stories end and moving on, but it's not like there's nothing left it could do. When its inspirations like Lupin III have been churning out episodic capers for over 50 years and counting the temptation is always there to disrupt Sly's well-deserved rest.

[@IronicSnap]

I don't know if I'll ever get over just how good this retrospective is. You've given this high-quality series the high-quality analysis it deserves. Sly Cooper has comfortably held the position of My Favourite Thing since I first played it a full 15 years ago, and yet there's so much here that makes me appreciate it in a new light - for instance, I'll never look at the Cooper Vault section the same way again. That's unbelievably precious. Seriously. Thank you for making these videos, and kudos on how well you put them together. As you say, as creators, we can all take inspiration from the passion and talent that went into these games. You've demonstrated that inspiration right here.

[@nelzelpher2088]

A year later he has yet to make a sly 4 retrospective. The “gamingbrit” made a similar quality retrospective between ratchet and clank 2016 and the original.

[@crisbb5795]

am I really going to see a 1 hour and 45 minute retrospective on sly 3? Of Course I Am!

[@Tytoalba777]

1:25:17 This is the moment makes me keep returning to this video. What a thought provoking moment, especially with the contrast of the Gauntlet of the Ancients playing over the Creation of Clockwerk. _That_ is the Cooper legacy there.

[@SA-bd6nv]

The sly 3 ending had me sad for literally 2 weeks

[@fhornmichaelmac]

It's a testament to how well-written Sly 3 is that, even without having played the game in over a dozen years, I can quote its dialogue word-for-word.

[@Seikyuu]

Tenor, Bass, Tenor, Tenor

[@fhornmichaelmac]

Tenor, Soprano, Tenor, Soprano

[@DahHourglass]

Alto alto soprano soprano

[@jesternario]

I remember after I beat this game. I thought up a story of Sly's great granddaughter, a fox, trying to attain her family's legacy from her brother, a raccoon. It had an interesting dynamic.

[@drummercymbalsamples]

jesternario I did the same thing! But thought Bentley would use his time machine to be in the story. Like he would be trying to slowly reveal cooper lineage information until he has to intervene so they can stop some evil.

[@jesternario]

@@drummercymbalsamples yup. sounds about right.

[@Elonyx.studios]

Sounds like a way better premise for a sequals than what Sly 4 ended up being

[@jesternario]

@@Elonyx.studios Yes. Yes it does.

[@doodlenoodle1795]

To this day I've never found a game that made me feel the way Sly did.

[@keyblademasterclark]

"She's loyal to the team." SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE WRITERS OF SLY 4 THAT!

[@ultima1033]

Ah. The gods are pleased. The trilogy is complete. Now for the comments asking where's Sly4?! Lol. Kidding. I'm just happy you finished the trilogy. Also major props to the people you got to dub the comics! Edit: The accent you used for the bar fight was glorious!

[@ryanhowe6543]

What's sly 4? I actually don't know what that is

[@ultima1033]

@@ryanhowe6543 Theives in Time

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

Despite for the majority of the comments saying where sly 4 is this was indeed a perfect trilogy, if this rookie youtuber whos more popular then me can make an essay about Sly 4, then it will be similar to Js Reviews’ video on Sly 4, who’s also a rookie.

[@crookedshades8194]

I know it's going to be dreadful, but please do Sly 4 too, or just Sanzaru's effort in general. That travesty was like seeing your best friend after many years, only to find out that someone murdered him and is wearing his skin, just pretending to be your friend.

[@gekkogamer8740]

Gruesome

[@TheRubberMatch]

I always though Murray had different voice actors in each game. He really does each game differently

[@raven3067]

Sly 1 = *The Game* Sly 2 = *The Turning Point* Sly 3 = *The Finally* Sly 4 = *BRUH*

[@DarkWeidr]

The Man, The Myth, The Legend. Never clicked on a video so fast before!

[@Tralfagal]

Literally the best notification I've ever gotten! Thank you so much! n.n

[@DATskorge]

thank you so much for including the entire pasta sauce part and sly's follow up. I used to love that.

[@Weighty68]

Absolutely phenomenal. Can’t believe I left this sitting in my Watch Later section for so long, what a disservice to the absolute love letter you crafted here. At times I felt you were reaching for significance in the plot and gameplay to make this final hurrah video more important than it seems, but by the end I completely see your reasoning with nearly everything you said and stuff I’ll have to take with me when moving forward looking back at Honor Among Thieves. I always thought it was the weakest entry in the trilogy due to the gameplay styles alienating me with Dmitri only getting two chances to shine and how the levels were pretty baron when it came to free roaming compared to Sly 2’s meticulous sneaking routes and bottle hunting, but upon further examination under the aide your points provided, it seems that most of what Sly 3 set out to do was all in service of wrapping this series up in the best way it possibly could. The points about Sly being a flawed protagonist never really hit me when I was younger yet the way you laid it all down towards the end of the video was a real tear jerker showcasing just how seriously the devteam took this otherwise outlandish tale and turned it into one of endearment and passion through the enlistment of gameplay styles and narrative to weave it all together. Sure the game still may not measure up on the whole compared to Sly 2, but what you said about the series getting in and out while it did and managing to take on new, bold and creative directions in each entry really paints the picture of Sly 3 being more than just a sequel and more the end of an era while holding its own water in ways Sly 1 and 2 couldn’t ever replicate given that they laid the foundation for the stakes of 3. Without harping on too much longer, thank you for your effort in this series of videos and your never-wavering analytical approach to these games most would consider are just for kids. The content you produce is what I aspire to achieve myself one day and you never let the fact that your channel is small in relation to others of your craft get in the way of the effort you put into these vids. B-Mask, continue doing you, you’re an inspiration and a true hidden gem on this platform.

[@MrJogle345man]

The Sly Cooper Trilogy truly is one of those cases of not get sad because it ended, rather being happy and thankful it happened. Since i was a kid i enjoyed the Sly Cooper series and also enjoyed this series of retrospectives, it made me appreciate the Sly Cooper games even more than i already did and this is one of the best pieces of work i've seen on the internet as a whole. Kuddos to you, and thanks for making great content and a great job.

[@Tacom4ster]

I been more hyped for this essay than any Marvel movie

[@denifromdiscord]

38:05 i love how Sly looks less distressed and more like "oh man...hoo..." just completely amused like what the hell are you into dude

[@artemisarrow179]

"You've got some fuzzy dice coming here." Lmfao

[@ijspegel1509]

Dude, I need that sad piano cover of Run With Us. It's not on Weller's channel.

[@JakeWellerOfficial]

I'm working finishing the full song ATM and will upload as soon as I can 👌

[@crispy8346]

when you said the series must come to an end, at first i was a bit sad for like no reason, then i just remembered how glad i am theres no part for sly 4

[@njrk97]

Sly four is and does feel like a different beast, sometimes not in the good ways with its story, while it functions it does feel like in some parts it robs the ending of three away and seems to in some way misunderstand the characters its using. Its honestly why i would love to see Suckerpunch give it one last try, to see perhaps what would happen now, how would Sly as a cop work, would he perhaps break away again, believing in some way that he still needs to return to thievery, that while he will not continue its legacy, he perhaps he feels he has responsibility to protect it and that one more time he must put the mantle of the thief on and stop some villain wishing to destroy, not just the cooper legacy, but the legacy of what he and his friends have done, and that maybe perhaps he wants to cooper knowledge to stay alive, to perhaps give his children, or his friend's children the choice when the time comes, so that if they want, they can chose to continue his cooper legacy, or to leave it behind.

[@crispy8346]

@@njrk97 also tbh i actually kinda liked playing through sly 4, i j think, from a completionists perspective, that there are too many collectables. although the story didnt make a whole lot of sense to me, i think it could have gone much worse, so im happy it wasnt too terrible

[@XTVking333]

I randomly thought about this game series the other day, searched it up yesterday on KZbin, and found the first of this trilogy of videos that came out months ago. As I finish this one and realize it was coincidentally uploaded a few days prior to my random remembrance of this series. I have to say the things you said about this game truly changed how I thought about a childhood favourite series of mine and has given me the urge to replay them. I can't imagine how much effort was put into this fantastic series of videos, giving light to the genius behind a forgotten game series. Bravo I say

[@samwatson-tayler2805]

Bentley in Sly 3 is my favourite example of disabled representation.

[@fredsarw]

It baffles me a niche video series like this with SUCH high production value is even allowed to exist, this trilogy has been incredible to follow and made me appreciate the Sly franchise so much more. And please do a Thieves in Time video seperate to this trilogy, I would love your thoughts on it

[@eyecontrol4900]

niche? i thought the Sly series was very popular online.

[@johnbazy]

HOLY MOLY IT'S ALMOST TWO HOURS, WTF

[@Tacom4ster]

I requested it to be as long as an Avenger movie :p

[@jetex1911]

OH BOY TWO HOURS

[@supersonicmario56]

Got my ticket, and my popcorn, I'm ready . . .

[@denisbolic9408]

Great series. The Sly trilogy is a phenomenal ride all the way through and comes full circle. The lack of success for Thieves in Time is actually positive in preserving the legacy of the Sly Cooper games.

[@anonnyymi4617]

I almost bursted to tears of joy when after watching this epic three-part retroperspective you said: "I was able to run with them." and Run With Us blasted out with the Sly trilogy collage. This was a truly special set of videos :D You should be proud.

[@TheVivvav]

I really wanna thank you for this video. Sly 3 is one of my all-time favorite games but I've never really been able to appreciate the full complexity of the story and the overall narrative arc of the trilogy until watching these videos. You've shined light on a lot of stuff I missed. Do not force yourself to do Sly 4. It's just not worth it.

[@anequallygoodchannel.2761]

I love how in the hd remake the widescreen bars don't completely reach the ends of the screen.

[@bb_201]

PizzaWads I got triggered

[@MsBrendalina]

Sadly, that was the least of the problems in the HD remaster. :(

[@Alphax222]

The attention to detail is magnificent

[@sethstrattan7380]

Im sad the Run with us ending is muted. Ever since listening to that I replay all of Sky cooper trilogy and always play that song at the end and let it play out during credits too

[@koalabyte3536]

"Why is it called the Cooper Gang?" Uhhhh because they were orphans and only Sly had a last name? Lmfao They're brothers, family.

[@irljellywyrm]

I know nothing about this game but I am absolutely gonna watch the entire thing while grinding in a game

[@irljellywyrm]

Okay wow I knew nothing about this game and yet here I am crying at the end of the video??

[@litt420]

deepsea squeeze trees hahahahha this shit is master fuckig peaaaas

[@iliasVoolgaris]

Yeah, the Sly 4 vid's gonna be sad.

[@MsBrendalina]

On the contrary, I think it'll be hilarious to watch B-Mask roast that shitty game.

[@AncelDeLambert]

That's gonna be really hard to do, because there is no Sly 4

[@MsBrendalina]

@@AncelDeLambert """That's gonna be really hard to do, because there is no Sly 4""" I also like to pretend that game doesn't exist (and, lucky for us, so does Sony LOL)

[@ROT695]

MsBrendalina Well technically it’s true. It’s not actually called Sly 4 which I only just realised recently 😂

[@charKT-7461]

The hell is this "Sly 4 is shit" talk? The game _is_ the worst of them all, but it's still good. No way you can't get absolutely _any_ enjoyment out of it.

[@theace8502]

Almost five years later, and this is still the most masterful retrospective of this game on the platform (probably anywhere, for that matter)

[@MagnusArchvile]

"Things must end, it's the only way to make room for beginnings." - B- Mask 2019

[@Thejigholeman]

the sly games were an amazing trilogy. they left off on the right note.

[@kingkebo3960]

Run with us, we’ve got everything you need, Run with us, *it’s part 3*

[@cameronjohnson4936]

I am genuinely blown away with how well this video flows. Overall, you literally scripted, recorded and edited together a movie length video essay, and it never dragged, or rehashed old ground as the video played out. This is, without doubt, one of the highest quality video I have seen on this platform, and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

[@ryancarless7921]

Love watching these long videos. I appreciate the passion

[@OckhamAsylum]

Ever since I was a kid, I always felt there was this odd bittersweet feeling about Sly 3 in particular, but I was never able to really pinpoint or articulate it. But after watching this, it's like there are now words that accurately express what I never could. Good stuff, good stuff indeed.

[@Inferno144]

When it came to Panda King facing himself in the mirror, I love how even tho his past self showed nothing but destain for his current state, when it came to the subject of his own daughter, he would willingly join with his other half. No matter how fractured his mind was Jing King was at the very top of his mind and he would do anything for her. Just the mentioning of her and how they needed to become a better father for her brought the realization to the other half.

[@TheMonsteratior]

I think Sly says some extra stuff at his Dad's part in the Cooper Vault. After activating it and waiting for a while, not sliding on the lasers, he'll notice the blue sparkles and be surprised there's a thieving opportunity. Give it some more time and Sly will figure it out and call his Dad an old rascal Everyone probably already knew this, but no harm in mentioning it. May be small, but I like that little talk Sly had to himself

[@MadHermit95]

I'm hearing a giant "But" that the fact that Sly '4' happened.

[@kordellcabe6]

Huan Ngo *waves hand performing a Jedi mind trick* -“Sly 4 never happened.”

[@spikelink2]

@@kordellcabe6 we wish.

[@Nekrumorfiini1]

It's called the Sly "Trilogy" for a reason.

[@PipeGuy64Bit]

It's immensely painful how much Sanzaru missed the point when making that plot only to abandon it after leaving the story at a bad cliffhanger in order to make a couple of at best average 3DS games for the Sonic Boom series.

[@ShockwaveFPSStudios]

PipeGuy64Bit Fans Who years later Attack Other Fans, it’s Star Wars The Phantom Menace all over again