Is Sly 2 The Best Game Of All Time?

Sly 2 is one of the first games that comes to my mind when thinking about what my favorite game of all time is. But what exactly goes into a game being considered that? For many, it's the competency of the design on display, for others it's the replay value, or perhaps the story and world building. Regardless of whichever one of those things you care about the most, I think we all have favorite games that perhaps, aren't the greatest games of all time, but do everything right for us in particular. For me, that's Sly 2: Band of Thieves and I am here to talk about it for the third, and final time!
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Chapters:
00:00 The Best Game Of All Time?
01:10 Sly 2...18 Years Later
03:29 Getting Started
08:43 Improved Presentation
10:28 A Redone Gameplay Model
13:35 The Cooper Gang
19:37 Subverting Your Expectations
23:53 The True Main Character
27:38 The Villains
30:37 The Writing
33:45 The Game Is Not Perfect
38:20 But It's Still One of My Favorites
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#slycooper #sly2bandofthieves

[@evandupree6085]

Bentley is such a well written character in the OG trilogy. You can literally see the growth he goes through and by the third game, he’s become so confident that his plans have become more devious and brash.

[@ohjeezriles]

Worry-wart Bentley in 1 vs “Levi from AOT”-Tier Tactician Bentley in 3, my god you’re not wrong

[@fwobebe5164]

I wonder why youtube is asking me to rate this specific comment? Anyway, I checked all the checkmarks, it's uplifting, inspiring entertaining, and all that stuff. Anyway, back to drawing lewds.

[@slycther2.027]

Why do you call it OG trilogy if there's never been another?

[@ohjeezriles]

@@slycther2.027 … to differentiate it from the PS3 game “Thieves in Time”

[@nicolewhite3157]

@@ohjeezriles no you don't ever bring up the cursed name of that game

[@TheBlademan-]

I’ll never forget how the games tone completely shifted with the plot twist in episode 3-5. excellent story telling

[@elharvey5032]

Those and episode 1 are my favorite levels in the game, but there's something about episodes 4 and 5 that made them stand out the most, they still make me on the edge of my seat to this day

[@alexmcneill6445]

You know what stings about the ending where Bentley is permanently scarred? In the first game, provided you don't kill Clockwerk super fast like many would be compelled to do, has a chilling final line: "COOPER! You will never be rid of me! Clockwerk is superior!" Clockwerk was right in the end. Because of his hate chip, Clockwerk's body was never destroyed, allowing his body to be excavated, allowing the Klaww Gang to steal them, and by the end of the game, Bentley loses the ability to walk. From here on out, seeing Bentley in that wheelchair? Sly, and by extension us the player, will forever be reminded that Clockwerk (or at least his body) did that to Bentley. ...Granted, despite being confined to a wheelchair, Bentley certainly makes the most of it, arguably making him better in both gameplay and character, but I still like to think that Clockwerk's final words in the first game rung true in future installments. In any case, for me? Before Sly 4 was a thing, I had played Sly 1 and 3. It took me a while to play Sly 2 but I had fun with the game when I got to it. Heck, Bentley's fate at the end still shocked me even though I knew that Sly 3 had him in a wheelchair (but then again, Sly 3 didn't really go into HOW Bentley got injured, but I think that was a good idea since I was still surprised by Sly 2's ending... It's kinda like how Mega Man X2 doesn't go into HOW Zero died in X1) Still though, the Sly games hold a special place in my heart. Everyone has their Jak & Daxters and Ratchet & Clanks, but I had Sly and the gang.

[@sonicrayj6826]

Haven’t been watching the sly videos cause I wanna go into the series blind but I wanted to leave a comment saying I’m definitely coming back once I finish them!

[@elharvey5032]

I agree with you on Bentley, I also like to add that Bentley goes on to one of the most important characters who held the team together and even gaining respect from some of Sly's enemies such as Dr M And to add to your last paragraph I agree Sly Cooper is my favorite of the PS2 mascots

[@thefallensolo3549]

Uhm. Actually you watch Zero die in X1 you just don't know what happens to him afterwards

[@SloanJordan]

The fact that Sly 3 makes Bentley arguably the most fun character to use and most OP despite his clear disability is really just the final highlight of the series and of his character arc. It all begins here and to see you touch on that is welcome indeed. Looking forward to you capping this off sir, well done.

[@elharvey5032]

Not to mention the fact that the main antagonist of Sly 3 (Dr M) respected Bentley to the point that he tried to reason with him but obviously Bentley remained loyal to Sly

[@garyforagerjr5074]

​@@elharvey5032 only bc Murray reassure him

[@AlryFireBlade]

The ending is always a shock to me. Sly giving up and get arrested, his friends kind of leave the gabg. And Bently is bound to a wheelchair forever in a kids game. Really well ending.

[@Ospyro3em]

The part where you mentioned about Bentley telling you how to sprint as soon as your mum and you looked it up reminds me of a funny moment years ago when I was playing Jak & Daxter. Mum was watching me play and when I picked up red eco, mum asked "what does Red Eco do?" And as soon as she asked that and before I had a chance to answer, Daxter said his line "Red Eco makes your attacks stronger!". It was just perfect timing and we had a good laugh 😂

[@99sonder]

One thing that made the game especially accessible was the language options. Most games localized to European countries, including Sly 1, are just the typical 5 English, French, German, Italian and Spanish (Portuguese). But Sly 2 went above and beyond, making a fully voiced translation to Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish in addition to all the usual languages. This was absolutely mind blowing for my young self. I played games like Ratchet and Clank, Pokemon, Zelda, Runescape, Crash, etc. not even being aware of what people were saying, so it was a pure gameplay experience start to finish, not being able understand a single bit of dialogue. So being introduced to Sly 2 and 3, not only being my first time fully understanding the dialogue, but also being able to see the potential video games has for story telling blew my mind out of the water. This game will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason.

[@elharvey5032]

Sly Cooper is actually pretty popular franchise in Northern Europe, especially in Finland, because of the reason you just mentioned

[@69Peopleshit]

The Finnish dub was very well done and also super hilarious 😂

[@jaysimpson3920]

@@69Peopleshit for real tho, pretty much every line can be quoted in the finnish dub.

[@Rubrasileiro]

Great comment !

[@ShadowtheYouTuber523]

True and Crash of the Titans and Mind Over Mutant actually got Finnish dubs too.

[@jacobnapkins1155]

Playing through Sly is like walking through an animation and art history lecture in a video game it combines all the fluidity of the Tex Avery old school animation with the dark backgrounds of the old school noir/deco/expressionist media and art and is truly a love letter to the medium in so many ways.

[@DeftestAphid2]

I've never seen a sequel change so much before. Jak only had a tone shift, this had a complete revamp.

[@TerrorOfTalos]

Sly trilogy *still* has the best storytelling in platformers, definitely can't be argued.

[@petplatypus]

Jak and Daxter Trilogy? Psychonauts 1 and 2? Depends on what you mean I guess but I do love the Sly games story and how it's presented

[@TerrorOfTalos]

Eh? You can't be serious when Jak 3's story has just many issues as NDs crunch hours. Hmm PN 1 and 2 have merit for sure but they lack the character development of sly's characters and plus they don't connect as well as a storyline compared to the sly trilogy. Now if it was just as each individual game sure PN2 as a standalone story would best several aspects of sly's individual stories but considering 1-3 is an entire storyline with each game being an arc I can't do that. PN does tackle more mature subject matter more head on than sly for sure though.

[@petplatypus]

@@TerrorOfTalos Psychonauts 1, Rhombus of Ruin and Psychonauts 2 all flow into each other very well narratively and all take place right after the previous game. Jak 3's story has issues but the storytelling was the key wording I was going off of. How the stories are told and presented. Psychonauts with it's masterful environmental story telling and Jak with it's superb animation, cinematic feel, and great voice acting. Not to discredit the Sly series' Saturday morning cartoon/comic book presentation which is very stylish and stories are executed well. Tho I can't lie I'm not as big on 3 as the previous games personally. I'd mention Sly 4 which I do like well enough, but that would also mean bringing up J&D the Lost Frontier and the less said about that the better.

[@mattmaddogwheaton4724]

I'm actually more partial to Ratchet and Clank Going Commando, but Sly is definitely a strong contender.

[@jaydenc367]

really? Sonic games have some solid storytelling at times too.

[@zenuko620]

Sly 2 is such a good game, and it's not just because it's so nostalgic. It improved a lot of things from Sly Cooper while still changing things up in a good way.

[@Rubrasileiro]

Absolutely

[@calvinmatthews1527]

You speak the truth J. A game doesn't have to excel in everything to one of your favorites. Sly 2 isn't a perfect game nor is considered one of the greatest games of all time, but for what it does well, it is an amazing game. And for you to talk about why it's so amazing for nearly an hour speaks volumes to how much you hold it dear. Keep content like this coming J, and I'll keep watching.

[@Lekuster93]

About the opening conversation with Bentley and Sly: in Finnish dub, Bentley refers to himself as 'Tiikeri' (Tiger) and Sly playfully rewords this name as 'Viineri' (Danish pastry) and 'Siideri.' (Cider) It was funny to realize the alcohol reference as a kid :D

[@jaysimpson3920]

"Asia selvä siideri"

[@carlosgrenada9867]

Sly is my absolute childhood hero and 2 was my first introduction to the series. I replayed it over and over again because there is just something magical to it. My love for this game is really endless and it fulfilled me in a way no other game could ever do again. The soundtrack tho is still stuck in my head. I was probably 8 years old as I played it now Im 24 and the so many themes still randomly pop up in my head. It's so bittersweet to think about this game... I wish I could go back in time and relive this as if it was my first time being exposed to this beautiful piece of art..

[@keybladeoverlord]

The way you've improved your skills over the years J have honestly had an impact on me because before these definitive retrospectives of the Ratchet & Clank series and these new Sly videos, I never really considered myself to be interested in those two series, but now that I have watched these videos I am actively interested in playing them for myself because of the thought and detail you put into your videos. Watching your videos over the past couple years has really helped expand my interests in new stuff and help me understand other points of view even if I heavily disagree with them sometimes. I hope someday soon I'll be able to pick up my own copies of the first 4 Ratchet games and the Sly Trilogy for myself to experience them for myself.

[@LuffyMcDuck]

Sly 2 still has one of my favourite endings in videogames and I didn't play trough these games when they launched. Playing trough Sly games in 2016 were one of favourite gaming memories from that year.

[@AssasinUnderCover]

This game truly is a gem. 20 years later and I'm still cracking up at Bentley being terrified of trying to drive a stick shift car hahaha. Gotta love this series

[@deepad8089]

2 was my first exposure to the Sly series, I remember finding a copy at Sam’s Club electronic sections and I really enjoyed it. It oozes with style, charm and immersive gameplay I could never forget, unfortunately I never got past the water beetle mission and I don’t have the game anymore but it was still a great experience nonetheless.

[@kidprime6863]

I remember playing the demo on R&C: UYA. That's how I got into the series.

[@MoonlightXYZ]

I was advertised because of Toonami. XD

[@kidprime6863]

@@MoonlightXYZ And they even added a cheat code that lets you throw a miniature TOM to distract enemies.

[@purplewoky195]

Search pcsx2 for pc

[@Samuri5hit84]

The water beetle mission sucks honestly, but it's all about finding the water pools on the the way to the end. If any enemies pop up you can leave the beetle for as long as needed in the water. You missed out on so much though, my favourite levels were the dark prison one and the cathedral one. The snow/trail levels and the clockwerk levels are honestly great too though.

[@WavyDavy03]

"bentelys arc of confidence is complete...for now" absolutely roasted my mans

[@Rookie643]

Sly Cooper increased my vocabulary single-handedly, as well influence what type of humor delivery I like

[@pokemaster1478]

Yes I learned the word ransacking from that mission where you have to get all the suit pieces

[@mechajay3358]

Sly 2 is a perfect example of building what worked worked from the pervious game. Major props for giving Bentley so cool development.

[@PalpatinesPlumber]

Sly 2 is a masterclass for it's time, good action, great story and characters and damn... Carmelita is 😍😍

[@mearaclaigh1681]

Listening to these videos is like getting a hug because this game blew my little kid mind and has been my fave ever since. I love the whole series of games, too, of course.❤

[@Solitudesolutions456]

Dude I’m so happy other people liked this game as much as I did, I fell in love with this game as a kid, definitely my favorite game of all time no question

[@averytubestudios]

Your feelings on Sly 2 are similar to my feelings on Ocarina of Time, my favorite game of all time. It wasn’t the first game I played, that was Wii Sports. But, it was the game that showed me that games could be more than kart racers or sports games. It, quite literally, made me the person I am today.

[@francostevo9939]

I will never forget the first time I was introduced to the sly franchise. I love the damn series!

[@BIGwillTHEGAME]

Sly 2 is officially the first Sly game I played back in 2005. I remember that I asked my mom if I could rent Sly 2 from Blockbusters. She warned me that I can only play this game for one day. I played it until the first heist in episode 1 on the part where I had to toss the hook to Sly. Two years later I owned a copy of Sly 2. I used to play this game with my ex frequently until it got scratched up. Throughout the next couple years, I frequently look up gameplay and skit videos about Sly 2. I never actually played this game again until The Sly Collection came out on the Vita. Now I own another PS2 copy that I can play on my PlayStation 2 Fat/PS3 Slim, PCSX2 now that I have a computer that’s fast enough and I now have a digital copy of the physical card for the vita.(pirated) Furthermore, I played the prototypes of all three games that released to the public and use a trainer made by Gou.

[@playerback7722]

Cool man

[@Hardrive2677]

I always thought John Bison had the coolest areas in the game. I remember loving the snowy environment so much as a kid.

[@drippiestz]

The Sly trilogy is, and always will be, my favorite games of all god damn time. And I love how much attention and care you’ve given this review.

[@elharvey5032]

Man these Sly Cooper reviews makes me want to replay the games again, hopefully one day they make a new Sly game

[@leefletz]

as a canadian, you not knowing what canada was when you were a kid is so hilarious to me. because back when i was young, i used to think the USA was only really just ... hollywood LOL amazing video btw! sly 2 was certainly the one out of them all thats stuck in my head for all this time. i miss sly cooper so much, definitely my favourite series of all time.

[@shelbybayer200]

The way Murray's gear is put into that trashcan in the end is a Spiderman reference "Spiderman no more"

[@pkmntrainerred4247]

The more I watch of this, the more my desire to play Sly trilogy grows. Won't be long before it becomes uncontrollable.

[@roxasdeviluke317]

I remember playing this game so much I actually broke it and couldn't play specific levels cause it would crash I used to smack the bears and try to survive as long as I could

[@geminiguy6032]

This game masters minimalism, and the game's tutorial level is the perfect example with its use of composition and use of level design.

[@ProtectorOfMemes]

After being hooked onto the series so much by Sly 1 to the point that I started Sly 2 a couple of hours after I finished the first game, Band Of Thieves quickly shot up as one of my new favourites from the PS2's library. Almost everything was done to perfection in this title, the expanded gameplay and its new structure, the addition of more thief-y elements like pickpocketing and finding treasures, the various hub worlds and how well their atmospheres were done, figuring out how to make the most of all the various abilities, such as using Murray's Fists Of Flame to give him the ability to stealth kill, and above all else, the story and character writing. I can't give enough praise to just how invested I was in what was going on despite knowing beforehand what went down, with an incredibly strong cast of characters and solid voice acting/direction, delivering many moments that were funny, hype as hell, or as seen with Bentley getting crippled, the emotional equivalent of getting a door slammed in your face. It is no exaggeration to say that I see why this is the prime contender for the best game in the series, and I wish it got more attention these days so that more people could recognise its greatness. Looking forward to the Sly 3 video.

[@jackenza8285]

My siblings and I were huge fans of the first game before the second came out and words cannot describe how excited we were when we heard you could play as Bentley and Murray in this game. The game blew our expectations out of the water!

[@bboy9601]

I love this game. The trilogy was my everything growing up in the early 2000's. Even if we'll never see the series return to it's former glory in a future title, we can always appreciate the passion and dedication that was put into the Sly trilogy. Alongside Ratchet and Clank, and the Jak series, these games and more helped define what video games are able to achieve.

[@SHMidlerPlays]

I wish I knew someone like you when I was growing up, because I also grew up playing the sly games as a kid and this one was also my first. And after watching this video, you made me realize how much of an impact this game had on my preferences and such for video games currently. Also great video man

[@HazmanFTW]

Who's got the juice? I never realised you could pick up Rajan and throw him at the fence. The ending made me cry the first time I played it seeing everyone so broken after a long time with these characters and them getting what they wanted.

[@WetWattz]

I was first introduced to this game through my best friend at the time. He had a ps2 where I still had the ps1 so he had a plethora of games I was never able to play until I got my own. This game, to this day, is a staple as to why the PS2 gen of games were my personal favorite. This game absolutely blew me away at the time and revisiting it today, it’s so fun playing around with the controls doing cool tricks and combat tactics or stealth evasions. I’m even replaying it for the 20th anniversary as it was released through PS Plus and I’m literally reliving my childhood all over again. I’ll play this game along with my other favorites till the day I die.

[@TeamSoraPresents]

You know, today happens to be the 20th anniversary of the launch of "Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus"!

[@pradapinkslips4049]

Just found your channel and I really love your videos on games from this era like this one and the long Jak video. Keep up the great work you really break down why these games were so special at the time and to this day.

[@michaelfortesque1331]

Crash Bandicoot 3 Warped used to be my favorite game of all time because it was the first game I've ever fully completed, and at the time it blew my mind that the ending was different after I collected all the gems and relics, but after I went through some difficult times in my life MediEvil and its story about redemption resonated with me and gave me hope to never give up.

[@AntiChris84]

What a game! It took forever to complete crash 3 and i gave up and rage quit multiple times but people at school telling me you get a rocket launcher at the end spurred me on to keep pushing through it. First crash I played and always be my fav. Medieval was zelda for cool kids lmao, I only rented it and never got far in the first game but completed the second game

[@djmilo2]

The music, the characters & the atmosphere of the levels is so perfectly done

[@bluebonnetdaniel8606]

It's incredible to me that you talked about not knowing you needed to jump up the trampoline in the first level, because I have the exact same memory of having the same issue with my brother as a kid.

[@Chris-on5bt]

Great review! I love your content, because while I don't game any more you always make the series you love relatable to me. You have really matured as a reviewer and I hope you keep it up!

[@TheChrisOfManyHats]

What surprises and greatly pleases me is that I could repeat this video's thesis almost verbatim. Specifically, for Kingdom Hearts 1. It was my first game that resonated with me and showed what video games were capable of as a wee lad of 8 years. As a fellow Sly 2 fan as well, had I played Sly 2 first, I likely would've echoed your sentiments exactly. A fantastic game and a well-made video. Thank you kindly, sir :)

[@jimmydean8252]

The tuxedo mission was my favorite! But omg the water bug mission in Rajan's episode gave me so much anxiety.

[@Unquestionable]

By the time I had just graduated high school is when the Sly games first came out so while I was very aware of them yet never really bothered, same with Ratchet and Jax, but knew they were definitely solid titles. Watching these reviews makes me want to dig out the PS2 and track down copies of each. The love and respect you have for these series really shine through and are contagious for sure.

[@FirstPlace97]

Sly 2 is GOATed. Definitely my favorite game from childhood, rivaled only by RE4 and DMC3. Sly 2 will always be one of my top 5 games and one of the all-timers. It doesn't get enough appreciation as one of the most influential games ever made. Some of the best open-world designs ever are in Sly 2 and the introduction of 3 playable characters, something that was hailed as revolutionary when it was done in GTA V, was introduced here by Sly 2 a decade prior. The themes are so mature for a work directed toward kids that I learned concepts from Sly 2 that I wouldn't have found from anything else. That's a GOAT.

[@shotostudios2392]

Just like with your Series on Jak, and your First Crack at Sly way back when, ya reminded me just how much I Adore and Miss this Series. Also replacing a Sly Reference with a JL Reference is a Genius, if Unintentional Callback to that Running Gag. Your Work has been Ace as Hell these past Two Years

[@PervertedNovaxc3]

I'm glad to see that you touched upon Bentley and his great character development. I've seen several people talk about the Sly games, but they always sort of gloss over that really important bit of information.

[@sethdennis1410]

5:06 I did the same thing as a kid J. You are not alone.

[@nightone9720]

I remember being in second grade when Sly Cooper and The Theivius Raccoonus came out. I was at a friends house and he took one of his PS2 memory cards out and put a different one in, popped the game disc in and i was instantly in love with the game from the very start. Im replaying the original PS2 Trilogy now. IM SO HAPPY!!!

[@TheNamesWolf]

There's so many references I never got as a kid. Like Jean Bison being frozen in the ice ala The Shining or the shot of Murray's gear in the trash mirroring Spider-Man No More. So cool.

[@erindelgado9639]

You did a great job with the review and how far you came. I agree Sly 2 is quite an impactful game and also in my Top 5 fav PS2 games as it is quite an awesome game overall. It is quite a crown jewel of the franchise/trilogy and we will never forget the great gameplay, shocking twists, great characters and villains and legendary music. ^^ Look forward to your Sly 3 review as I bet it'll be good. :)

[@SarenDracul]

Im glad to find someone who loves Sly as much as i do excellent review my friend and i look forward to rhe others

[@rolandrush5172]

This is my favorite game I have ever played. I have played it so many times. Such a great game. Arkham City is the closest game I have had feel just as good.

[@wanyekest6392]

I played this game so many times as a kid. I remember the opening part of the game blowing me away when you and the gang are running from Carmelita shooting her shock gun. And I loved how great the story was they didn’t just get lazy since it’s cartoon animals. I hope one day we can get a ps5 remaster of the trilogy and a new game

[@EdacAttack]

Sly 2 was the first that I played as a kid my parents thought it would be a fun start for me to get into the series. And man did I play the crap out of it. It was the first game I ever truly got invested in all the characters. The ending completely gutted me as a kid. I still remember running up to my mom crying that “Bentley died!” Because I really thought he had died in the fight. I was so happy when I learned about Sly 3 and saw my man in the wheelchair. I love this game so much it has a special place in my heart.

[@goalsinfitness]

Sly 2 is one of those games that just gets better the older you get.

[@dankoh87]

Sly 2 was a game I liked but didn't love when I played it years ago, but seeing the passion you have for the game was really affecting. Thank you for sharing this video with us all.

[@PlasticCyborg]

24:40 I remember I had a PS2 demo disk in which Murray's lines were different. He says, "Hey, Bentley, you don't need to talk to me like I'm a child."

[@Alock1997]

Out of the gaming series to come out for the PS2, Sly Cooper will always be my favorite Trilogy. Sly 2 was introduction to series to me too. I remember I used play it everyday after school.

[@elharvey5032]

Similar scenario here

[@kwk111]

Sly 2 really expanded my perception of what videogames can be. Also right now writing this, you said the same exact thing in this video. Great minds think alike 👍

[@crangejo]

Fun inner child thing I wanna share with you J: pressing "Play" on an Episode right before the 33:03 trumpet cue plays, you'll get an actual goosebump-inducing music sync as the "gear up" cutscene. You can do something similar with the first version of the song, too

[@bigkebizino8970]

Bro an animated show of the cooper gang in the style of rise of the tmnt would be sick

[@mikigzaielart]

My favorite game of all time ♥️ I remember playing this in Swedish back in the day 🇸🇪

[@pinkpuff8562]

The reason to why I think Sly 2 is one of my alltime favorite games is mainly Because it actually came in my language. Sly 1 was English only if i remember correctly, and me being a 7 year old swedish kid in 2010 that got his grubby small hands on the sky collection, and not being able to understand english yet, I naturally gravitated towards the 2nd and 3rd game. Because I could get invested into the character and story, and understand how to play and the objectives that I came up against. Being able to actually understand what a character was saying and not have any weird translation error was the best shit ever. And years later when I replayed the game again when I could understand english perfectly, and realize that the VAs cast for both english and swedish were equally talented, passionate and fantastic voices to these characters, and that revelation couldnt have made me any happier. The memories of this game and series truly will live in forever in my mind, such happy memories.

[@elharvey5032]

The rest of Northern European kids went through the same thing, that's why the Sly Cooper franchise is very popular up there

[@diegopansini3152]

Sly really is iconic. On a side note, I can't be the only one who had a crush on Carmelita as a kid, right?

[@ddondani]

I have to say the thumbnail was confusing, cos that art was used for sly 3 in europe, I'm looking forward to hearing ur 3rd take on sly 2 lmao

[@TerrorOfTalos]

It was used first in a sly 2 cutscene though.

[@kvngjaygamez2570]

I genuinely loved these games so much as a kid, I still do, it made such a big impact on my life, I remember to mimic sly and sneak through all the rooms in my house, got to the point that whenever my teachers asked what I wanted to be I’d say “I want to become a master thief” 💀

[@SolidSnake684]

I remember my brother getting Sly 2 for his birthday, both of us being familiar with the franchise but never playing it. It quickly became one of my favorite games ever. The semi open ended levels, and how they all facilitate the heist and the overarching story was amazing, and it holds up so well today. The pacing in this game (for the most part) is sublime. Sucker Punch really had the best concept for how to inject the new open-world fad of GTA 3 into a mascot platformer. The fact that it was a stealth game on top of all that was the icing on the cake. This game felt like it was made for me. Plus, I still feel Sly's movement and controls are some of the smoothest in any platformer. I would go for crazy jumps, and in the heat of the moment land on thin objects that would give my just enough height to avoid flashlights, while always feeling confident I could make them. I feel that's an aspect that isnt brought up as much as it should. It makes the entire game feel so fluid. I love this game. Its not perfect, I think some games are technically better, but damn if this isnt one of the highest quality platformers I've ever played.

[@taylord5381]

Thanks for the birthday video!

[@TheHockeyjock10]

Few games have ever made me genuinely fear for a character’s wellbeing better than Sly 2 when Bentley became paralyzed. I cried my eyes out after such a masterpiece of a game. I’m also so happy with the fact that just because Bentley was confined to a wheelchair it didn’t limit him. Made him a badass wheel jet pack turtle.

[@BIGwillTHEGAME]

I still watch your Sly videos every now and then throughout the years.

[@adamsturesson8855]

Its funny with Sly 2 me my Brother and a friend swapped the controller between us 3 When playing through this game! I played all the Bentley stuff my Brother played as Murray and my Friend as Sly! Maybe Im an outliar here but it was so fun to play this game in this way! We got so invested in these characters so it was like we were the characters. Real good times😁

[@bowen13]

One of my favorite things about the Sly Cooper franchise is how they weave Sly's theme into the OST

[@retrogamer4185]

Sly 2 is my personal favorite from the franchise

[@elharvey5032]

Same here, actually most of the Sly fans would actually agree

[@dexal409]

bro really wrote a thesis on a two line poem with this one

[@skibot9974]

You’ve definitely improved your craft drastically in five years. You managed to say so much more in half the time compared to your second review. I now have a far better idea as to why you love this game so much and the only reason I haven’t picked it up is because it’s not really on modern platforms (theres’s PlayStation Now but I can’t exactly afford $20 a month)

[@Ebolallama]

If you have a decent pc you can use a ps2 or even a ps3 emulator. It's not difficult to setup and you can play older games that were left in the dust.

[@skibot9974]

@@Ebolallama my only computer right now is a MacBook pro

[@Danny-cy7tl]

@@skibot9974 do you own a play station 3 Or Play Station 2

[@skibot9974]

@@Danny-cy7tl I own a PS2 but I haven’t touched it since 2015 And it wasn’t in the best shape. Plus no TVs I own can display lower than 480p

[@UndeadKing97]

This and Kingdom Hearts redefined what storytelling in games meant to me as a kid. It showed that stories didn’t have to be just an afterthought in games.

[@greendaleforever]

I can't BELIEVE they're both 20 years old now!

[@terrabnadia1793]

I, too, took way too long to figure out about jumping on the skeleton at the beginning. I thought I bought a messed up copy and it was missing a section lol

[@NerdyTransformed]

I get similar feelings as you when I replay Tales of Symphonia. Its not that the plot twists are that deep, but for kid me, it was the introduction to those very tropes and made me realize video games could tell a much deeper story than just good vs evil

[@kossi200]

soo many memories. lmao i fuckin cried for real when bentley got crushed in the ending :D

[@mrbacon241]

J's Reviews, thank you for this gorgeous masterpiece of a video. I share your deep love of Sly Cooper 2: Band of Thieves.

[@rapturecitizen1002]

Some of the best games on PS2 Sly Cooper 2 , Ratchet and Clank going commando, MGS3 snake eater , Jack 2 , Spiderman 2 . GTA San Andres . The Good old days

[@SirGary]

Loved the video. Great job ♥

[@sonickhable]

My first ps2 game. So much nostalgia here. I wish it came back

[@calebwalton5003]

New comment here - the jet ride upgrade with sky with the feet boosters was the best. Would ride around using that to bait enemy’s then wack em for fun

[@RealHyperHedgehog]

Sonic Adventure 2 is my favorite game, but Pokémon Platinum comes close. Sly 2 is definitely on my list too.

[@jamesbevan4479]

These videos are making me consider buying the ps3 collection, to try out what I missed out on. I remember some games like this in the same era, like Beyond good and evil or Rachet and clank, But at the time I was in my early twenties so if it wasn't gta Vice city, halo 2, or the latest tekken... I didn't care. (Edgy 2000s adult lol)

[@dalura6780]

ah i remember back then when i had my ps2 and played sly2 for the first time, it was simply legendary!

[@rosyan]

It definitely isn't just nostalgia talking when people really like this game. I was already in my twenties when I played the game myself, with a decade of pretty constant gaming, and lots of different games from Spyro trilogy and Zeldas to Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasies behind me. Still, Sly 2 had great impact in me. There is something about this game I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it is the fact it really didn't *need* to go as hard as it did, but did it anyway. Maybe it is that it's just so well constructed as a whole, even if it trips occasionally. Whatever the case, it still is one of my favourite games, too.

[@cybertoxic1997]

20 years of sly these games deserve a remake loved this franchise

[@playerback7722]

Same

[@terrabnadia1793]

Don’t remake it, just re-release it on the PS5. I don’t want them to butcher this masterpiece with “updated” graphics like GTA San Andreas

[@cybertoxic1997]

@@terrabnadia1793 I was hoping for the crash and Spyro treatment but I understand where you’re coming from

[@elharvey5032]

That would definitely be amazing, just imagine the trilogy having similar graphics to the new Ratchet and Clank game

[@yuichiusagirabbitpawssnow4820]

Same here too 😅would be great 😊

[@2funnyrockrs]

J, I think I did this game and entire series a service. Thank you.

[@DragonspineInfiniteZero]

Its weird we gloss over how someone scooped up the corpse of a known master criminal and put it on display

[@elharvey5032]

Probably because of the fact that said master criminal managed to build himself a robotic body and lived for thousands of years so yeah you bet you would make a lot of money

[@DragonspineInfiniteZero]

@@elharvey5032 yeah reverse engineering him not puting his ass on display

[@TheForever206]

I never played the first sly Cooper. I played sly 2 soon after playing the demo via ratchet and clank up your arsenal.

[@markomalmi7989]

I had the (un?)fortunate experience to play the games in 3,2,1,4 order. After playing the third game through and through the tenth time, I was doing it in the speed of once a day. I wished for the game 2 and when I got it back in like 2010, it was the best christmas I ever had. I seriously teared up and loved every second of the game. Today, as a 22-year old, it's still one of the best sequels I've played, and for ME personally it was a prequel.