The Sly Trilogy Retrospective: Part 2 | Beyond Pictures

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Sly piano music: • Sly 3: Gauntlet of the...
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:46 The road to Sly 2
07:08 The prologue
13:14 A new way to play
20:20 Teamwork
26:03 Character interaction
32:01 Jailbreak
39:08 Taking revenge
41:54 World/Event design
51:47 Art design
59:45 The final chapter
1:08:56 The thematic relevance of Sly 2
1:12:51 End

[@codyxvasco592]

Hearing kevin speak makes me realize someone out there is just using sly's voice everyday. To order coffee and shit.

[@antitheist3206]

Imagine him ordering pizza, and the guy on the other end is just like "who is this", only to freak out after they hear his name.

[@athanxatzis3544]

Imagine picking up the phone and hearing Sly's Voice and you are like....sly?

[@AndrewAce.]

LMFAO! That's such a fulfilling thought 🤣

[@stealyourheartz]

oh my god,, you;re right

[@genxgen1368]

Just imagine Mark Hamil ordering pizza as Joker, Sokka asking for something meaty in a drive-thru, or even Timon and Pumba... calling a plumber. Imagine 😏

[@FlunkyHunk]

Sly telling Dimitri his suit sucks and the immediate responsive screeching by Dimitri has always made me laugh

[@MrJohnlennon007]

Austin Gullette OWWWWW LETS DANCE

[@charliegmitro4578]

GREASY SWEET

[@ryanhowe5595]

It's also kind of amazing that they got away with that word for a game that was rated for everyone

[@bossross8270]

@@ryanhowe5595 LOL, I remember when I was a kid and hearing Sly say "sucks". It surprised the hell outta me.

[@perry-1572]

Austin Gullette it’s so funny that simply reading the comment made me laugh lol

[@tankyamazaki9222]

I think one of my favorite small details about Carmelita that helps characterize her as more than an agressive cop lady is when Murray get captured. She checks up on him, asks if he's alright. We find out she's even given him jellybeans. She's not treating him like a target, or some hostage. She treats him like a person.

[@Vinman1509]

Yes I loved that moment for both of them, really showed that Murray has no disdain towards Carmelita and she actually treats him well and checks up on him

[@drakep.5857]

She's such a cool Latina femme fatale character. Not a stereotype, or incapable, or an idiot, or evil, or unrespected. A rational agent with large stakes in the story who makes her own decisions and is a key player in the plot. So cool.

[@Metukkeli]

Fun fact: While worldwide, Sly games sales weren't that impressive compared to other platformers, there was (atleast) one country were the series was mega popular, especially the second game: Finland. If looking by sales alone, there was actually a time when the Sly Cooper series was more popular than Mario or any other platformer there was.

[@Mixu.]

MetalGearShake this explains A LOT. No wonder two of my best friends and I somehow ended up playing the whole trilogy before even meeting each other.

[@RedKing12000]

Welp, I guess I’m moving to Finland. I’ve been in the mood fir a country with good taste for a while now.

[@surpomp100]

Sly sold well in scandinavia as a whole in fact, not sure why.

[@Mixu.]

Fulufu sorry but I just have to correct this, Finland isn't actually a part of Scandinavia. I think you mean Northern Europe or Fenno-Scandia (it's stupid I know, but it does actually make sense) Anyway, that is actually kinda weird, considering it doesn't have anything special for us northerners. I guess we just have a good taste in games.

[@surpomp100]

Mixu82 oh i know finland isnt part of scandinavia haha (im norwegian) i was just saying that it sold well in scandinavia aswell, so it was more the word choice that implied finland was part of it that was wrong, sry for the confusion

[@Wizard_Lizard_]

The fact that Kevin Miller doesn't even have to change his voice to sound like Sly is hilarious to me. Could you imagine the look on some people's faces when suddenly they're taking Sly Cooper's order at a drive thru? 😂

[@nelzelpher2088]

I can imagine working at drive through and through my headset I hear Sly's voice. "Your pathetic"

[@Mixu.]

... is your name a reference to this game? If so, that's really funny lol. If not, that's quite a coincidence!

[@articusramos808]

It be a high light for the drive thru guy. Especially if the guy actually played the games. If I was running a drive thru? I'd say: ....Ringtail..... is The Murray gonna order too?

[@BMask]

Just wanted to confirm for those interested that part 3 is definitely going to happen, and there was no intention of ever dropping it. Been working on the script and trying to find the best way to write/structure it between real life and other video projects for almost a year. Proved more difficult than I hoped but we're getting to a decent place. Hang tight everyone. I'll announce a release date as soon as the script is final. The fact you all want it to happen is deeply flattering and I promise you, I REALLY want to make it, and make it as good as I'm able.

[@georgecopers5071]

B-Mask, found your channel through the Sly Retrospective video. Your content is amazing. So well edited, full of great humor, and care and concern for each point you make in reviewing these wonderful games and film titles. Your review on Frozen is by far one of my favorite takes on it, because let's be honest, it pales to anything from the Disney Renaissance. I digress, your Sly Cooper videos across KZbin are always a joy to rewatch over and over again. I am glad that someone can properly articulate what made the series so endearing and enjoyable to its fans. Each of your projects carry such a high quality it makes me glad to see such a beloved series gets a well deserved and high quality presentation. Thank you for the care you put in to these reviews, the Sly Cooper trilogy is my all-time favorite.

[@tyce76543]

It's crazy to see you comment this so recently because I only just this morning watched part 1 and then had to leave halfway through part 2 and couldn't wait to come back to watch the rest. Happy to hear part 3 is coming and cant wait to watch it.

[@Arcticfox030]

Good good this answers the question I wanted to ask lol I noticed the pause between one and two so I wasnt to worried but ya know confirmation Is always nice

[@verasath]

Can't wait for part 3!

[@kanalintu9246]

This is great to hear and don't rush it. Take all the time you need.

[@jakerudisaile8456]

Incredible analysis overall. However, one thing I was really hoping you'd cover in this was the reflection in each villains plans in the Clockwerk parts and how they failed to see the scope of what they got their hands on. This is shown the most obviously with Dimitri. When Sly was explaining how dangerous the Clockwerk parts are to him, he was completely unable to process it. He ironically expresses to Sly "Do you have no vision?... Don't show me a little mind when talking about big things." He fails to see the magnitude of what he has in his grip. He see his operation as this big thing to make massive amounts of money, despite the fact that he is in the possession of literal immortality. All he wants is his shitty fake cash. Same thing can apply to all the other members of the Klaww Gang. Rajan wants to run his massive dru- spice ring for money, The Contessa wants to brainwash criminals so they could give her money, Bison wants to tame the north for... progress? And also because he's probably making a lot of money. While these are all huge grand schemes they can only operate on that scale thanks to their Clockwerk parts, their use in these are massively insignificant when it comes to immortality. This is also reflected, not just in their use of the Clockwerk parts, but in their individual operations as well. In order for the Clockwerk frame to become operational, Arpeggio needed each member of the Klaww Gang to use their expertise to, unknowingly, give him the final pieces of the puzzle to make his hypnotic light show of hate complete. Dimitri drugged his night club, Rajan provided the drug, The Contessa provided the lights used to brainwash Paris, and Bison provided the battery to power the lights, in the same way that each member provided the Tail Feathers, Wings, Heart, Eyes, Lungs, Stomach, and Talons. None of the members of the Klaww Gang, except for Neyla and Arpeggio knew the ultimate goal of the Klaww Gang. They were all too busy focusing on making money, earning respect, or progress. All unable to see the big picture in front of their eyes. It's why I don't consider Arpeggio's monologue to be too long or over explained itself. It helped tie everything together, not just in the assembly of the Clockwerk, but how each members individual schemes helped to finalize Arpeggio's ultimate goal and how each member was completely unaware of the scope of their contribution to the creation of Clockwerk. Regardless, the rest of the view was flawless overall and you really did justice to one of the best written platformers of all time.

[@mohamedabdullah4650]

Jake Rudisaile you’re actually a genius

[@drakep.5857]

It's a great portrayal of psychopathic billionaires, cryptonazis and silicon valley types in the modern world. Being a selfish, dangerous piece of shit in your own bubble isn't where your evil nature ends, as there's always a bigger villain somewhere above you using your fruits of labor, be them honest gotten or ill gotten, to pursue their own even more evil, dystopian project. especially in the modern world where we see most of our lives being directed by greedy monopolists and the even more powerful people above them, a plot like this is one any kid of any background should learn from at a young age.

[@TheMaghorn]

When I was a kid I just thought the moose head was a wooden bust that Murray was able to wear like a regular mask. Now the implication is a bit grim to say the least.

[@clonedvarient4154]

That "I'll be seein' yah soon... Ringtail." From Carmelita still to this day gives me chills. Its such a great final line for Carmelita. It really shows that she doesnt harbor any negativity towards Sly. She deeply wants to be on the same side as him, but seeing as she's apart of law enforcement, she cant. As much as she gripes and yells and threatens Sly she genuinely enjoys the games he plays.

[@samwatson-tayler2805]

I wanna praise another thing that I think is worth bringing up. It was genius to have Canada follow Prague for all the reasons you mentioned, but it also does it visually. Going from Prague's dark muted colours and threatening shades of black and grey, it's foreboding music and gothic architecture in the middle of an intimidatingly gigantic city. Followed by Canada's soft shades of white and blue with it's almost welcoming architecture, surrounded by trees with soft calming music. Helping to catch off guard when you lose all the parts and go to Arpeggio's blimp which is something of a combination of The Contessa and Clockwerk's aestethics.

[@AndrewAce.]

That's a great observation. Jean Bison presented a far simpler, and more tame challange than what was previously overcome, and this was reflected in his environment. Similarly to Sly One's China, the more open and subdued backdrop of Canada acted as a breather after an intimidating, and high-stress chapter - but the game subverts this entirely by flipping the familiar pattern on it's head. The player intuits that the climax is upon them, but unlike the first time, it would be on the enemies terms, and not their own. And there is no better way to throw a sneak off balance...

[@astcastle]

I swear I come back to this video trilogy at least once a year. What a wonderful way to relive a series that’s been firmly lodged in my brain since I was very small, and couldn’t explain it any other way than “the funny raccoon game is different. It’s important.”

[@ArsonBoy5996]

YESYESYESYESYES I literally prepared dinner and threw this on my TV so I could watch it in bed. Cannot wait for Part 3!

[@nullakjg767]

PART 3 WEN

[@nepneppers8122]

HMMMMM!?!?

[@theSP234]

please!!!

[@shaunmiller442]

ArsonBoy5996 I agree. Where it at??

[@undiminishedinsanity5263]

ArsonBoy5996 well you gotta wait even longer

[@jimmydean8252]

"Jailbreak isn't just the standout moment of the game. It's the standout moment of the series." SO TRUE. The plot twist at the end of Rajan's level was so damn clever and really locked me in at that point! Best game ever!!

[@ValTheMad]

I never realized that in order to achieve immortality through hatred, Arpeggio prepared to cause all of Paris to go into a blind rage, but all Clockwerk needed for his hate induced mortality was his own. That is pretty intense.

[@JsReviews]

Hats off! You have done of my favorite games the justice that I could never give it. Script was very well paced and well researched, with a few points that I had never noticed before like how Jean Bison is supposedly the stupidest member of the Klaww Gang, and yet he brings the greatest defeat, despite having played this game over 15 times lol.

[@jasonhussey3564]

J's Reviews your review was not too shabby either man! I'm so happy that people still talk about this game

[@stephenbosci1213]

I'm kinder new to sly I have played sly 1 and sly 2 I haven't played sly 3 yet should I play sly 4 or skip it and only the play the trilogy because I know you hate sly 4 I just want you opinion and I like js reviews channel

[@stephenbosci1213]

fair enough I think about it thanks

[@MarcosMint1997]

J's Reviews sly 2 will always be number 1! It's just to perfect of a game

[@MsBrendalina]

The point I was most impressed by was him pointing out that all of the advancement in Carmelita & Sly's relationship in the original trilogy happens on HER terms, not Sly's. It's a detail I'm surprised I never noticed. But realizing it makes me love Carmelita even more (not to mention making me HATE what Sanzaru did to her even more than I did before)

[@somniloguy12]

Hell yes, the Contessa saga is one of my most vivid memories playing video games from when I was a child.

[@strangething7379]

I remember the Contessa saga scaring the shit out of me as kid. Even revisiting the game today as a fully-grown adult, there's still something profoundly unsettling about Episodes 4 and 5

[@DemAnimations]

The Will of G Exact same for me, it's as vivid in my eyes as the entire prologue of Kingdom Hearts 2 which B's friend thegamingbritshow did a video on. They're visually and thematically great and stick to mind

[@somniloguy12]

Oh yes I watched that vid by him. It saddens me that I never played kingdom hearts when I was younger, because at this age it feels just too cheesy for my to enjoy like a kid could.

[@MerkhVision]

@@somniloguy12 I think you should still give Kingdom Hearts a try! I never got far into it as a kid and only actually got really into it and beat it as an adult and I still really enjoyed it. I feel like I appreciated its themes more as an adult that I would have as a kid. There’s a deeper layer to it that you can only relate to once you’ve lived life and experienced hurt and hardships. But it’s childlike aspects will reawaken your inner child and bring you joy as well. So give it a shot!

[@somniloguy12]

@@MerkhVision You know how to pitch a game that´s for sure! I´ll play it when I get an opportunity to, thanks for the recommendation!

[@wile123456]

Murray got more buff, and his voice reflects this since it sounds like he is constantly eating a burger

[@lilnutzack7859]

wile123456 I think the voice change has to do with him trying to be a more heroic. He's putting on a bit of a persona in order to not be so nervous.

[@Ch4pp13]

ask a swede and he'd tell you a dane did the voice acting, even though it's clearly the other way around.

[@vergil3800]

@@lilnutzack7859 yes you're right he had a persona the murray, to make up for his weaknesses and blunders in 1, that's why in 3 he's no longer acting heroic and his voice is more loud and obnoxious sounding as he's still buff, but he's just enjoyinh being himself

[@lilxtra6211]

Bison’s racism is just another element of him being from a different time. All the villains in this game were so well done, I might have to go play this again. It’s been years but I’ve played it at least ten times, so much replay value

[@lennartmiau6504]

Jesus christ, you nailed that like a 30 pound hammer. Doesn't get repetitive, brilliant script & delivery, excellent points made, perfectly capturing the atmosphere both overall and chapter-wise, confound background worked in as interesting tidbits... not to mention your lack of self-preservation and condemning yourself to SO. MUCH. WORK. Good job dude. In the end I had a kind of atmopheric-shock moment where you re-compared scenes from the end to the beginning, and I haven't even played the game... Plus, fiendishly stealing >1h of everybody watching without them realizing it is very Sly-Cooper-esque indeed.

[@Dustworth]

The second half of this comment^^

[@timeland8343]

20:03 the greatest dialogue in the entire series. completely went over my head as a kid. laughing my ass off

[@danculp3136]

Idk 20:25 is pretty delightful

[@Deoxys_Used_Mimic]

I keep checking back in every month to see if that long-awaited Part 3 has finally released yet. Sadly, no.

[@Znakoma]

It's finally confirmed to be in the making!

[@Kawaiiarhea]

Boi

[@TheRubberMatch]

AwesomeBeedrill it’s up

[@anmo-_-6054]

It's up

[@gulfgiggleanimations4472]

I’ve been wondering how people even write characters with ridiculous word choice, such as Dimitri, and hearing that it’s supposed to be broken English learned through hip hop is just amazing to me. Now if only I could find the thought process behind writing Fawful’s lines.

[@Digolgrin]

Some of Fawful's lines were actually poorly translated. I shit you not, Fawful is the victim of bad localization. Thing is, Treehouse and Nintendo of America actually saw the shitty translations of his lines and left them in, thinking they'd be perfectly in character for the guy.

[@gulfgiggleanimations4472]

Digolgrin okay, so I’ve learned one thing on how to right characters like these, google translate EVERYTHING!

[@gamerguy6990]

Digolgrin isn't that the same case with resident evil as well but to a much larger scale

[@ygobe2]

@@Digolgrin my god. I thought it was all intentional

[@yugijak]

"So we just get it wrong? A few games in usually?" Shows Sly 4 Gonna need a senzu for that one

[@KanekiTheOneEyedKing]

Aye someone else who watched dbz abridged

[@KanekiTheOneEyedKing]

SENZU BEAN!

[@ryanhowe5595]

Sly 4 was such a big fat middle finger

[@raddudeguy]

Sly 4 was a good game...

[@thegoodmudkip3652]

@@raddudeguy opinions are ok Even if they're wrong

[@PepsiMan666]

Like any good tv show, I'm dying to see the next installment.

[@kirkbupkis]

RIP.

[@jonisuominen7836]

"bend it like a truth" I never realized how smart line that is :D

[@MsBrendalina]

This video was FANTASTIC! I learned new things from it despite being a huge Sly fan who has played the second game numerous times. I think Sly 2 is one of the most perfect games ever made. It manages to succeed at being a story-based game without ever falling into the trap of letting cutscenes and/or exposition get in the way of fun gameplay. Very few story-based games get this right; but Sly 2 consistently nails it. Also, its fun to replay it because you notice things in subsequent plays that you wouldn't catch the first time around (like the subtle fore-shadowing, how expertly Neyla manipulates Sly's fetish for hot lady-cops, small details in the environments, etc). The only thing I hate about replaying it is being forced to walk poor Bentley into that trap. :(

[@youngn9na92]

Jailbreak... The moment when this became one of my favorite games of all time. (If not my favorite.) Beating the Contessa was so fulfilling! This game also offered me stability in a time of my life when stability was at quite a low point, but full of promise. This game reflected that beautifully. It was so important to me. I still need to get Sly 4. Also, thanks for these. Glad to know that I'm not the only one that loves this game.

[@Gamechamp3000]

Good. :>

[@whyiwakeup6460]

You are a gift you fine boi

[@arcaedonluminos666]

Definitely the best Sly.

[@smoogieboogie1694]

Arcaedon Luminos I personally prefer the third. But Sly 2 is for sure a masterpiece.

[@arcaedonluminos666]

I find a lot of missions in Sly 3 tedious compared to the other games, so it's actually my least favorite.

[@smoogieboogie1694]

Arcaedon Luminos and personally, I find a lot of Sly 2 missions tedious to complete. And I actually find a lot of Sly 2’s homeworlds to be tedious to navigate. That doesn’t make it my least favorite, but it is why Sly 3 beats it in my opinion. Especially since the only mission in Sly 3 that really bugged me was The Claw.

[@part2interactive547]

Guardian sly 1 isn’t mine, but jak 1 is. Soooo goood

[@mikeroch7813]

Sly 2 was awesome but it also had some of the worst missions of the series as well as tedious homeworlds to deal with. But i dont think any of it was as bad as some of the minigames in Sly 1

[@xadamxk]

3 years later and this series is amazing!

[@smoogieboogie1694]

Yesss! Over an hour of Sly Cooper! Here’s hoping Sly 3 is 2 hours! Just kidding! But Sly 3 is my favorite...

[@Tacom4ster]

Despite using the standard review retelling the narrative chronologically, you made me engaged just from you explaining how the plot mechanics make you feel rather an over reliance on cheap oneliners, brilliant writing, this like the next step of KZbin essay for me.

[@neji2401]

> Shows the maps top - down > realize they were SMALL

[@charKT-7461]

Yet they managed to make it feel like a complete open world experience which is mind blowing.

[@ImortalZeus13]

The game came with maps of the first three areas! Now I have to go back to my case and see if I still have it!

[@koalabyte3536]

While I love Sly 3, Sly 2 for every reason you gave is my favorite in the series. This video was obviously preaching to my choir, but it helped me word all the things I really loved about the game. Part of me feels like some more depth could have been added with how well the levels really flow with their three acts, since my favorite part in replaying is realizing how much is really done in "prepping the heist" "something goes wrong with a twist in the heist" then the real "Operation: Steal the thing", but this video was already long, I understand why it was left out. Thanks for the awesome video!

[@TheRedGuy]

This game, THIS GAME, I love it, it's my favorite of the series and its in my top 3 favorite games of all time. I bought a PS2 for this game, I saw the commercials for it and it fascinated me so much I got the whole system for it, first console I bought with my own money instead of getting one for my birthday or Christmas. Excellent review, looking forward to Sly 3. You going to do Sly 4 as well? That would be pretty interesting.

[@trevorflaim5580]

I just want to say thank you for making this series. I had jak and daxter and rachet and clank and crash bandicoot and spyro BUT sly was always my favorite. He is on the mount rushmore of platform mascots for sure

[@finnfinity9711]

Wow... this analysis is way too good to only have 300 views. This is the most in depth thing i've ever seen. You really know what you are talking about. Thank you for making me love the game of my childhood even more.

[@finnfinity9711]

Nevermind the video was uploaded 2 hours ago no wonder it has so little views.

[@HyperlordB]

B-Mask doesn't get a lot of views anyway, so recommend him to people if you can :)

[@somniloguy12]

+HyperlordB the criminally slow growth of his channel is proof that the system is broken.

[@andystevens6014]

**clears throat** **cough cough** SLLLLIIIIIIYYYYYYYA

[@SgtHappyHands]

For those waiting on part 3... I checked his Twitter, and as of October 9th he basically said 'the writing was taking a while.' So it's still in the works. But it's on the way. As good as the first two were, I'm looking forward to the third.

[@hans0markus]

mind doing another check?

[@plasticfondue1461]

@@hans0markus on the 27th he tweeted that his next video is not gonna be sly3 but that his still working on it

[@gwanox]

Really hyped rn

[@ZeroSpawn47]

One of the things I really liked about Sly 2 is how the collectable bottles served as an incentive to explore and familiarize yourself with each map before starting any missions. With that feature gone in Sly 3, I never felt any need to do anything other than try to just go from point A to point B, without getting a feel for the maps.

[@the_echoYT]

Sly 2 is a genuine masterpiece, a game that I'd recommend to absolutely anyone and this video elucidates why better than I ever could.

[@wile123456]

An interesting thing about the sly games is they use an ultra cheap 'pose, slight movement, different pose, repeat' animation for their characters in game (similar to modern computer made cartoon shows). Once you notice it, you really can't unsee it. However while it is cost effective to animate this way (which is probably the main reason they use it) it does fit somewhat with the comic book aesthetic since characters in comic books don't move, but instead have dramatic poses for each panel. What is hilarious is that they kept reusing this for their next series, Infamous on PS3, and while that has a comic book style too, it looks horrible in the few ingame cutscenes, when characters move the exact same way as they did in sly in this realistic setting with real humans. Got fixed in Infamous 2 luckily.

[@mcfuckinanotheraccount808]

The end of Sly 2 was for sure the first time i can remember feeling heartbroke and depressed

[@sinisteroglop]

As much as I appreciate the masterful way you delivered information and the level of research and dedication that went into the script... the visual gags are what steal the show. The flag behind Bentley and the part where Murray lets him drive both had me absolutely rolling due to their juxtaposition against the rest of the video. Fantastic work in all areas.

[@gnbman]

This video gave me chills. It made laugh, it made me tear up, it made me want to study storytelling and game design. I can't wait for your thoughts on Sly 3, as well as your thoughts on Spyro: Reignited Trilogy. I get the feeling Toys for Bob cares more about presenting themselves as a competent game developer through their own new overly complicated designs than retaining what made original Spyro cohesive and great, and I'm really curious about how you feel, given your clearly better understanding of what games need to be great.

[@bedheadentertainment22]

An absolutely incredible analysis! Had me fully engaged throughout. Can't wait for part 3!

[@cjfrankowski5381]

I have rewatched this video 6 or 7 times now, it’s become a comfort video of mine. You did a great job capturing what is so great about my favorite video game of all time. Thank you!

[@CreeperSlayer365]

I've waited 8 years for another game installment, I can hold for a little bit for another retrospective.

[@Andy-uf4gv]

Thank you for analyzing this series and giving it the recognition, as well as the love, it deserves. If my profile picture isn't evident enough, these games have had a huge impact on me, and I'm sure lots of other people. Great work as always!

[@TheIronicTea]

my new fav video on youtube. i'm 20 and sly was a huge part of my childhood. i dont think i did anything but talk about the games and make epic comics about the gang. subbed for life, man, this was spectacular and a huge undertaking.

[@phil381100]

The still-image of Rajan holding the beating Clockwork heart could probably still send shivers down my spine

[@birchwwolf]

Sly 2 is one of the best video game sequels of all time. ONE OF THE BEST VIDEO GAME SEQUELS OF ALL TIME.

[@MrRoboto5572]

So uh... That was definitely worth the wait. Also, holy shit, an hour?! I can’t imagine how much time you put into this. Either way, riveting from beginning to end.

[@graydentucci1463]

This is like a super visual podcast and I love it! This series gets no appreciation as you said in the first video “this is just seen as another kid game” but this really shows the strength it brought to the genre of platformers in general and I applaud your dedication!! I’ve watched this 4 times so far either just to use my spare time or to make the time I do chores more entertaining when I just pop this up on the TV!! I applaud you sir!! Bravo!

[@bellybutton3806]

I discovered these videos yesterday and now I know tomorrow will dawn without a part 3 retrospective. What a grey, bleak world.

[@ekieklund274]

48:28 I love the fact that when Bison throws his hook on the trio, Bentley ALWAYS jumps back up like nothing happened. While the others get knocked out.

[@DoctorUber]

I love super analytical videos like this. Analyzing all the little techniques developers use to make their game brilliant. Gives me insight on what I should be doing if I ever get into game development. And I'm sure if I do, videos like these will definitely be cited as a huge influence. This video deserves more views, and you deserve more subscribers. Can't wait for your video on Sly 3.

[@tylerhouston69]

I almost put off watching this because of the length but i do not regret watching this in the slightest, 10/10 video.

[@sirxzombiexj5188]

Tyler Houston truth be told i saw sly cooper and i had nothing to else to watch so i clicked and started eating. Cause i liked to watch shows or something while i eat i guess. And with him saying its been an hour in the video. I was like wait what?? Holy Shit I was watching this for an hour lmao this is a good damn video

[@xenonerd]

Best Sly Game for My Childhood when I first got my very first PlayStation 2 then I got the first Sly and then Sly 3 and later on thieves in time, man I’m a 2000s kid..😩😩😩😩😩

[@animelvr99]

Sly 2 was my favorite. I played all three of them more than once and #2 was the best. Esp with Neyla betrayal and Bentley needing to save everyone.

[@KaimArgonarEyyyy]

"Guesswhatyoufuckedup" Bloody hell, the wait for this was worth it

[@Annatar_the_admirable]

This series is superbly well crafted and has brought me a lot of enjoyment and fond memories. I like the games it talks about, too.

[@zachariasw4817]

God I return to this trilogy like every six months just to watch it all over again, hours upon hours of just listening to b-mask talk about these games, and all of them are well spent. Such good videoes.

[@anothercaw6664]

"Run with us." Is the theme from an old cartoon named "The Raccoons." Epic.

[@imtherams]

My god, the editing and production quality of this video. Quite incredible actually. Can't believe I wasn't subbed before now! Keep it up, great content!

[@tenbeat]

Thanks.

[@bluegiant13]

Man that level with the jailbreak and Bently was such a vibe, I get goose bumps thinking about it

[@Kenny0136]

seeing as sly 3 is my personal favorite i can not WAIT for your part 3. thanks for the great videos.

[@PixelHipster]

Loved the video and I just want to say thank you for making my life easier to live. I'm currently going through my last year of high school and currently dealing with a lot of depression and suicidal thoughts, the only things that are keeping my mental health ok is watching your film related vids and creating my film content like you. Once again thanks dude, hit me up if you want to collab or something.

[@CornThatLefty]

Please please please don't stop doing what you're doing. These videos are amazing.

[@flika1052]

Just watched this and part 1 and loved them both immensely. The Sly trilogy is my favorite game series and it's a pleasure watching them discussed so accurately and with such admiration. I also love all the puns you make and pair with a visual without being obnoxiously obvious about it (can't remember if it's this or part 1, but at some point you worked "bounce off" into a sentence as footage of Sly bouncing off a mattress showed, for example). Most other youtubers would've edited some obvious cut or zoom on Sly bouncing or gone "haha... 'bounce'.. get it" and I very much appreciate that you left it to the audience to get for themselves. I'll patiently wait for part 3 as long as it takes for you to make it as good as these two!

[@miguelsly1459]

Just watching these videos and understanding the deep meaning from it all throughout the years, is just incredible and nostalgic! Looking forward to watching part 3!

[@Electrolux219]

Holy shit that’s “Run With Us” from The Raccoons in the intro! Mad respect!

[@somniloguy12]

Alright I watched this for the second time already, and I can barely believe how masterfully this retrospective is crafted. It put into words perfectly why this game is the greatest in the series. I remember how high a bar this game set in tone, atmosphere and using gameplay to tell it´s story which rarely got crossed for me again. At the age of 9/10 I never had the vocabulairy to put this into words, but I distinctly remember how I was disappointed when other games didn't have an in-universe reason to do the stuff I was doing, that it didn't go into villain motivations or the personal reactions of the characters. This is especially why I am curious on your take for Sly 3, which I have a more negative opinion on then most people in the fanbase. I love the Ocean-11 style plot and the ending, but I can't stand to play most of it, especially the pirate and Holland chapters. I really dig your take on Neyla. You argue in good faith for her appearance, but I totally get the problem with her. She feels completely non-threatening after she has revealed herself to be insane. I think it would have been better to keep her more devious and crafty, really capitalising on the betrayal she makes in chapter 3. Maybe if they hinted at a hidden mastermind of the Klaww gang who recruited all of them (and even the other members don't know from each other who the mastermind is, which causes mistrust between them), then they could have made it a twist where it seems that Arpeggio is the mastermind through process of elimination, but when he renounces that it could turn out to be Neyla as an additional twist, who only used them to gather the parts in the first place. But that's just the fanboy in me who has been stewing on this for 10+ years, so it's probably more bonkers then I personally believe. At least I can say that I like Neyla's hijab not really tying into anything. Usually when character wear such an exotic signifier it is always for a reason, but I like she just 'has it' and it isn't meant to hint at a plot-relevant past. I understand now that this effect is coincedental, but I like the implications of it regardless.

[@robpgh159]

The Will of G For me Sly 3 would’ve been more satisfying and playable if Carmelita had the voice from Sly 2. Her voice ruines her character in the third game smh

[@pikminfantheory9238]

When he uses Sky 3 music for the Sly 2 Retrospective lol And omg that tiny snippet from ape escape 2 gives me super big nostalgia! Now I gotta play sly 2 AND that.

[@boneheaded8919]

Sly Cooper 2 was the first game that introduced me to the series. I was still a kid when I was watching my friend play the game. He and another friend got stuck in Bentley's Hacking Mini Game but when I tried it out, I was able to beat the full mission. It was pretty fun those levels

[@jarerarebear1765]

I do agree that Sly 2 is the definitive Sly Cooper game. It certainly had massive depth and complexity in its story and characters. Its villains were more fleshed out, and the plot had so many twists and turns it's exhausting at times. I still think Sly 3 is the best in the series. An opinion as controversial as saying Majora's Mask is better than Ocarina of Time. Sly 3 really rounded out Sly's character arc and gave resolution to every character in the series. It was a bitter sweet conclusion to what is to my tastes one of the best game series ever created.But I have to admit, what makes Sly 3 so amazing is that it's building on the foundation laid by an excellent predecessor.

[@calebdodson1054]

I fully agree! I think Sly 2 is a more impressive game-for what it improved- and 3 is a better game, rounding out what needed it and completing the story with complete satisfaction

[@strangething7379]

I think Sly 2 plus Sly 3 together tell a wonderful story. Sly is a person defined by his past and Sly 2 and 3 together I think do a great job of highlighting Sly as he finally moves away his past and towards his future with Sly 2 destroying the last remnants of his family's greatest rival and Sly 3 having Sly confront the fact this his own family may not have been as perfect as he thought it was with all of this culminating with Sly's relationship with Carmelita and him proclaiming that he's not Henriette, or Thadius, or Slytunkhamun, or Rioichi, or his father. Sly's just himself.

[@DemAnimations]

Jared RB Garrison I just prefer 3 to 2 because the gameplay and settings are more varied on top of the inclusion of new Cooper gang members

[@the_echoYT]

I'm just gonna warn you right now that this turned into a much longer rant than intended, sorry Sly 3 in my eyes is a slapdash, forced sequel that could never and will never live up to its predecessor. Everything from the menu, which lacks the polish of 2's, to the hub worlds, which lack the content and memorability of 2's, to the missions, which lack the coherence of 2's, and the villains, which lack the coordination of 2's, feel as though Sucker Punch had actually gone *backwards* , like this was secretly Sly 1.5 and they just hadn't released it on time. On a strictly-gameplay standpoint, the entire experience is littered with half-baked minigames and gimmicks in the form of new gang members who we are *told* are necessary, but never demonstrate themselves to be so within the gameplay. Penelope uses RC vehicles and Panda King uses explosives, things that Bentley was already capable of. The Guru uses enemies to destroy objects he otherwise couldn't, which Murray has already done before. And Dmitri, well... his missions were just pure garbage. Even when playing as the main trio, the game never stops throwing gimmicks at you, making the entire game feel like an unfocused mess. Several different vehicle missions, conversation minigames, pirate ship battles, the list goes on. Remember when the game was about sneaky thieves? Neither does Sly 3. Every villain feels like a SatAM villain-of-the-week, whose master plan conveniently falls into place just as Sly and the gang appear on the scene. Everything "just so happens" to take place exactly when it needs to (and when you don't have a villain, just uh, make an evil magic mask suddenly appear). The villains don't have presence and they're gone as quickly as they came. They serve no purpose other than to give Sly something to do in the short-term. To top it all off, the story is a complete insult to the series legacy, and it all starts with Dr. M. Turns out, Sly's dad had a gang with an _identical structure_ to Sly's, which had up until now been Sly's trademark. Sly's gang was his self-made family and with their help he surmounted all the obstacles in his way, to become something greater than he ever could alone, and make his mark on the family legacy. Bentley and Murray were just as much Coopers as Sly was. But no. Now they're a carbon copy of his father's gang. The thief, the brain, the muscle. Now Sly has nothing of his own. All of his abilities are learned from his family's book of tricks, and even his best friends come as convenient twist of fate to settle him neatly in the shadow of his father. I can say with all of my heart that I *despise* this plot element, it genuinely fills me with anger and it boggles my mind that the same team that wrote Sly 2 could have thought it passable. I also really hate the concept of the Cooper Vault, and its geographical location doesn't really make sense for it to have been founded by an Egyptian in the 13th century BC.

[@jarerarebear1765]

Lack of Clue Bottles in the Hub worlds, and most of the missions contextualized as various game play styles outside of the normal stealth gameplay are to me just nitpicks that don't really interfere with the game itself. Sly 2 shares the same status within its trilogy that Empire Strikes Back has with the Star Wars trilogy, and consequently Sly 3 is in the same boat as Return of the Jedi. Sly 2 was a darker story for sure with plenty of drama, conflicts and set backs for the characters, but I'd hardly view it as the be all end all of the series. It was clear to me there was still more to Sly's story than this. Return of the Jedi is too often blasted for being more lighthearted and kid friendly than its predecessor. Grown men bash on kid stuff like the Ewoks and Han being a bumbling oaf because it validates their interest as grown men liking something that was always targeted at kids. Sly 3 had to be more lighthearted, it was the resolution of Sly's entire character arc, it was the biggest job he ever pulled off, he suffered bumps and bruises in Sly 2, but Sly 3 literally begins its story with Sly being crushed to death by a monster. Also, none of Sly's villains overstay their welcome into 2 separate chapters in the same country, the idea of pulling off a heist to gain a new addition to the gang was more interesting than just trying steal yet another macguffin.

[@pedmonds2011]

This is the “Band of Thieves” of Sly Cooper videos.

[@maxcasteel2141]

I've watched through all 4 hours of this series at least four or five times by now. Just as good every time

[@estevatopanchovillacruz9969]

Playing Sly Cooper 1-3 with my son's is one of my cherished memories. It's such a wonderful game.

[@hannadrechsler1582]

35:17 Bentley can preach on a soap box all day I’ll listen

[@moonmoonrawr255]

I can't wait for the 3rd and 4th!

[@dupedick]

This is tied with ratchet and clank going commando for my favorite ps2 exclusive. I can replay these games forever. I go back every 2 to 3 years and revisit each of the classics.

[@Hero1922]

this has been an amazing retrospective i can't wait to watch the third episode, i've been a sly fan for some time but not hardcore enough to do this research and it's cool to learn so much behind the scenes info, thank you for that :)

[@wile123456]

Great video, Don't worry it being long, every second is well made and there wasn't a single joke you made that didn't make me laugh either, the pacing and delivery of them are really good. I'm excited for the next part of course and I have no doubt this trilogy of videos will be amazing, just like these games. However I hope you cover thieves in time, not for an hour of course, but just a short video talking about how they got it wrong. Sanzaru were huge Sly fans, they even made their engine to mimmick the originals in animation and movement as much as possible. But they merely understood what made the games great on a surface level, their game has no artistic cohesion and their writing is worse than many fan fictions. It would be interesting to study why they get so much wrong despite it, at first sight, is just 'more sly'.

[@verloaded2564]

I swear when I got to the Contessa part of the game I was so scared to die 😂 cuz that would be the end of the gang. Good childhood days. I still like the other thi

[@raven3067]

Me too

[@PeachMelba112]

I am LOVING these!! Thank you for talking about my favorite series from my childhood - I am going to replay them all in due time

[@PrimevalDemon]

Dude Seeing the snippets of the ads for 2 brought back memories I remember having but completely forgot! The purple guy was so vivid and saturated on my old tv! Playing the demo at a local gamestop is one of my fondest memories of the ps2 I think that was the same time they had a gba kingdom hearts demo as well but can't remember! Forgot how cool sly was as a kid

[@redheadboyyy123]

please let us have a part 3 and 4 as soon as you can. i can tell this took a lot of time to make, but if you can please make a 3 and 4 for us

[@br00tald00dle]

Part Three is gonna be sweet

[@Vinman1509]

Incredible video. All your videos on the sly series are the best retrospectives I’ve watched and just know the attention to detail is appreciated. Could watch these over and over, glad to see the sly series has had such a lasting impact

[@JCOdrjones]

I love how educational your content is. It's so layered and smart, and says so much more than other game channels. Keep up the incredible work!

[@MnopTheGreat]

Loving these videos, any idea when part 3 will be coming out?

[@cdogthehedgehog6923]

Never

[@KaimArgonarEyyyy]

Damn this video was good. Putting into words, a lot of words, just how much I, or we, love this game. Can't wait to see the conclusion with 3, and see how it compares to 2 in the eyes of someone who can put things into words better. No, Sly 4 doesn't exist. Shush.

[@MsBrendalina]

I'm torn between wanting to pretend Sly 4 doesn't exist and desperately wanting to see B-mask do an hour long takedown of that piece of shit. LOL

[@KaimArgonarEyyyy]

Takedown sounds fun. That pathetic attempt of a Sly game needs to be torn a new one.

[@strangething7379]

I think Sly 4 did a few things right and I actually found it to be pretty fun. The world's such as Japan and the Wild West are probably some of the best designed levels in the series, being incredibly fun to traverse with all the characters. There's also a natural evolution to how each character plays. That being said I think Sly 4's main flaws definitely come from it's narrative and characterization. The Sly games are cartoons, yes. But they use that cartoony back-drop to tell deep and compelling stories with thematic importance. Sly 1, I think told the most average story of the original 3, and it's still about about getting vengeance for your slain family. Sly 2 is a story about one-character taking things way too far and his friends ultimately suffering at every turn for it. It's about self-control and not losing sight of what's important. Sly 3 is about honoring and remembering your past but always remaining critical and skeptical. Throughout the first 2 games Sly's had idolized view of his father, but this image comes crashing down when Sly and the players realize that perhaps his father wasn't perfect after all. This is further compounded by the fact that you have the Panda King and Dimitri join the team. You have to remember the past and your past foes but you shouldn't hold on too tightly either to memories of past enemies or to illusions of your family's perceived greatness Sly 4 doesn't tell a story worth experiencing. Le Paradox is a below-average villain that is motivated by the most petty shit. What's worse is that the game doesn't treat it's villains with the respect they deserve. Rather than giving them interesting personalities and motivations that Sly 2 consistently delivered with and Sly 3 mostly delivered with Sly 4 made it a point that we should want to be laughing at these villains rather than feeling either sympathy for or threatened by these villains

[@KaimArgonarEyyyy]

The level design doesn't matter when the gameplay infuriates you. The gameplay is smooth to the point it's incredibly slow. Every move in the other games was snappy and quick. You could move really fast. But not in this one.

[@MrLockfree]

I love this game. It was one of my first PS2 games and easily one of my favorites of all time. I replayed this game multiple times growing up and still get the itch to now. Great video! Pretty much guaranteed sub upon seeing these videos exist.

[@lepermessiah2608]

This was my favorite game as a kid. I was blown away how they tied everything together at the end and you saw how all of the Klaww Gang members had a part in the conclusion.

[@FireMonkey1044]

Where's part 3. I need it!!

[@gagestrickland9778]

Like sly 5 part 3 isn't coming out

[@aaronmedberry4308]

I actually appreciate how much content is in this video. You have done your homework for it and it makes me happy to see someone show so much love towards this fantastic game.

[@gigantesygo2196]

My all time favorite video game series and it's not changing anytime soon I can play the entire series 100 times in a week and not get sick of it