Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

Little things like that really add up throughout Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. The bad pacing in level design, the overwhelming mix of things to do without any sense of how to piece them together into a strong experience, the production values that veer back and forth between fantastic and non-existent it feels like, well, a PlayStation 2 game. Sly's in exactly the same spot he was nearly a decade ago, while other games and franchises have spent that time improving AI and level design. The rest of the industry has moved on, and now so have I.

The entire adventure is breezy, innocent fun that will prove nostalgic for fans of tight late nineties/early aughts platforming. Large worlds, multiple playable characters and an abundance of mini games and collectibles add up to a worthy entry in the genre, but considering its low price point and near-seamless Cross-Buy functionality, it’s a must-own for anybody who owns both consoles and has the good taste to once again enjoy a delightful, pulpy romp with the world’s most endearing raccoon.

At the end of the day I found myself pleasantly surprised with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time on the PS Vita. With colourful visuals, a neat little story, and some great voice acting, the game is only hampered by its simplicity, a few minor camera issues, and some long load times. Sure, it doesn’t bring anything radically new to the genre, but it is a good game nonetheless.