Reviewed: October 8, 2005
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer
Sucker Punch
Released: September 26, 2005
Genre: Action
Players: 1-2
ESRB: Everyone
9
9
9
9
9.2
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
Sly Cooper is about to embark on his third adventure in Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, and much like his last outing, you're going to need the help of your entire gang, and even a few new characters. You’ll start of with two playable characters and ultimately end up with seven.
Last year the Band of Thieves introduced Bentley and Murray as playable characters, each with specific missions suited to their own unique talents. That same cooperative mechanic is once again a primary factor in the story and the overall gameplay design. And in the grand tradition of Jaws 3 and Friday the 13th Part 3 this third installment is presented in 3D (Sly 3D goggles included), or at least parts of it.
Honor Among Thieves is not only packed with traditional stealth and action gameplay, there are numerous mini-games and arcade challenges to test your reflexes. As always, these integrate right into the story and the worlds but are just as fun to play as standalone games. Many of these challenges (and even some entire levels) are also offered in 3D modes in the replay menu.
Gameplay is more advanced thanks to the new moves and abilities of our core heroes. Bentley is in a wheel chair due to circumstances resulting from the last game so you can expect some seriously cool Bond-like wheel-chair gadgets and special moves that make him anything but disabled.
Murray is the master brawler, but when the game begins he has left the team, seeking spiritual guidance after the accident from the last game that left Bentley in the wheelchair. Your first mission will be to recruit Murray back to the team as well as saving the city of Venice.
The team element is also reinforced with many of the levels and encounters requiring the control of multiple team members, working in sequence or even in unison, especially in the boss battles. Whenever you leave the hideout you will be able to spot color-coded markers indicating mission objectives for the various team members.
As always, the levels are full of “bad guys” that you either need to avoid or fight. Sly is good for sneaking up and pick pocketing these henchmen before striking them down with his cane, but there are often environmental traps that you can use if you are feeling stylish and clever.
Sly has great vertical skills that make it easy for him to dance across the rooftops, which are often as populated as the streets below. Bentley is pretty much restricted to the lower paths but his rocket-powered wheelchair is fast and maneuverable. Murray has some tricks up his sleeve including a massive bounce that can launch him to incredible distances above the level.
ThiefNet is back and allows you to pawn your stolen items for cash to buy new moves and skills to be used in the later levels and more challenging boss fights. This reward system is always a nice feature but treasure is readily available during normal gameplay so there is no real challenge in acquiring all of the items available for sale.
Technically, the game looks just as good as always. Sly isn’t about realism, but rather a stylish cel-shading that pops off the screen, almost like construction paper characters overlaid on painted backgrounds. The colors are rich and vibrant with plenty of special effects, a solid framerate that holds up during 90% of the game, and a fantastic draw distance.
Sucker Punch has thrown in a bonus for those who like quirky graphics. Some of the levels feature sections that can be played in 3D. Just put on a pair of those red and blue-colored specs and the levels will pop into your living room. It’s a bit gimmicky and most hardcore gamers will probably opt for the traditional graphics, but it’s a nice diversion for the younger kids and worth checking out at least once. The effect is truly remarkable but not recommended for extended gameplay or your eyes (and eventually your head) will start to hurt.
The audio package is excellent with a great soundtrack that mixes excitement and intensity depending on the situation at hand. The music selection does a great job of using instruments and musical styling that fit with the period and places you are exploring. There is even a boss battle that features a bit of opera with Bentley flexing his vocal chords.
The voice acting is flawless, both for our familiar cast of three and the unintelligible ramblings of the Shaman, and the thick Aussie accents of the Dingo gang members combined with their Crocodile Dundee fashion sense just gives the game a great presentation. Carmelita has that sexy Latino accent that can make a raccoon swoon.
Perhaps I am just getting too good at these games or perhaps the designers are trying to attract a new and younger audience, but I found the game was a bit too easy. Sure, there were some difficult spots including some lengthy jumping and swing puzzles, made even tougher when you put them on a timer in the challenge modes, but for the most part you can finish the story mode in 10-12 hours. Even the Master Thief challenges aren’t that challenging.
There is a two-player mode that is definitely a blast but it too wears thin after a few hours. The versus mode features Sly and Carmelita in some split-panel action. Note that I didn’t say split-screen. Instead, the game uses a comic panel presentation having Sly play in the top window and Carmelita in the lower, both slightly offset with their portraits.
In this challenging game mode Sly must race to several treasure locations and get the item then return it to the designated safe zone. Meanwhile, Carmelita is running around shooting at Sly trying to stop him. Shafts of light give each player an idea of where the other is in the 3D world, but the large and complex city level still gives you some opportunity to hide and dodge incoming attacks. There was even a working gondola system so I could ride the canals.
I’d like to say this is the best Sly game of the three but in reality it’s pretty much at the same level as the last one. Everything you loved about Band of Thieves is back with more creative levels and certainly more creative playable characters, but more isn’t always better, and the convoluted cast might dilute the experience for those seeking a more focused story.
With so many missions, mini-games, challenges, and multiplayer options, Sucker Punch has included everything but the kitchen sink. If you love variety then Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves is going to delight you. It takes awhile to get the story rolling, but once you get to the final levels you will be totally captivated by one of the best platform rides of the holiday season and a perfect conclusion to the Sly trilogy.