3.5/5 ★ – KQSpidey's review of Sly 2: Band of Thieves.

I'm not quite sure what to think of Sly 2. I went in expecting an expanded version of the first game, and what I got was an almost entirely different experience, carrying over only a few of the mechanics that made the first so memorable. Gone are the one hit deaths for both Sly and his numerous opponents, in their place is a health bar and expanded combat system, as well as a demonstrably lowered difficulty. Where the first demanded some skill out of the player, this game was a complete cakewalk. The first was essentially a recreation of the Mario 64 formula, go into a level to get a key and use the keys to get to the boss. This game is mission based, dropping the player into an open environment and sending them towards waypoints within it. The new formula offers more space for the story and characters, but is lacking when it comes to gameplay. Luckily, the game is just short enough to keep the momentum going despite its slower pace and more repetitive progression. The new stealth gameplay is fun, if a pretty steep departure from the kind of stealth the last game offered. In addition to all the special moves he learned in the last game, Sly can now crawl under tables and perform stealth takedowns from behind. It's not as immediately satisfying as the sneaky KOs you could land in the first however, because there's no immediate threat of death if you slip up. Even against the toughest enemies in the overworld, Sly and his gang can take a few hits and still run to safety. Speaking of his gang, the addition of Murray and Bentley into regular gameplay is a big improvement on the original. Bentley's hacking abilities reappear here as a much more fleshed out gameplay style, and you can play as any of the three characters in the overworld and in their corresponding missions. This is a massive step up from the less-than-amazing missions in the first where Murray would race in the van or need Sly's turret protection while chasing after a key. Those missions were always a disappointment compared to the Sly stages, and this game corrects that well by evening the playing field. None of the missions are as unique, but all of them are better than bad. Vehicle missions are also much improved in this game. In the first game, they felt like a diversion from the more engaging gameplay as Sly. This time around, I found myself really enjoying all of Bentley's RC helicopter stages and the turret sections. Perhaps that's because the regular gameplay got a bit more tiresome this time around, and I was more excited for a switch-up. All in all, not quite what I was looking for. I still enjoyed this game for what it was, and its cast of characters are as charming as ever, but I think this game's desire to enhance its scope made for a less impactful experience overall.