Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

About Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves

Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves landed on PlayStation 2 in late September 2005. Sucker Punch Productions built this stealth-action platformer as the third entry in the Cooper series. The story picks up a year after the second game when Sly tries to open the family vault on Kaine Island. Dr. M blocks their path and captures the raccoon leader. Bentley and Murray escape with help from old allies they need to round up for the final heist. Players can switch between Sly, Bentley, Murray, and new team members across global locations like Venice. The game launched just before the console generation shift but still offers a distinct 2D and optional 3D visual mode.

Gameplay

Sessions involve switching characters to exploit specific skills for stealth or combat. You guide Sly through patrols using gadgets while Bentley hacks terminals from a distance. Murray smashes obstacles and fights heavy enemies in direct combat scenarios. A typical run requires mastering the rhythm of sneaking past guards, solving environmental puzzles, and executing precise platforming jumps. The game features numerous mini-games that act as side content or essential progression tools like stealing keys. You can play through the entire campaign alone or invite a friend for split-screen co-op multiplayer. Controls feel tight with responsive timing for grabbing ledges and vanishing into shadows during chases.

What Players Think

The data shows 109 ratings on IGDB averaging a solid 78.9 out of 100. PlayPile users report an average playtime of around 12 hours to finish the main story, though completionists spend over 25 hours hunting every collectible. Community moods skew heavily positive with frequent mentions of the "fun" factor in co-op modes. Review snippets often cite the voice acting and musical score as standout elements that elevate the experience above standard platformers. Users frequently note that the final boss fight against Dr. M is a highlight. Only about 15% of players stopped playing before reaching the end, suggesting strong retention even for those who found the middle chapters repetitive.

PlayPile's Take

This title remains a strong choice for anyone with a PS2 or access to backward compatibility. The price on secondary markets stays reasonable for a complete package with full achievements unlocked. You should play this if you want tight controls and a story that respects its characters without being overly serious. It is not for players who demand modern online features since the multiplayer is strictly local split-screen only. Finish the game to see the ending, then replay it in co-op mode to experience how the character switching changes the pacing. Do not skip the side missions because they offer the best variety in the entire library.

Storyline

Set a year after the events of Band of Thieves, Sly Cooper, Bentley, Murray, and other unidentified characters attempt to open the Cooper Vault on Kaine Island. Unfortunately, they are intercepted by Dr. M, the owner of the island. Murray and Bentley escape, but a monster grabs Sly. During this scene, Sly's life flashes before his eyes, and the game flashes back. Sly learned that the Cooper Vault was hidden on Kaine Island from one of his father's colleagues, Jim McSweeney. The vault contains the accumulated wealth of the Cooper Clan built up over the centuries. Sly went to find the vault, only to discover that M had built a fortress on the island in an attempt to get at the wealth hidden in the vault. Sly needed additional experts in order to get past Dr. M's extensive security; he needed the Cooper Gang back in action. First, Sly and Bentley seek Murray, who had left the team due to guilt for causing Bentley's leg injury, which would end up paralyzing him. They learn about a mob boss, Octavio, who operates in Venice, Italy, where Murray was. Sly finds Dimitri in a cell at the local police station. He agrees to find Murray if Sly helps him escape. Sly finds Murray, while evading Carmelita Fox, who had become more hateful towards crimes since their last encounter. Murray had become a trainee for a peace-loving figure known as the Guru in order to become more peaceful. Murray refuses to rejoin Sly and Bentley until the canals are clean, the task the Guru gave to him. Sly and Bentley take down Octavio, who had been polluting the canals with tar as part of a scheme to threaten the city into liking opera again. After putting together some plans, they destroy Octavio's comeback recital, but Octavio injures Bentley, making Murray so mad that he quits his training and battles Octavio and defeats him. Octavio is arrested, and Murray rejoins the team.