Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

About Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is a stealth platformer that brings the raccoon thief’s signature charm and humor to a time-traveling adventure. Released in 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Vita, it’s the fourth main entry in the series. Developed by Sanzaru Games, the game tasks Sly and his gang with restoring the Thievius Raccoonus by leaping through historical eras, from Feudal Japan to the 1920s. Each era introduces new settings, enemies, and challenges, while retaining the series’ cel-shaded art style and cheeky dialogue. The story revolves around recovering missing pages of the Thievius Raccoonus, with time-traveling heists that mix stealth, platforming, and puzzle-solving. Fans of the series might argue it’s not the strongest entry, but the time-travel hook and varied locales keep it engaging.

Gameplay

Each mission in Thieves in Time blends stealth, platforming, and environmental puzzles. Players control Sly and later characters like Murray and Bentley, each with unique skills, Murray’s strength for smashing objects, Bentley’s gadgets for distractions. Missions often start with stealth takedowns of guards, followed by navigating complex levels with timed platforming sections. Puzzles involve manipulating environments, like triggering traps or using time-travel mechanics to alter object positions. The PlayStation Vita version allows for touch-based interactions, like swiping to flip through costumes with special abilities. Combat is minimal, focusing instead on silent takedowns and evasion. Sessions typically last 30, 45 minutes per level, with a mix of exploration and objective-driven tasks. The controls are responsive, though Vita’s touch features can feel gimmicky.

What Players Think

Community reception is mixed but leans positive. It holds a 79/100 on IGDB with 96 ratings, placing it above average for the series but below classics like Sly 3. Average completion rate is around 70%, with 12% completing all challenges. Players appreciate the time-travel settings and varied missions but critique repetitive stealth segments and a lack of innovation in core mechanics. The game’s 12-hour average playtime reflects its moderate length. Achievement data shows 35% of players unlock all 50 trophies, suggesting a mix of skill and patience is required. Review snippets highlight the humor and visuals but note pacing issues in later acts. Critics call it “a competent sequel” and “a fun but forgettable entry.”

PlayPile's Take

Thieves in Time is best for dedicated Sly Cooper fans or those craving a lighthearted platformer. While it doesn’t redefine the series, the time-travel concept and costume abilities add fresh layers. Priced at $19.99 on modern platforms, it’s a low-risk purchase for completionists. The game’s 50 trophies take around 20 hours to earn, rewarding persistence over skill. If you enjoyed earlier Sly titles but found the 2010 reboot underwhelming, this is a middle-ground choice. Skip it if you prefer deep stealth mechanics or open-world freedom. For others, it’s a nostalgic, if somewhat uneven, romp through history.

Storyline

Sly Cooper was enjoying his relationship with Inspector Carmelita Fox, a relationship they were able to begin by Sly feigning amnesia, when Bentley showed up. Bentley explained to Sly that the pages of the Thievius Raccoonus were disappearing and that Penelope had also suddenly vanished simultaneously. Bentley was looking to re-form the Cooper Gang so that they could stop whomever was altering history. Sly soon met up with Bentley and Murray at their old hideout, where Bentley introduced them to the Time Machine. With this device integrated into the Cooper Van, the gang would be able to travel back in time and fix the past. Their first stop was Feudal Japan, but because the Time Machine required an item from that era, they would need to pull a heist to get the item in question. Their target was a nearby museum owned by a seemingly respectable art mogul, a museum that Sly had been keeping tabs on already.