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Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus: Rockin' Raccoon |
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Getting our hands on Sony's upcoming game, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus, was a treat at E3 and even better when we had a chance to cool with Sly in our living room back home. This character is so damn likable that we dare anyone to not appreciate the game as it is right now. Sure, there's no question Sly Cooper is aimed at a younger group, in the sense that it is cel-shaded with wacky characters and a pretty modest level of challenge. But, don't let this brightly colored exterior fool you. Sly Cooper may be no less than a whitewashed version of that old Tactical Espionage agent we all know and love... That's right, you guessed it. This raccoon may not be part of Foxhound, but he's definitely slippery as a Solid Snake in the grass.
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As the game begins, Sly and friends are on a mission to rescue ancient raccoon lore from a bad bunch of bandits, the bandit ringleader still a figure of mystery. But, with henchmen like this, who needs to be tough?! We had a look at Sly Cooper through the first levels, as Sly takes stock of the situation and infiltrates enemy territory. Periodically along the way, you'll have the chance to unlock a safe and pick up a page from the Thievius Raccoonus, which has been passed through Sly's thieving family for generations. After gathering pages, Sly will learn new skills. These can be cycled through and activated with just one button-push, but they are super sweet. We saw a fierce rolling attack and an amazing slo-mo move that just smacks of The Matrix. In fact, Sly Cooper seems to be filled with many references to what we all think is cool about spy movies and games like Metal Gear, Syphon Filter or Goldeneye. Various gadgets help Sly, but he also has counsel from his friend who monitors the operation and provides hints on moves, attacks and solving puzzles. Puzzles, secret areas and tough enemies already make this one of the most promising Action/Adventure games we're likely to see this year appealing to a younger demographic. If you liked Crash, Spyro and Croc, you're going to flip for Sly Cooper.
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Special mention of the graphics and design should really be made. We're knocked out by how much Sly Cooper looks like live animation. The cel-shading is part of it, but the overall design puts the icing on what would otherwise just be a pretty cake. Excellent movement animation and camera angles that follow Sly as he sneaks around, panning around corners when he hides, brings a more cinematic feel to the game, and watching the slo-mo special move never got old for me. Lighting is already top-notch, there's only a hint of any slow-down and the music is fantastic. Which leads us to wonder: for a game that is already looking this good, how great will Sly Cooper be in September when Sony brings this Sucker Punch creation to stores? We're eagerly anticipating a smash hit, and of course this will do a great deal to improve the raccoon's image as more than just a trash robber and suburban pest.
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-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock |
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