Sly 2: Band of Thieves

Sly 2: Band of Thieves from 2004 abandoned the first game's segmented level structure in favor of larger open levels spread across several cities around the world. The player first scouts out the terrain, gathers information from local contacts, and only then plans and executes a coordinated heist, which fundamentally changed the pace and depth of gameplay compared to the first entry. Sucker Punch also made the entire trio playable for the first time, since alongside Sly Cooper, the player can now also control strongman Murray with his special physical abilities and the brains of the gang, Bentley, whose missions rely on hacking and stealth via an RC helicopter.

The story pits the crew against the criminal organization the Klaww Gang, which forms after the fall of the Fiendish Five, and takes place in exotic locations from Paris to India and Canada. Elaborate multi-stage heists, clever dialogue humor, and a fluid combination of acrobatics, stealth, and hacking mini-games create an addictive loop where every mission feels like a well-planned cinematic heist adventure. New to this entry is also robbing patrolling guards directly on the move, one of the game's most tense and, at the same time, most entertaining small ideas. Improved characters, a more open design, and a deeper story pushed the series significantly higher compared to the first game.

Sly 2 is still considered by many players and critics to be the pinnacle of the entire series and one of the best stealth platformers on PlayStation 2. The larger, less linear levels placed higher demands on the PS2 hardware for streaming environments, which Sucker Punch managed to pull off without losing fluidity, and the jazzy soundtrack only underscores the noir atmosphere of nighttime rooftops and docks. Thanks to its enriched gameplay and deeper story, Sly 2 is often ranked alongside Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal as a prime example of what mascot platformers on PS2 were able to achieve.