Sly Cooper could kick Nathan Drake's ass (honourably, of course)
Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves is the third installment in Sucker Punch's Sly Cooper franchise, and arguably the best so far. This game takes a different story approach then the previous games. In Sly 1 and 2, the story structure has been "oh shit, some people stole something, let's steal it back," which worked, but they could've changed it a little for the sequel. In this one however, instead stealing something back, you're performing tasks which involve stealing to recruit other thieves into your crew. What happens is as follows: A few years after Sly 2, Sly and Bentley discover, through the help of somebody who ran with Sly's dad, the existence of the Cooper Vault, the place where every Cooper throughout history has left their treasure. Upon arrival at the island the vault is on, they discover that Dr. M, a baboon with a plug on his head who also ran with Sly's dad, has been trying to break into the vault for years. He's turned the entire island into a fortress that Sly and Bentley cannot break into by themselves, so they set off to find others with special skills to help. First off is Murray, who left the group after Bentley's spine was crushed. During that time he learned some new moves, such as the Dreamtime Ball maneuver. You also acquire the skills of an RC expert, an aboriginal mystic, a frogman, and a demolitions expert. All these new gameplay mechanics handle really well, each with different moves and purposes. You also get to play as Inspector Fox this time around, making it a third person shooter. On top of all these new gameplay mechanics, all the regulars have been upgraded, too. As stated early, Murray has the Ball form, Bentley can now do a quadruple jump (if upgraded enough), and Sly can now crack safes. Bentley and Murray can both pick pocket as well now. Along with the series' main cast, you get some returning characters, like Dimitri from Sly 2, the Panda King from Sly 1 (both of whom are playable), and Muggshot from Sly 1. There are also a whole slew of new characters, and two gameplay mechanics that aren't based on any type of pre-existing mechanic from previous games. These are dogfights where you go up in a bi-plane and shoot other people down, and pirate battles where you command a giant galleon and blow other people out of the water. For some reason there are parts in the game that let you see things in 3D, and the game includes the glasses for free. These sections don't really look all that 3D-y, and don't really add to the experience. Luckily, the 3D is optional. Overall, Sucker Punch has done a great job with this (supposed) wrap-up of the great platformer franchise that is Sly Cooper. The game controllers well, the story is great, and the game just looks great. It's just GREAT! Call up your crew, storm the nearest heavily fortified island, and claim this game as your birthright. You deserve it.