Sly 2 is an awesome game. It's the best Sly Cooper game and has a good length to it. It improves on just about everything from the first game. It's definitely worth a look.

I've played Jak 2 only briefly, but I'm pretty sure Sly 2 is the most "platforming" platformer out of this trio, while both Jak 2 & R&C have more involved shooting mechanics and less (precise) jumping around. Ratchet & Clank does still play well and I imagine Jak 2 does as well.

Outside of gameplay mechanics...well, I still can't speak for Jak 2, but Sly 2 had a decent story and fun heroes/villains. Ratchet & Clank's story doesn't have any of the charm of the earlier games (original trilogy and future included), plus it's slapped together in a very jarring manner, because they didn't want you to see the whole movie in-game.

So I'd personally vote for Sly 2. I just played the HD trilogy myself in 2015 and enjoyed Sly 2 a lot. Maybe too much so, because I kinda played the first and second game in a row and maybe overdosed myself on them, because I stopped playing Sly 3 after the first world. Should get back to that at some point.

...and of course Sly 2 also has some great jams.

As a bonus suggestion, The Ratchet & Clank HD trilogy. The first one still kinda feels like a prototype, because it lacks some of the mechanics from the later games (strafing being the most vital one), but 2 & 3 felt fantastic to play.

Having never owned a PS1 or PS2 in their time the only series listed here I've played is Sly. I got the series as a collection on PS3 and enjoyed it for the most part.

I personally preferred Sly 1's linear platforming, but most people seem to agree that Sly 2 is the best in the series. And Sly is a great series, so try that.

I only played jak 2 and remember it basically being gta lite. So if you like gta and like platformers and want to see what a gta platformer is like then i recommend it

I never played any of the Sly Cooper games but Jak 2 and Ratchet and Clank are both shooters with some real light platforming. I voted Ratchet and Clank because Jak 2 hasnt aged well.

Jak II is very different from Jak 1 and does some cool and fun stuff, but it`s also pretty rough in a lot of ways. The biggest one being that it has some serious problems with difficulty spikes. Jak II is decent, but Jak 3 is where they smoothed out the rough edges and made a really great game.

Ratchet and Clank has the weakest story and characters of the series which is a bummer. It looks amazing though and the gameplay is still really solid. It`s not one of the best in the series, but if you like Ratchet it`s definitely worth playing at some point.

Similarly to Jak, Sly 2 is really different from the first game, but it manages the transition better. Sly 2 and 3 are really unique and have a ton of charm. The platforming is solid and they mix things up all the time which keeps the game feeling fresh throughout. The biggest minus is probably the combat which is serviceable, but nor great. Luckily it`s not the main focus of the gameplay too often, so it`s not really a problem.

Of the three I probably recommend Sly 2.

The Rachet & Clank remake was super fun, I immediately replayed its new game plus after finishing it and I never do that. Jak II is cool but I'm not sure how it's aged. I never played Sly because Jak and Ratchet was enough for me and the character didn't appeal to me as much as a high schooler (Ratchet had the lewd jokes and Jak had the attitude.

The answer is always KNACK goddamnit!... Although that Ratchet & Clank game is truly fantastic, makes me hopeful for a sequel.

Probably Sly 2, or Ratchet. Both are solid.

Jak 2 is a nice looking game but it's clear that they really tried to bank on the whole GTA craze and it did not do the game any good. The city you traverse around to go from mission to mission is really bland and boring and the vehicle stuff just feels like a throw-in. The weapon stuff is pretty cool and there are some good pure platforming sections outside the city, but it's a big step down from The Precursor Legacy. There are also some really frustrating difficulty spikes in the game.

Jak 2 is good game, but it's a big departure from Jak 1. Sly 2 is like an evolution of Sly 1, and would be my pick. I haven't played the 2016 R&C, but I've heard good things.

Why not one of the first three ratchet & clanks? those are the best option imo :p It had been a long time ago for me since I played the original trilogy and I thought I liked the future trilogy the most but i've recently gotten my hand on the hd trilogy on ps3 and it has definitely made me go back on that opinion. The original 3 are where its at when it comes to gameplay and amazing music tracks imo.

I thought that the 2016's reboot of ratchet and clank was the weakest one gameplay-, music- and storywise from the main series (so only counting the 2 trilogies and the 2016 reboot). Its insanely gorgeous to look at though and its still pretty good :p But besides the obviously mediocre spinoffs, its the only ratchet and clank game where I didn't immediately go into new game plus after finishing it.

None of the Jak and daxter games ever did it for me sooo from the ones in the poll I'd say sly 2 without a doubt. All 4 of the sly coopers are about as good as each other i'd say despite having different strengths&weaknesses.

Sly 2. I liked how the levels were more open than the first game and how the missions were all tied around pulling off one big objective.

Knack is not a platformer.

Jak II may be the most difficult game I ever finished (in 2012 noless) and while it's a good game it's not really a platformer either. It's MORE of a platformer than Knack but you spend a lot of time driving cars and shooting. It's a good game but boy are some of the levels frustrating. And it will not scratch the platformer itch very well.

I am going to throw in a curve ball and suggest Prince of Persia: Sands of Time if you haven't played it. It's a fantastic 3d traversal game (not quite a traditional 3D platformer but shares a lot in common) from that era. I think it's better than the games named in this thread and for me, at least, it DEFINITELY scratches the platformer itch.

Pretty surprised Sly 2 did so well and how badly Jak 2 polled. I thought Jak 2 was going to crush it with R&C close behind, basking in the glow of its youth.

I was leaning Sly 2 before I made the poll so gonna stick with that. R&C will have to wait, seeing as I only played ACiT last year. Can't believe how little love for Jak 2 there is these days though. I remember it getting a ton of love when it was released. Thanks guys.