It's the ultimate catharsis sitting here and watching this. Sly is barely talked about in the conversation of gaming storytelling and writing. Even when the topic is on PS2 platformers, Crash, Jak, Ratchet and Spyro seem to overshadow it every time. Now years later we have a trilogy of lengthy, well-put together videos as a testament to the series' quality. To commemorate the games and show that they're just as fondly remembered and influential to the medium as any others. Thank you for making this.
its really weird too how spyro always finds himself in the convo when hes a ps1 mascot with a really bad ps2 run. Technically, Spyro shouldn't even be a factor.
B-Mask: And that's it, the end. It ended so strongly. Us: Oh, but what about Sly 4- B-Mask: AND THAT'S IT, THAT'S THE END. *I T E N D E D S O S T R O N G L Y*
1:34:35 Such a cool character moment for Sly, and ties in really well mechanically as well. It was never about the loot; when I played these games I spent dozens of hours just wandering around picking pockets, and dozens more sailing the seas fighting pirates. I racked up like 200,000 coins, almost enough to buy every item in the game 10 times. It was just fun to be Sly. So when he finally gets into the vault, he just wants to see if he measures up. He's not looking to take anything with him. He realises that he values his friends more than some idea of legacy, and after coming close to dying he decides that what he really wants is a life with Carmelita. So he fakes amnesia and joins up with her. Then as the mountain comes crashing down, in his final gift to the gang he uses his cane to prop open an entrance to the caves. Simultaneously leaving behind his legacy (the cane was his father's iirc?) and sharing the victory with his friends by letting them into the vault to do what they want with it. Really great video, totally changed my perception of Sly 3 and the series as a whole. Thanks!
It's also kinda sad if you think about it. Sly's father formed this team and the brains was so underappreciated that he held a grudge even after his death, only to die himself so close to the treasure he sought. Leaving McSweeney the only living member of his crew, alone. I'm sure if and when he heard of sly's dad's death both him and M felt a little sad at the loss of their friend even if a little. It's gotta be sad to know you're the last surviving member of your surogant family or group of friends.
I'd say that Dr. M was a little sad at first but then he let his grudge and obsession go to his head resulting in him losing his sanity and lack of sympathy for his fellow team members. He only saw Sly as his dad and not Sly himself.
I'm somewhat disappointed that you didn't even mention the whole dynamic that happened to Murray in the opening mission. When push came to shove, he didn't choose to break his vow of peace to save Bentley, _he willingly almost took another life to protect his friends._ That's _MASSIVE._
The first video thumbnail, showing Sly from behind and at a distance, is representative about how the first game laid the tentative groundwork for the series The second video thumbnail, about building on Sly as a character and his world as a setting has its thumbnail as a low angle shot, communicating his presence and depth The third video thumbnail, which is about moving away from Sly as a character, doesn't even feature him I t s l I k e p o t t e r y i t r h y m e s
Penelope is so great, kind, helpful, adorkable and the perfect match for Bentley. Good thing there was never another sequel that ruined everything good about her and made her completely loathsome for no reason. That would have been terrible.
Ryan Howe you just had to bring up Infamous Second Son, The Worst Infamous Game, or even a bad Infamous game, or an Infamous game, see what I did there, the title is called Infamo you know what let’s cut to the chase here, You’re not gonna hypnotize me are you, Because if you do, then it’s too late, your mind games are over, you’re under arrest for hypnotizing people of a video game that’s confirmed canon, gone to a good life in prison where you folks belong.
you didn’t mention it, but one of my favorite things about Sly 3 was how Bentley is in a wheelchair. There’s so little representation of disabled characters in video games that the fact that Bentley gets to be a person outside if disability is unforgettable.
So you spend your time thinking about how much disabled people are represented? Now that is one sad fucking life. Lets keep thinking like you: How come Sly isn't black as well? Oh and I think it is quite disrespectful that they chose to go with a gross "heterosexual" relationship, I think Carmelita should be a dude so Sly could take a FAT cock! You people are sad as hell.
My god. I finally get it. Even with the sequel hook at the end of this game, there was no room for another sly game. Because sly’s story was done. Thieves in time was never needed. Nice as it was to be sly again, the plot just didn’t have room for it
To be fair, there was no room for another 'Sly' Cooper game, same as there's no room for another 'Max' Payne game. That doesn't mean these worlds need to be left behind. I would love to play a game with Sly and Carmalita's kids, playing the roles their parents had. Or maybe even something involving the omnipresent Thief-Net, which is a background element, but still something odd about the world that's never really dealt with in a final kind of way.
This video is two years old, idk if you’ll ever see this comment but I cried my fucking eyes out over this trilogy of videos. I can’t believe how much I cared about these games. And revisiting through this series was beautiful. Thank you so fucking much for this video. Thank you so much. I will forever appreciate you.
One aspect I liked is that unlike the previous games, this time none of the villains had an affiliation to each other. E.g. Fiendish Five in Sly 1 and the Klaww Gang in Sly 2. Each episode had a unique villain with their own agenda. General Tsao was a very impressive villain. He repeatedly outsmarted the Cooper Gang and even found their safe house (Only other villain to manage that feat was Jean Bison.) Though Sly beat him in a fight, for the first time in the series he was a villain that the gang couldn't beat directly and they had to escape after freeing Jing King. They had to trick Carmelita into arresting him which was quite fitting a fitting punishment due to his attitude towards women.
Dude, I'm pregnant, you can't make me emotional like this! Sly Cooper was one of my favorite games growing up and remains one of my favorite go-to 's on rainy days. It's so lovely to hear this series given the love it deserves in this wonderful retrospective.
I know it's going to be dreadful, but please do Sly 4 too, or just Sanzaru's effort in general. That travesty was like seeing your best friend after many years, only to find out that someone murdered him and is wearing his skin, just pretending to be your friend.
when you said the series must come to an end, at first i was a bit sad for like no reason, then i just remembered how glad i am theres no part for sly 4
Sly four is and does feel like a different beast, sometimes not in the good ways with its story, while it functions it does feel like in some parts it robs the ending of three away and seems to in some way misunderstand the characters its using. Its honestly why i would love to see Suckerpunch give it one last try, to see perhaps what would happen now, how would Sly as a cop work, would he perhaps break away again, believing in some way that he still needs to return to thievery, that while he will not continue its legacy, he perhaps he feels he has responsibility to protect it and that one more time he must put the mantle of the thief on and stop some villain wishing to destroy, not just the cooper legacy, but the legacy of what he and his friends have done, and that maybe perhaps he wants to cooper knowledge to stay alive, to perhaps give his children, or his friend's children the choice when the time comes, so that if they want, they can chose to continue his cooper legacy, or to leave it behind.
@@njrk97 also tbh i actually kinda liked playing through sly 4, i j think, from a completionists perspective, that there are too many collectables. although the story didnt make a whole lot of sense to me, i think it could have gone much worse, so im happy it wasnt too terrible
Great series. The Sly trilogy is a phenomenal ride all the way through and comes full circle. The lack of success for Thieves in Time is actually positive in preserving the legacy of the Sly Cooper games.
All these years later, and it's only now on a rewatch that I notice the bit at 46:44. It wasn't just calling back to the Panda King line in the Sly 1 retrospective, but also uses the following line about how the story is given the clarity it deserves thanks to narrative polish, as a love letter to serialized fiction. At the point in the trilogy where the narrative polish, the serialization, and the story of Sly Cooper arguably reaches its peak. Intentional? Happy little accident? Don't care, that's MASTERFUL editing.
I think Sly says some extra stuff at his Dad's part in the Cooper Vault. After activating it and waiting for a while, not sliding on the lasers, he'll notice the blue sparkles and be surprised there's a thieving opportunity. Give it some more time and Sly will figure it out and call his Dad an old rascal Everyone probably already knew this, but no harm in mentioning it. May be small, but I like that little talk Sly had to himself
This video came out a couple months after I graduated college. Thanks for the graduation, B. Part of me will always wish for more from a series that was so special to me. But there’s something satisfying about a series saying everything it has worth saying, and calling it there. Always leave em wanting more, even if they never saw you leave.
All the character interactions being so well thought out and handled, it's exactly why Sly "4" Thieves in Time isn't good storywise AT ALL, they may have done an okay job at replicating the gameplay, but Sly will always be far more to me, and Sucker Punch having such a good dedication to storytelling is why I enjoy their inFAMOUS franchise so much too
Honestly though, I hope you do something with Sly 4. Maybe not a huge project like the trilogy, dear lord don't put yourself through that, but more like; How does the game fit it to what the other three games put out? I always wondered how other people felt about it on a deep level, cuz to me. It always felt off.
Absolutely worth the wait and has definitely given me a new perspective on this game. Thank you for putting such love into every analysis for each of the three games.
Talk about bittersweet. I've wanted this video for so long and now I can't help but be sad that it's over... Also, don't bother with Thieves in Time. It's licensed fanfiction, no better than Metal Gear Survive. Not bad as a functional game but just worthless as a continuation to the story. The whole thing has the mentality of that one friend who never matured out of their "Boy's Clubhouse" phase, always insisting that his friends who are taking their relationship seriously and wanting to get married are "whipped" and missing out on life (by which they mean hanging out and having their fun like old times, never actually doing anything new). This is especially obvious when they reveal Penelope as a villain for no good reason other than to not have Bentley tied down, immediately after they established Sly's ancestry as this inherently great thing reaching back to the flippin' stone age! Also, not only does Sly give into his vigilante urges but Carmelita does a complete 180 with her view on the world just when it needs to be convenient for the story. I'm guessing you probably have more to complain about than I would, but here's the thing: Sly TiT isn't even worth your acknowledgment. Don't even bother to make a video about it because it's not even deserving of that. Anyone who looks at a finished story and digs it up only to leave it on a cliffhanger just isn't worth the attention despite how negative it might be.
Agreed. Thieves in Time felt very much like an immature, young, incel boy's first fan-fic. And it's especially apparent in how the female characters were treated. Playing Sly 4 as a female fan who LOVED Penelope and Carmelita as a kid was absolutely painful. Thankfully, it has been deservedly forgotten by Sony. And I hope it stays that way. If they ever dig up the Sly franchise again, I'd rather see it start over with a reboot and/or a remake and just pretend Sly 4 never happened
I'm down for a soft reboot about Sly and Carmelita, it probably won't happen but that's something I'd like if it were to wver actually continue Plus: A thieves in time sequel is never coming, and the fanbase needs to get over it
Thieves In Time is Fanfiction, from Sanzuru, Fanboys & Girls, Of Sly Cooper, yet it was actually a great game, and now it’s hated for no good reason whatsoever
I sat through multiple hours of this sly series retrospective and was riveted every single moment of it. Thank you for this gorgeous in depth analysis on one of my favorite game series
I like to think that the original Cooper Gang are less snarky and impatient with each other here compared to the second game. Like surviving their adventures with the Klaww Gang made their bond so strong that they have no real complaints with each other any more.
After rewatching this video, I thought of a use of the dialogue tree in the final episode. After landing on the whale-fly, sly tries to refute Dr. M but you end up running through all the dialogue and the last speech bubble has no button for dialogue because Sly can’t think of a way to refute M.
I discovered your channel by chance only today. I'm so glad I got to relive these games through your series. Honestly I'd nearly forgotten about them somehow. It's incredible how good they really were. You did a fantastic job on these videos, thank you.
I just finished Sly 3, after putting it off for two years after finishing Sly 2, and I finally got to watch this video. Just great, I wish I had played this franchise during the PS2 era, the gameplay and characters are fantastic. Sometimes it's hard to let things go but these characters had their conclusion and even though there is still a fourth game (which I haven't played yet), the franchise has already told what it wanted to tell. Now, if Sony gave us some remakes or better remasters... Good video.
The Sly trilogy just goes to show what you can create when you never skip on the importance of storytelling. We have been sharing stories for generations, and they can survive for generations when they are told the right way. Sly will always be a long time favorite of mine, and I was definitely blessed to have such an incredible story told to me in my childhood.
Finally! Someone gets it! This video perfectly encapsulates why this is my favorite game in the trilogy! The variety, while not perfect, was the point.
God, just hearing that thunder crack along with the eerie music and a silhouetted sly running on a rope takes me back to my childhood so effectively. Thank you for making this. And in 2019, no less.
I needed these 3 vidoes for closure. People talk about how great the nintendo games were all the time. How great Doom, Mario 64, Melee, Zelda, Halo and Pokemon for some examples. I never owned a nintendo console, everyone i know did. Im pretty young, i never had a pc to play Diablo and Vanilla WoW. I had ps1 and ps2 in my youngest days. Ratchet and Clank, Ty the tasmanian tiger and Sly were my Mario's, Zelda's and Melee's. And honestly I don't care, im not even slightly jealous. What these games provided, what Sly provided I know with 110% was more worth to me then what any other series could provide. I loved Sly, im so proud of my videogame legacy, so proud to be a Sly OG. Thank you so much for the closure on this francise.
Honestly, the pirate chapter is my favorite part of Sly 3. Whenever I play through it, I always linger there way longer than necessary, just cruising around and getting into sea battles. I love that mechanic, and I think it's really well made. Is the whole pirate chapter kind of whacky? Sure, but it's a friggin' cartoon. It's supposed to be whacky, to a certain extent. And it draws a lot of inspiration from The Secret Of Monkey Island, right down to the exchange of pirate-y insults. It's great.
I don't think you fully understand how much joy this video has brought to me. Your analytical skills have brought me to appreciate a new perspective on my favorite series as a child. There is so much to this game I never gave thought to. Great job B-Mask
Wow ... just wow you said everything that I felt but didn’t know how to articulate. Beautiful absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much when I plan on making analysis videos or just essays for college I’m going to put as much effort as you have for this vid. So are you gonna do a vid on the uncanon fan game by samzaru? Edit- I literally just saw the ending lol
What an incredible look at these games. You really captured what I loved about these games when I first played them as a kid and what I've discovered about them through replays as I've grown up, and brought new things to light that I'd never considered. This is my favorite game series and one that holds the most nostalgia. This video tapped into that super hard, that "run with us" montage made me tear up. Well-researched, well-edited, well-put together. Thank you.
I cannot believe I only just found your collection of videos. This journey back through my childhood was easily the best video experience I have ever had and uncovered themes I was too young to truly understand at the time. I'm so glad they never made a fourth installation through an outside company that would ruin the true integrity of the character development we saw throughout the series and the bittersweet ending that was all too satisfying...
I absolutely loved your Sly series! This has to be near the top of my all time favorite gaming series lists, and it heartens me to know that so much more love and care went into these games then I realized. Maybe it’s time I revisited them again...
I immediately knew I was going to love this video when I saw it in my subscription feed. It's a rare feat to not only meet the huge expectations built up over multiple months, but to so utterly go above and beyond that even I, with the attention span of a goldfish, could sit and watch this through over an hour and a half and not even notice. I tip my fedora in your general direction, B- Mask, and look forward to your next work with great anticipation.
I just wanted something to watch for 15-30 minutes while I took a break and had some lunch. You had my plonked in my seat for nearly 2 hours without even thinking about the time with a video essay on a game I never played. Hugely entertaining work. Not just a bland reconstruction from scene to scene or wasting time just indulgently flaming your least favourite parts of the game in an overcompensating manner. Just to the point, funny without being crass, focused without being meandering. Get this guy some more views/subs for the love of god.
Man Ive never played these games but your videos really enamored me to the cast Im in love with the cooper gang and definitely want to pick up the games for myself now.
I know this video took a while, but in the end it was honestly worth it. I love the way you write your scripts and how it flows together from one segment to the next.
I always loved the cooper vault as a kid I think I liked digging into the lore of the coopers as much as sly did But you’re more negative reading of it definitely rings true
The Sly series is my favorite of all time, and while I used to say that 3 was probably my least favorite, you've honestly helped me see it in a totally new light. I've never really thought about each game in the Sly series playing a part in a broader story before. It's really only deepened my love and appreciation for the series. Kudos to you, man. This was a beautifully crafted video.
Man this was such an amazing trilogy! Sure is a shame that there was never another Sly game since Sly3... A shame they never made a game after Sly 3... A real shame...
Man I haven't played these games (though I always wanted to) and after watching all three of your retrospectives on this series it's clear that I gotta finally experience them for myself.
I’ve replayed these games every year since I was 5 years old and I’m 23 now. I literally have a home made sly cane for a costume from 1st grade. Also this game influenced me to be a drug addict thief that’s been to jail a few times as a teenager lmao Jk sly actually taught me morals about stealing from people who are thieves themselves and even in my worst days I still kinda heard the cooper family code in my head ringing.
@@claydogg234 Copyright claim- I was sharing with the holder for years and the bot that controls it or whatever decided last month to hit it with a full claim instead. I will probably release the original version of the ending even if it's claimed as a separate video sometime in the near future.
Damn, this turned out beautifully. 😍 Well done, sir. I have so much respect for any creator(s) that make a good, decisive conclusion to their works. I mean, we've seen what happens - with multiple properties - when something *never stops.* Similar to the Cooper Legacy, it eventually just consumes itself. It makes you realise just how unnecessary - and arguably, damaging - *Thieves in Time* was. I loathe that game. For many reasons, which I'm sure you'll word similarly when you get around to it. Btw, the *Gilbert & Sullivan* operetta you mentioned sounds really intriguing. I'm gonna check that out. Thanks, o enlightening one. 😉
It's the ultimate catharsis sitting here and watching this. Sly is barely talked about in the conversation of gaming storytelling and writing. Even when the topic is on PS2 platformers, Crash, Jak, Ratchet and Spyro seem to overshadow it every time. Now years later we have a trilogy of lengthy, well-put together videos as a testament to the series' quality. To commemorate the games and show that they're just as fondly remembered and influential to the medium as any others. Thank you for making this.
Someday when Im rich Im going to buy the IP rights and make movies, tv shows, games, comics, and other merchandise.
Travis 23 dude I’ve had the same idea for so long. See you in 10 years or so! Let’s keep hustling
Quartet*
its really weird too how spyro always finds himself in the convo when hes a ps1 mascot with a really bad ps2 run. Technically, Spyro shouldn't even be a factor.
Indeed
B-Mask: And that's it, the end. It ended so strongly.
Us: Oh, but what about Sly 4-
B-Mask: AND THAT'S IT, THAT'S THE END. *I T E N D E D S O S T R O N G L Y*
SLY 4 IS NOT SO BAD
@@nessix6273 i mean depends on what ur talking about. They compleatly fucked up the charracters
Its garbage
@@jespertiden8054 what? sly 4? if um ean sly 4 this is getting out of hand
@@nessix6273 The gameplay is fine but the story....
Seeing this notification made me almost as overjoyed as when I buried myself in my mom’s pasta sauce
This is the perfect comment, we can't get any better than this.
Just... amazing.
Glad I wasn't the only one XD
That's strange
Can you cram me in there as well?
1:34:35 Such a cool character moment for Sly, and ties in really well mechanically as well. It was never about the loot; when I played these games I spent dozens of hours just wandering around picking pockets, and dozens more sailing the seas fighting pirates. I racked up like 200,000 coins, almost enough to buy every item in the game 10 times. It was just fun to be Sly. So when he finally gets into the vault, he just wants to see if he measures up. He's not looking to take anything with him.
He realises that he values his friends more than some idea of legacy, and after coming close to dying he decides that what he really wants is a life with Carmelita. So he fakes amnesia and joins up with her. Then as the mountain comes crashing down, in his final gift to the gang he uses his cane to prop open an entrance to the caves. Simultaneously leaving behind his legacy (the cane was his father's iirc?) and sharing the victory with his friends by letting them into the vault to do what they want with it.
Really great video, totally changed my perception of Sly 3 and the series as a whole. Thanks!
And that is why thieves in time is not (or ever will be) canon
I wasn't the only one who would collect a bunch of coins then haha I don't know if I eventually got 200,000 but I think I got like at least 50,000
It's also kinda sad if you think about it.
Sly's father formed this team and the brains was so underappreciated that he held a grudge even after his death, only to die himself so close to the treasure he sought.
Leaving McSweeney the only living member of his crew, alone. I'm sure if and when he heard of sly's dad's death both him and M felt a little sad at the loss of their friend even if a little.
It's gotta be sad to know you're the last surviving member of your surogant family or group of friends.
Bruh that's sad T_T
I'd say that Dr. M was a little sad at first but then he let his grudge and obsession go to his head resulting in him losing his sanity and lack of sympathy for his fellow team members. He only saw Sly as his dad and not Sly himself.
Pondering
Who knows, maybe M was planning on or would've planned on doing something to obtain the cane from sly's dad before the 5 got to him
The sad part is that, there is a fan theory that suggests that Dr. M might have sold out Sly's Parents.
I'm somewhat disappointed that you didn't even mention the whole dynamic that happened to Murray in the opening mission. When push came to shove, he didn't choose to break his vow of peace to save Bentley, _he willingly almost took another life to protect his friends._ That's _MASSIVE._
The first video thumbnail, showing Sly from behind and at a distance, is representative about how the first game laid the tentative groundwork for the series
The second video thumbnail, about building on Sly as a character and his world as a setting has its thumbnail as a low angle shot, communicating his presence and depth
The third video thumbnail, which is about moving away from Sly as a character, doesn't even feature him
I t s l I k e p o t t e r y i t r h y m e s
Holy shit dude
;)
ceramics, dude *nods intently *
Hell, it's even a shot where they're *looking back* while they're *leaving him behind* . It really is like poetry.
Penelope is so great, kind, helpful, adorkable and the perfect match for Bentley. Good thing there was never another sequel that ruined everything good about her and made her completely loathsome for no reason. That would have been terrible.
Nope! That never happened!
And do you know what else never happened?
Second son
Ryan Howe you just had to bring up Infamous Second Son, The Worst Infamous Game, or even a bad Infamous game, or an Infamous game, see what I did there, the title is called Infamo you know what let’s cut to the chase here, You’re not gonna hypnotize me are you, Because if you do, then it’s too late, your mind games are over, you’re under arrest for hypnotizing people of a video game that’s confirmed canon, gone to a good life in prison where you folks belong.
@@ryanhowe6543 am i the only one who loved second sons gameplay? Sure the story was a little bland but I still enjoyed the core gameplay
No problem if you like it
B- Mask
is making a new video tonight, and I'm starving! I'm gonna watch it three, no four times! Mama-mia I wanna be buried in his videos!
Guess you a-really like my-a cooking
@@BMask we all do
@@amala1333 MAMA MIA
@@Volroomste_melk I wanna be _BURIED_ in his analysis of 3D platformers and interactive storytelling!
It's-a _HEAVEN!_
@@fhornmichaelmac can I join
“If strength were all that mattered, Tsao would be an ideal son-in-law.”
Dang, that hit me deep there. 😳
you didn’t mention it, but one of my favorite things about Sly 3 was how Bentley is in a wheelchair. There’s so little representation of disabled characters in video games that the fact that Bentley gets to be a person outside if disability is unforgettable.
It's also so seemly well worked into the story and gameplay, it isn't just a minor aesthetic change but it doesn't overthrown Bentley's character
He did mention it though what are you talking about.
So you spend your time thinking about how much disabled people are represented? Now that is one sad fucking life.
Lets keep thinking like you: How come Sly isn't black as well? Oh and I think it is quite disrespectful that they chose to go with a gross "heterosexual" relationship, I think Carmelita should be a dude so Sly could take a FAT cock!
You people are sad as hell.
So, whats your opinion on the third Sly Cooper game, B-Mask?
B-Mask: It’s a long and awesome story! You got any gum?
What is this a reference to? It sound familiar
@@DoktorInsano98 The gum line was in Episode 1 of the game when Sly is reunited with Murray.
Darkstar263 it’s a reference to 18:25 of this video specifically
Lmao
My god. I finally get it. Even with the sequel hook at the end of this game, there was no room for another sly game. Because sly’s story was done. Thieves in time was never needed. Nice as it was to be sly again, the plot just didn’t have room for it
To be fair, there was no room for another 'Sly' Cooper game, same as there's no room for another 'Max' Payne game. That doesn't mean these worlds need to be left behind. I would love to play a game with Sly and Carmalita's kids, playing the roles their parents had. Or maybe even something involving the omnipresent Thief-Net, which is a background element, but still something odd about the world that's never really dealt with in a final kind of way.
This video is two years old, idk if you’ll ever see this comment but I cried my fucking eyes out over this trilogy of videos. I can’t believe how much I cared about these games. And revisiting through this series was beautiful. Thank you so fucking much for this video. Thank you so much. I will forever appreciate you.
Fr what a banger analysis
One aspect I liked is that unlike the previous games, this time none of the villains had an affiliation to each other. E.g. Fiendish Five in Sly 1 and the Klaww Gang in Sly 2. Each episode had a unique villain with their own agenda.
General Tsao was a very impressive villain. He repeatedly outsmarted the Cooper Gang and even found their safe house (Only other villain to manage that feat was Jean Bison.) Though Sly beat him in a fight, for the first time in the series he was a villain that the gang couldn't beat directly and they had to escape after freeing Jing King.
They had to trick Carmelita into arresting him which was quite fitting a fitting punishment due to his attitude towards women.
Dude, I'm pregnant, you can't make me emotional like this! Sly Cooper was one of my favorite games growing up and remains one of my favorite go-to 's on rainy days. It's so lovely to hear this series given the love it deserves in this wonderful retrospective.
Bentley got REAL savage in Sly 3. Like for real.
I love it.
Sly 1 = *The Game*
Sly 2 = *The Turning Point*
Sly 3 = *The Finally*
Sly 4 = *BRUH*
I know it's going to be dreadful, but please do Sly 4 too, or just Sanzaru's effort in general. That travesty was like seeing your best friend after many years, only to find out that someone murdered him and is wearing his skin, just pretending to be your friend.
Gruesome
am I really going to see a 1 hour and 45 minute retrospective on sly 3? Of Course I Am!
when you said the series must come to an end, at first i was a bit sad for like no reason, then i just remembered how glad i am theres no part for sly 4
Sly four is and does feel like a different beast, sometimes not in the good ways with its story, while it functions it does feel like in some parts it robs the ending of three away and seems to in some way misunderstand the characters its using. Its honestly why i would love to see Suckerpunch give it one last try, to see perhaps what would happen now, how would Sly as a cop work, would he perhaps break away again, believing in some way that he still needs to return to thievery, that while he will not continue its legacy, he perhaps he feels he has responsibility to protect it and that one more time he must put the mantle of the thief on and stop some villain wishing to destroy, not just the cooper legacy, but the legacy of what he and his friends have done, and that maybe perhaps he wants to cooper knowledge to stay alive, to perhaps give his children, or his friend's children the choice when the time comes, so that if they want, they can chose to continue his cooper legacy, or to leave it behind.
@@njrk97 also tbh i actually kinda liked playing through sly 4, i j think, from a completionists perspective, that there are too many collectables. although the story didnt make a whole lot of sense to me, i think it could have gone much worse, so im happy it wasnt too terrible
Literally the best notification I've ever gotten! Thank you so much! n.n
Great series. The Sly trilogy is a phenomenal ride all the way through and comes full circle. The lack of success for Thieves in Time is actually positive in preserving the legacy of the Sly Cooper games.
Love watching these long videos. I appreciate the passion
All these years later, and it's only now on a rewatch that I notice the bit at 46:44. It wasn't just calling back to the Panda King line in the Sly 1 retrospective, but also uses the following line about how the story is given the clarity it deserves thanks to narrative polish, as a love letter to serialized fiction.
At the point in the trilogy where the narrative polish, the serialization, and the story of Sly Cooper arguably reaches its peak.
Intentional? Happy little accident? Don't care, that's MASTERFUL editing.
I think Sly says some extra stuff at his Dad's part in the Cooper Vault. After activating it and waiting for a while, not sliding on the lasers, he'll notice the blue sparkles and be surprised there's a thieving opportunity. Give it some more time and Sly will figure it out and call his Dad an old rascal
Everyone probably already knew this, but no harm in mentioning it. May be small, but I like that little talk Sly had to himself
Sly 3 has always been my favorite I think it’s because it was the first sly game I played so I might be biased lol
It’s my fav too I love the crazy variety in gameplay and I’m a sucker for conclusions
watching this has made me fall in love with this game all over again
This video came out a couple months after I graduated college. Thanks for the graduation, B. Part of me will always wish for more from a series that was so special to me. But there’s something satisfying about a series saying everything it has worth saying, and calling it there. Always leave em wanting more, even if they never saw you leave.
All the character interactions being so well thought out and handled, it's exactly why Sly "4" Thieves in Time isn't good storywise AT ALL, they may have done an okay job at replicating the gameplay, but Sly will always be far more to me, and Sucker Punch having such a good dedication to storytelling is why I enjoy their inFAMOUS franchise so much too
Honestly though, I hope you do something with Sly 4. Maybe not a huge project like the trilogy, dear lord don't put yourself through that, but more like; How does the game fit it to what the other three games put out? I always wondered how other people felt about it on a deep level, cuz to me. It always felt off.
The echoing callback to the part on Panda King from the first video is a chef's kiss moment.
Absolutely worth the wait and has definitely given me a new perspective on this game. Thank you for putting such love into every analysis for each of the three games.
Talk about bittersweet. I've wanted this video for so long and now I can't help but be sad that it's over...
Also, don't bother with Thieves in Time. It's licensed fanfiction, no better than Metal Gear Survive. Not bad as a functional game but just worthless as a continuation to the story. The whole thing has the mentality of that one friend who never matured out of their "Boy's Clubhouse" phase, always insisting that his friends who are taking their relationship seriously and wanting to get married are "whipped" and missing out on life (by which they mean hanging out and having their fun like old times, never actually doing anything new). This is especially obvious when they reveal Penelope as a villain for no good reason other than to not have Bentley tied down, immediately after they established Sly's ancestry as this inherently great thing reaching back to the flippin' stone age! Also, not only does Sly give into his vigilante urges but Carmelita does a complete 180 with her view on the world just when it needs to be convenient for the story. I'm guessing you probably have more to complain about than I would, but here's the thing: Sly TiT isn't even worth your acknowledgment. Don't even bother to make a video about it because it's not even deserving of that. Anyone who looks at a finished story and digs it up only to leave it on a cliffhanger just isn't worth the attention despite how negative it might be.
Agreed. Thieves in Time felt very much like an immature, young, incel boy's first fan-fic. And it's especially apparent in how the female characters were treated. Playing Sly 4 as a female fan who LOVED Penelope and Carmelita as a kid was absolutely painful.
Thankfully, it has been deservedly forgotten by Sony. And I hope it stays that way. If they ever dig up the Sly franchise again, I'd rather see it start over with a reboot and/or a remake and just pretend Sly 4 never happened
I'm down for a soft reboot about Sly and Carmelita, it probably won't happen but that's something I'd like if it were to wver actually continue
Plus: A thieves in time sequel is never coming, and the fanbase needs to get over it
I get your point, but your comment kinda demonstrates the point of a video.
Thieves In Time is Fanfiction, from Sanzuru, Fanboys & Girls, Of Sly Cooper, yet it was actually a great game, and now it’s hated for no good reason whatsoever
You left us with a cliffhanger more outrageous than Thieves in Time itself.
I sat through multiple hours of this sly series retrospective and was riveted every single moment of it. Thank you for this gorgeous in depth analysis on one of my favorite game series
I like to think that the original Cooper Gang are less snarky and impatient with each other here compared to the second game. Like surviving their adventures with the Klaww Gang made their bond so strong that they have no real complaints with each other any more.
I think this is the single greatest video game retrospective I have ever seen. Thank You.
I don't know enough fancy words to compliment these Sly Videos, they are simply perfect.
After rewatching this video, I thought of a use of the dialogue tree in the final episode. After landing on the whale-fly, sly tries to refute Dr. M but you end up running through all the dialogue and the last speech bubble has no button for dialogue because Sly can’t think of a way to refute M.
I discovered your channel by chance only today. I'm so glad I got to relive these games through your series. Honestly I'd nearly forgotten about them somehow. It's incredible how good they really were. You did a fantastic job on these videos, thank you.
You got my subscription, now earn it by tackling the 4th
I just finished Sly 3, after putting it off for two years after finishing Sly 2, and I finally got to watch this video.
Just great, I wish I had played this franchise during the PS2 era, the gameplay and characters are fantastic. Sometimes it's hard to let things go but these characters had their conclusion and even though there is still a fourth game (which I haven't played yet), the franchise has already told what it wanted to tell. Now, if Sony gave us some remakes or better remasters...
Good video.
This is probably the greatest video commentary ever done.
About the greatest video game story trilogy ever done.
The Sly trilogy just goes to show what you can create when you never skip on the importance of storytelling. We have been sharing stories for generations, and they can survive for generations when they are told the right way. Sly will always be a long time favorite of mine, and I was definitely blessed to have such an incredible story told to me in my childhood.
Finally! Someone gets it! This video perfectly encapsulates why this is my favorite game in the trilogy! The variety, while not perfect, was the point.
God, just hearing that thunder crack along with the eerie music and a silhouetted sly running on a rope takes me back to my childhood so effectively. Thank you for making this. And in 2019, no less.
I needed these 3 vidoes for closure.
People talk about how great the nintendo games were all the time. How great Doom, Mario 64, Melee, Zelda, Halo and Pokemon for some examples.
I never owned a nintendo console, everyone i know did.
Im pretty young, i never had a pc to play Diablo and Vanilla WoW.
I had ps1 and ps2 in my youngest days.
Ratchet and Clank, Ty the tasmanian tiger and Sly were my Mario's, Zelda's and Melee's.
And honestly I don't care, im not even slightly jealous.
What these games provided, what Sly provided I know with 110% was more worth to me then what any other series could provide.
I loved Sly, im so proud of my videogame legacy, so proud to be a Sly OG.
Thank you so much for the closure on this francise.
Honestly, the pirate chapter is my favorite part of Sly 3. Whenever I play through it, I always linger there way longer than necessary, just cruising around and getting into sea battles. I love that mechanic, and I think it's really well made. Is the whole pirate chapter kind of whacky? Sure, but it's a friggin' cartoon. It's supposed to be whacky, to a certain extent. And it draws a lot of inspiration from The Secret Of Monkey Island, right down to the exchange of pirate-y insults. It's great.
I don't think you fully understand how much joy this video has brought to me. Your analytical skills have brought me to appreciate a new perspective on my favorite series as a child. There is so much to this game I never gave thought to. Great job B-Mask
Still wating for sly 4
This might be one of my favourite videos on youtube, so well made! Had a joy watching this, Thank you!
Agreed whole heartedly, amazing stuff
Wow ... just wow you said everything that I felt but didn’t know how to articulate. Beautiful absolutely beautiful. Thank you so much when I plan on making analysis videos or just essays for college I’m going to put as much effort as you have for this vid.
So are you gonna do a vid on the uncanon fan game by samzaru?
Edit- I literally just saw the ending lol
What an incredible look at these games. You really captured what I loved about these games when I first played them as a kid and what I've discovered about them through replays as I've grown up, and brought new things to light that I'd never considered. This is my favorite game series and one that holds the most nostalgia. This video tapped into that super hard, that "run with us" montage made me tear up. Well-researched, well-edited, well-put together. Thank you.
With how much talk there was about Sly 3 being the ending, I honestly was super waiting for a "we don't talk about sly 4" joke
I have NEVER looked at the series from this point of perspective until now all thanks to these videos!
I cannot believe I only just found your collection of videos. This journey back through my childhood was easily the best video experience I have ever had and uncovered themes I was too young to truly understand at the time. I'm so glad they never made a fourth installation through an outside company that would ruin the true integrity of the character development we saw throughout the series and the bittersweet ending that was all too satisfying...
I absolutely loved your Sly series! This has to be near the top of my all time favorite gaming series lists, and it heartens me to know that so much more love and care went into these games then I realized. Maybe it’s time I revisited them again...
I immediately knew I was going to love this video when I saw it in my subscription feed. It's a rare feat to not only meet the huge expectations built up over multiple months, but to so utterly go above and beyond that even I, with the attention span of a goldfish, could sit and watch this through over an hour and a half and not even notice. I tip my fedora in your general direction, B- Mask, and look forward to your next work with great anticipation.
I just wanted something to watch for 15-30 minutes while I took a break and had some lunch. You had my plonked in my seat for nearly 2 hours without even thinking about the time with a video essay on a game I never played. Hugely entertaining work. Not just a bland reconstruction from scene to scene or wasting time just indulgently flaming your least favourite parts of the game in an overcompensating manner. Just to the point, funny without being crass, focused without being meandering. Get this guy some more views/subs for the love of god.
"she's willing to risk her life for the gang" cuts forwards to sly 4 and she's not shit talking everyone and being a villain
@45:50 bentleys “bruh” had me in tears
This hit me so god dam hard. Genuinely thank you for this 3 parter.
One of the best video ive seen on youtube , thank you
Was looking forward to this video for a while now. Thanks for this. Looking forward to what you think about Thieves in Time.
Man Ive never played these games but your videos really enamored me to the cast Im in love with the cooper gang and definitely want to pick up the games for myself now.
They are so fuckin good dude, that story makes u feel some type of way and not to mention it’s fun af.
I know this video took a while, but in the end it was honestly worth it. I love the way you write your scripts and how it flows together from one segment to the next.
I always loved the cooper vault as a kid
I think I liked digging into the lore of the coopers as much as sly did
But you’re more negative reading of it definitely rings true
The Sly series is my favorite of all time, and while I used to say that 3 was probably my least favorite, you've honestly helped me see it in a totally new light. I've never really thought about each game in the Sly series playing a part in a broader story before. It's really only deepened my love and appreciation for the series. Kudos to you, man. This was a beautifully crafted video.
Amazing freaking retrospective series!
I love the echoes you put in of your Sly 1 retrospective for the panda king's memories your editing is so quality and on point
Got randomly recommended part 1 and decided to watch all 3 part in one go.
UA-cam sometimes really does give good recommendation
The song you use in the beginning is so fitting. It was a beautiful start to a phenomenal ending
Man this was such an amazing trilogy!
Sure is a shame that there was never another Sly game since Sly3...
A shame they never made a game after Sly 3...
A real shame...
Every time I heard “Run With Us” kick in I could only smile wide and fondly remember my childhood.
Gonna make it it a bi-annual tradition to rewatch this retrospective, subbed in the first 5 minutes of part 1 haha, great work man loved this
There are plenty of communities that try to ignore an entry in their series but not as hard as this man is trying to ignore thieves in time.
Never played any of the games, still thoroughly enjoyed every single episode of this series
Man I haven't played these games (though I always wanted to) and after watching all three of your retrospectives on this series it's clear that I gotta finally experience them for myself.
I’ve replayed these games every year since I was 5 years old and I’m 23 now. I literally have a home made sly cane for a costume from 1st grade. Also this game influenced me to be a drug addict thief that’s been to jail a few times as a teenager lmao Jk sly actually taught me morals about stealing from people who are thieves themselves and even in my worst days I still kinda heard the cooper family code in my head ringing.
Sly 3 was definitely my fav in the trilogy and the most memorable for me. Such a great series overall
Clicked this so fast when I saw. Top-notch quality as always and an amazing look into an amazing game. What a way to wrap up the series
22:02 B-mask that picture is comedy DIAMOND COVERED GOLD
This was so well done! After watching all, I couldn't resist the urge to buy the remastered trilogy.
aaahh finally the retrospective on Sly 3. You did a fantastic job on this.
38:00 all I could think about as a kid was how much the loot in her pocket would be worth after she grew and how Sly should just take it and dip
This was the first game I beat without my brother's help over 13 years ago
Too bad the run with us theme is gone.
I know, and I’m genuinely sorry
@@BMask What happened? A copyright claim? Is there a version avaliable with the original song?
@@claydogg234 Copyright claim- I was sharing with the holder for years and the bot that controls it or whatever decided last month to hit it with a full claim instead. I will probably release the original version of the ending even if it's claimed as a separate video sometime in the near future.
@@BMask Thanks for being forthright and thanks for the videos.
This video made feel things about this game I never thought possible. The Sly Trilogy is just fantastic.
This was brilliant. Thank you for your work on this.
Fantastic edit around the 52:30. I chuckled.
Damn, this turned out beautifully. 😍 Well done, sir.
I have so much respect for any creator(s) that make a good, decisive conclusion to their works. I mean, we've seen what happens - with multiple properties - when something *never stops.* Similar to the Cooper Legacy, it eventually just consumes itself.
It makes you realise just how unnecessary - and arguably, damaging - *Thieves in Time* was.
I loathe that game. For many reasons, which I'm sure you'll word similarly when you get around to it.
Btw, the *Gilbert & Sullivan* operetta you mentioned sounds really intriguing. I'm gonna check that out. Thanks, o enlightening one. 😉
i can not express how overjoyed i am that this is finally out
What happened to the music at the end?
Copyrighted probably.
B-Mask your channel is seriously underrated
I like to think that for the month following the recovery of the van, Panda King actually rode shotgun
Bro the humor of sly 3 had me dying
The prophesied video!
It does not disappoint.
Capital job, your art is worth the wait.
finally the review for sly 3 has come out! I've waited so long for this! the wait was definitely worth it.
This almost made me literally cry serveral times.