Nothing like day dreaming about a new game is a series you love, just to remember that the series is dead and never coming back. The Sly Cooper series was one of my favorite games from the PS2 era and with how the story of Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time ended, I would like to see AT LEAST one more game in the series. Rather than make a super long essay, I’m going to share my Top 5 things I would like to see in a Sly Cooper sequel.

1: Slight change in Story Telling

One thing to note about the main story focus of the Sly Cooper games is most focus around Sly and his friends trying to save the Cooper legacy. Going with the idea that the next Sly Cooper would continue with a time travel theme, it would be nice that as Sly would try to get back to his time, we would learn how the Coopers became so infamous and the start of Thievius Raccoonus and the rise of the cane. I know it would be a bit late to now explore more of the Cooper history, but better late than never.

2: Slight increase in Playable Characters.

Now we don’t need as many as we had in Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves but I think the 4 to 5 playable characters like in Sly Cooper: Thieves of Time would be a good number. Best part is there would already 5 characters they could use: Sly, Murray, Bentley, Carmelita and Dimitri. If they did add a 6^th character I would like to see the return of The Guru. The Guru was one of my favorite characters to play because you could take over enemies and use them as a battering ram. Another nice addition would be all these characters to explore the hub world and each have a unique the ability to traversing the world. Like have areas that require Dimitri to scuba dive in to look for clues and what not to give them a bit more play time rather than their one or two a small handful of missions and task.

3: Upgradable Gadgets

This would be more for everyone but Sly. Sly has enough going for him with the abilities from the Thievius Raccoonus and the costumes from Sly Cooper: Thieves of Time were a nice touch and I think a mixture of both for Sly in the next game would be awesome. Now as for the rest, Bentley would be the most fun since we could update his wheelchair with better jetpacks for jumping and increase the range and accuracy of his blowgun. For Murray, would probably stay with his punching gloves but have the ability to equip each glove with different upgrades such as a fire upgrade to continue the Fist of Flames power up or a magnetic upgrade that gives him or more stealth way to pick pocket guards. On top of upgrading Carmelita’s Shock Pistol to pack a bigger punch, maybe an increase of fancy tools to utilize her detective skills. Lastly, giving Dimitri better scuba gear and maybe some funky stealth gadgets, like a disco smoke bomb, would be a nice touch.

4: Keeping the Art Style

One thing that kept me in the interesting in the Sly Cooper series was how the story was told. I always enjoyed the comic book style title page when starting a new chapter in the game and third person noire style of narration. Hopefully, if there is ever a new Sly game that this will be carried forward. Not only how they tell the story but the sound design and music as well. Having different sounds for when Sly, Bentley and Murray would move and sneak around was an awesome touch and would love to see it make a comeback.

5: A Solid Conclusion

Lastly, I would like a solid end to the series. No cliff hangers, no open endings just a nice wrap up to the story. It may not be a happy ending where Carmelita and Sly get together, or Sly, Bentley and Murray reunited to go on more adventures but something that feels a bit more complete and actually ends. That is one reason why I would like this game to focus more on what it means to be a Cooper. Have Sly, after meeting more of his relatives and learning what leaving a legacy meant to them, make a more concert decision about rather not he wants to live a ‘normal’ life with Carmelita or continue to be a thief to continue the Cooper Family name.

The Sly Cooper series will always be one of my favorite games not only because I have enjoyed the series throughout but it was also a series that my friends and family also bonded over. So until we get a new Sly Cooper game, or they get a remake/remaster for the PS5 or something, I will continue to have fun thinking about what the series could have been. Thank you for reading this post and Stay tune for more random thoughts around gaming and such and have a great morning/day/evening.

-Mike