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Oh, how wrong I was.

I started out in a museum in Cairo, supposedly looking for pieces of the shattered Clockwerk monster that Sly beat up in the last game. However, what started as an innocent theft (grin) led to a police ambush, and I soon found myself at the receiving end of a double-barrel stun gun wielded by none other than our friend from Sly 1, Inspector Carmalita Fox. As it turned out, the Clockwerk parts had already been stolen - and Sly was being framed for the robbery.

Figures, eh? After an exciting beginning, the gang ended up in Paris looking for one of the Clockwerk parts. This is when the game's genius really started to show.

Missions in Sly 2 are much more dynamic than in the previous game. Sly travels to about 8 different locales throughout the game, and each of these locales has a similar goal - namely, steal one of the Clockwerk parts. However, to do this, Sly must complete a series of tasks to set himself up for the big heist.

To begin with, reconnaissance work had to be done. Bentley, the techie turtle who is one of the esteemed members of the Cooper gang, handed me a binoc-u-com and showed me how to take pictures with it. I promptly broke into the hideout of my enemy and took some photos. From the shots, Bentley managed to formulate a brilliant plan that would eventually allow me to steal the Clockwerk part.

This started me out on a series of missions. One of the remarkable things about this game is the freedom of movement that the character has at any given time. Each chapter takes place in a different locale or city, from Paris to India to Canada, and you can explore the whole area as much as you want. Missions are marked on the map by glowing faces, and you must complete them to progress through the level and eventually meet the goal at the end. However, you can take your time, and you don't need to do missions until you are ready.

The actual missions vary in complexity. Some of them take place outdoors on the familiar city grounds - you might have to follow a gangster to his hideout, or attach surveillance devices to the roof of a building. For other missions, you must go inside buildings and accomplish objectives within them, such as placing a bug inside the office of your target. Eventually, the many missions weave together and accomplish the main goal of the chapter, which is to steal a Clockwerk part.

The downside of this is that some of the missions can seem rather silly. One of the first things Bentley asked me to do was bring a water beetle into a baddie's office so that it would transmit radio waves to our hideout. That way, we could hear what he was saying. I don't know if it's just me, but I don't think water beetles can transmit radio waves. Eh… it worked in the game!

To accomplish missions, you will need the cooperation of all three members of the Cooper gang. This is a new addition in Sly 2. Despite what I thought when I first heard about the game, the three different characters are actually very innovative, and each possess unique abilities that set them apart from their friends. Just like the first game, Sly is a master of jumping, climbing, and sneaking. Bentley's main advantage is a long-range sleep gun, coupled with explosive mines that you can set down to take opponents out. Murray, the pink giant hippo, is pure strength - he takes out enemies with brute force, and several cool moves.

The combination of the three characters allows for a lot of variety in the game. Due to missions for different characters, you are forced to use them all, but you can develop your own style of playing each of them. It's really a great way to make an already large game even bigger.

Another thing I like about this sequel was that you could actually do something with the treasure you collected. At each locale was a home base, inside which was a computer with an internet connection. Via the "internet", I could buy upgrades for my characters, including a burst of super-fast running for Bentley, flaming fists for Murray, and a hang glider for Sly. Upgrades could be configured on three buttons, so I was able to mix and match, and pick my favorite abilities for each character.

Additional upgrades can also be obtained by finding all of the 'clue bottles' in a locale. By doing this, you can unlock the most powerful and useful upgrades in the game. Unfortunately, the clue bottles are very hard to find, but once you get all of them the reward is worth it.

Graphics in Sly 2 have not changed much from the previous title - but that's not a bad thing. The cell-shaded, cartoon style adds a playful feeling to the game, but doesn't make it seem childish. Special effects in Sly 2 are rare, but very well done. Also, there are a lot of small graphical elements that the developers have added - these really add detail and realism to the game.

The plot was very good, although I can't describe it or I will give a lot away. I can say that unlike a traditional thieving game, it does have twists and turns.

All in all, Sly 2 is most definitely worth the money. It's a great game, with some very minor setbacks. The neat gameplay style and interesting graphics combine to make an interesting and absorbing thieving platformer. If you're light-hearted and like sneaking around, I highly recommend adding Sly 2 to your collection.