Sly 3 : Honour Among Thieves

Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves is a PlayStation 2 stealth-action platform game from Sucker Punch Productions, published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2005. The PAL release uses the British spelling “Honour”; elsewhere it was titled Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves. It is the third main Sly Cooper adventure, returning master thief Sly Cooper and his longtime partners Bentley and Murray for a globe-spanning plan to reach the long-hidden Cooper Vault. Built around the series’ stylised, cartoon-like presentation, the game combines acrobatic platforming, sneaking, combat and elaborate heists.

Sly’s hooked cane remains central to play. He can climb and balance along narrow routes, leap across rooftops, swing from hooks, quietly approach guards and use familiar thief techniques to bypass security. Missions are chosen from hub-like locations and take the gang through a mix of infiltration, pursuit, puzzle-solving and set-piece tasks rather than one uninterrupted platforming course. Completing jobs advances each operation toward its larger target, while coins gathered during play can be spent on abilities and equipment for the crew. The emphasis shifts between careful movement, timing and the specialised tools required for a particular job.

The story begins with the gang preparing for the ultimate score: the fortune sealed in the Cooper family vault. Dr. M has established a heavily defended base around it, so Sly, Bentley and Murray set out to recruit the people and expertise needed to breach its defences. Their travels take them to locations including Venice, the Australian outback, the Netherlands, China and a pirate haven, while Inspector Carmelita Fox remains in pursuit. Returning figures such as Dimitri and the Panda King join newcomers including the Guru and Penelope, making the heist a reunion as well as an expansion of the team.

That enlarged cast is a defining difference from the previous games. Alongside Sly, players control Bentley, Murray and a range of recruits, each with a separate role and set of actions. Bentley handles gadget-driven tasks and hacking-oriented challenges, while Murray relies on strength; other jobs introduce activities such as aerial contests, disguises, safe-cracking and pirate-ship encounters. The PS2 game also includes a local multiplayer component with competitive modes, and replayable challenges and extras provide reasons to revisit completed worlds. Certain sections support an optional red-and-blue stereoscopic 3D presentation with the glasses included with original copies, a feature not retained in later re-releases.

As the third Sly Cooper game and the last series entry made by Sucker Punch, Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves serves as the studio’s PS2-era finale for the crew’s original story. Its conclusion follows the Cooper Vault operation through to the characters’ separate futures, while its broader roster and mission variety build on the team-based format established by Sly 2: Band of Thieves. Sanzaru Games later included the game in the HD-remastered The Sly Trilogy for PlayStation 3, where PAL audiences could again find it under its “Honour” title. For players exploring the PlayStation 2 catalogue, it remains a distinctive blend of stealth platforming and ensemble heist adventure.