An excellent compilation of three classic PS2 platformers, it'd be a crime not to experience the Sly Collection.
The entire three-game Sly Cooper PS2 trilogy has been faithfully replicated from their original source code and comfortably packed in one Blu-ray disc; yet, high definition widescreen and the inclusion of trophy support breathes some new life into these games. The titles themselves are fiendishly fun platformers with a unique twist --- seeing the world through the eyes of a career thief. In this case, you're Sly Cooper--descendant of a long line of legendary pilferers, who, along with his friends Bentley the turtle and Murray the hippo, must do battle against various criminal elements and cleanse them of their valuables all in the name of justice. But, seeing how they ARE thieves after all, Sly and his gang are forced to sidestep a determined (and gorgeous) law enforcer bent on slamming the cuffs on their wrists and hauling their butts off to a penitentiary. The first game in the trilogy revolves around our hero and his stalwart gang going after the Fiendish Five and getting back a stolen book known as the Thievous Raccoonus. Sly 2: Band of Thieves follows Sly and company as they perform covert-op missions to defeat the Klaww Gang and prevent the reassembling of a major villain from the first game. Finally, Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves has our heroes trying to stop a villainous mad doctor archetype from opening the sacred Cooper Vault and laundering the hidden priceless treasures supposedly housed inside. If you've played any (or all) of these games before, you'll feel right at home as they each handle exactly as you remember them, and those who are new to the series will delight at the colorful environments, fun platforming elements, and a diverse gameplay style typically not found in most other games. Challenging as they are, the Sly Cooper trilogy finds a balance between being not too difficult and not too stupidly easy, making it accessible to just about anyone. And, as mentioned before, trophy support gives a good enough incentive for Sly vets to relive their experiences all over again.
There are also exclusive mini-games included in the Sly Collection that take advantage of the PlayStation Move motion controller. Up to four players can take part in these diversions as these are the only means of multiplayer made available in the package (with the notable exception of Sly 3). As fun as they are, they're not exactly the greatest example of the Move's potential and tend to wear out their welcome rather quickly, but it is possible to earn trophies if you insist on it. Still, in all fairness, they provide a decent amount of fun for a group of friends, and you do not need to use the Move controller to play the games (though the Move controller is recommended.)
Visually, the games have aged quite well and, with their high-definition makeovers, have never looked better. Sanzaru Games have done an excellent job in handling the emulations and, despite some minor graphical blemishes, everything runs at as brisk a pace as you'd expect. Suffice it for me to say, the frame rate is noticeably smoother in many instances, and character models are more crisp and exhibit a greater degree of detail. And if your HDTV has stereoscopic 3D capability, you can enjoy these classic games in eye-popping 3D.
Overall, the Sly Collection is a wonderful tribute to an equally wonderful trilogy of games. And at only $40, it's almost a steal (pun intended). If you loved the Sly games and happen to own a PS3, there's really no excuse not to pick this game up. If you've never played a Sly Cooper game before, the Sly Collection is the perfect introduction to one of the finest platforming experiences ever created.