The band of thieves of the title refers to the trio we met in the first game. Sly Cooper is its leader, a wily thief with great athletic ability and a strong tradition of sneaking around. Murray is the muscle of the gang, heavy of foot but useful in a fight. Bentley is the brains behind the operation, formulating plans and hacking in security and computer systems. Together they must track down pieces of the giant robot bird they defeated in the first game, before the pieces can be reunited to revive their greatest enemy.

All of the characters in the game look excellent and move quite naturally, changing and adapting as the game and environments develop. The control behind each character matches this and quickly becomes quite effortless for players. Sly Cooper is the epitome of this fluidity, moving gracefully around each level in an almost flawless display of athleticism. The skills he learnt in the first game have stayed with him, meaning that from the outset he is able to shimmy up pipes, balance on the tiniest of points, and run unfettered along thin cables.

The levels are designed for this, of course, and the expansive and detailed environments are a joy to behold. From the narrow alleys and eccentric buildings of Paris to the dark jungles and temple setting in India, through to the wilds of Canada, the world of Band of Thieves is constantly entertaining, enticing players to explore each level fully. Sucker Punch has created something quite vibrant and interesting, showcasing some of the best levels seen in a game of this type.

The design of the levels plays right into Sly's hands, allowing him to fully display his skills traversing through them. Pipes, power cables, and various precarious points litter each level, giving Sly almost total freedom to move around each area. Murray and Bentley have a much harder time getting around, and are generally consigned to the lower parts, leading to slightly more danger, as they must walk amongst the guards,

Sound does just as good a job at creating the atmosphere as the visuals do. Each environment is brought to life by the sounds, whether it is machinery or the surrounding wildlife, ensuring that no part of the game is totally silent. The music also plays a part, with the largely orchestral soundtrack often adjusting to the action on screen as well as to location of the current level.

The open layout of the main part of each level marks the major difference between Band of Thieves and the original, eschewing the more linear style of that game. Most of the missions are played out in the main part, with only a few venturing into smaller indoor parts of each area, and this opens up a range of options when playing many of the missions. Each of the missions still relies on quick reflexes and sharp thinking though, especially when playing as Sly.

The openness of the levels is about as freeform as the game gets though, and this proves to be its major downfall. Despite the apparent abandonment of linearity Band of Thieves proves to be very linear, only offering a small range of mission choices at a time. The main reason for this is Bentley, the brains of the group and mastermind behind most of the plans. His plans outline what is to be done in each of the areas, who is to do them, and where to do them with a preciseness that leaves no room for either error, creativity or surprises. Creative thinking is still required in getting around the level but the overall planning has already been done, leading to Band of Thieves feeling a lot like colour-by-numbers.