20 PS2 Games That Still Hold Up

20. Sly 2: Band Of Thieves

Unlike sequels that feel like a repackaging of what came before, Sly 2: Band of Thieves took strides to expand on what made the first Sly Cooper enjoyable while introducing a whole gaggle of ideas and mechanics.

Instead of throwing a bunch of linear missions at players, our racoon hero is placed in an enormous hub, filled with all sorts of objectives, secrets, and opportunities to experiment with stealth. This shift to open-ended design was ambitious, but it gave players a sense of freedom and depth rarely seen in platformers at the time.

Another reason why Band of Thieves shines is the way characterisation and story take priority. Sly, Bentley, and Murray aren't just archetypes, but fully developed personalities, whose bond with one another drives the narrative. Their light-hearted banter is enjoyable to watch, while the overarching plot involving the Klaww Gang and the Clockwerk parts provides real stakes.

The cel-shaded visuals give Sly 2 a cool comic-book aesthetic that looks gorgeous, while the jazzy soundtracks should leave anybody humming to the beat.

Due to the clever level design, diverse missions, and the ability to control a team of spies, Sly 2 provides a wonderful experience that the franchise has never bettered.