VIDEO GAME Raccoon returns to battle enemies in Sony's 'Sly 2: Band of Thieves'

The puzzles are simple, yet complex enough to hold gamers' attention.
By VICTOR GODINEZ
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
A sense of style can go a long way.
Sony's latest PlayStation 2 title, "Sly 2: Band of Thieves," has plenty of it, and it's a great game, too.
A sequel to the fun "Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus," "Sly 2" ($49; suitable for all ages) is more of the same with a few extra game-play twists.
Once again, the game features you as Sly Cooper, and you have to sneak across rooftops, past guards and into heavily fortified enemy lairs.
Sly is a fluid little raccoon, and you'll learn how to run, jump and grab onto light posts, railings and electrical wires in no time flat.
While you can get into knockdown, drag-out fights, you're better off staying stealthy -- that is, when you play as Sly.
Sly is part of a small band of merry thieves. Occasionally you get to play as a tough hippo named Murray, who can pummel the bad guys with his bare hands and hurl chairs, crates and other objects, and as a turtle named Bentley, who can fire tranquilizer darts from long range.
Game play
The puzzles are simple, as they were in the original game, but complex enough to keep older gamers from getting bored.
For example, early on you have to sneak into the bad guy's office and swap one of his paintings for one of yours that has a listening device planted in it.
Once you do that, the main mission is done. And if you get the original painting to your safe house without getting hit, you can sell the painting and buy upgrades for your character.
Graphically, "Sly 2," like the original, makes great use of the cel-shading technique. The animation is superb as well, and the music is fun to listen to and never gets annoying.
Unfortunately, camera problems that popped up in the original game also appear in "Sly 2," especially when you're indoors where columns and sharp turns can block your view.
"Sly 2" is a great purchase for young gamers, who will enjoy working through the puzzles. Older gamers will probably need only a weekend rental to appreciate the excellent game play and cool graphics.