You know how it’s impossible to listen to “Don’t Fear the Reaper” without hearing the cowbell in the foreground? “Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time” is kinda like that. Despite a quality foundation and high production values, a few annoying quirks that you hardly notice at first are eventually all you can think about.
One is the nonstop stream of unfunny jokes. You play as a bunch of characters, from a raccoon thief who specializes in sneaking and platforming, to a turtle who gets around in a rocket-propelled wheelchair and throws grenades, so the game isn’t lacking in variety. But no matter who you’re playing as, you can’t escape the punny play-by-play. It’s as though instead of calling out “Yahoo,” Mario repeatedly said, “I just gave that turtle shell shock.” What is this, “Sly Cooper: John Madden in Time”?
