"I like to think that a lot of these recent Sly Cooper cameos (Rift Apart, Astro Bot), the ports (PS4 and PS5) and merch might be slowly but surely setting up an announcement of the series return. I only say that because this kind of stuff happened a lot with the Silent Hill series in the leadup to the 2022 announcement of the SH2 remake and all the other projects that were shown off that day."
I want to believe Penelope was kidnapped and impersonated. She still designed the blimp. Her impostor (an evil robot) did everything else. Even her motive was fabricated.
Here's something that could happen in Sly 5.
When the boys (Sly, Bentley, and Murray) eventually find out and take her back, she's going to be a guilt-ridden mess hell-bent on destroying her impostor and her creator for breaking Bentley's heart and making everyone hate her, with several measures of self-loathing for nearly doing the same thing herself.
The reunion scene would need to happen early in the episode in which this story takes place, during the second mission, and no later. That way, the player can get used to her being fully playable for the first time ever before the boss fight.
All three boys, while elated to have Penelope back, will quickly notice that something is seriously wrong with her. They think her impostor did everything, including designing the blimp. When they ask her what's wrong, she refuses to elaborate.
Bentley is especially concerned, but incredibly proud of his reinstated girlfriend for her enduring loyalty.
Cue Penelope pulling her weight several times over during her return episode and defeating her impostor, only to be consumed by all the guilt and confess to none other than Bentley about her treachery by the end. The only thing she doesn't reveal is her motive, saying it doesn't matter because what she did was wrong.
And because I love a good, happy ending, she will be forgiven. She's already spent the entire episode proving herself in spades. As for Sly and Murray's reactions? I'll leave that for you to decide. Would Sly drive himself crazy over not knowing her motive? I think he might.
I realize she will need a very sympathetic motive for this idea to work.
Sly Cooper is the only game I've ever play to (with Mario Kart). The four games are such an important part of my childhood and I've just past around 21 hours drawing it a fan art.
Sly and Carmelita dancing in the "Starry Eyed Encounter" chapter in Sly 2: Band of Thieves was a hard scene when I was little but also really beautiful. They both suspended their search for pieces of Clockwerk and criminals for a passionate dance.
Sly 2 is really the best game and I want to thank Cédric Dumond for giving us a memorable French version of Sly.
The rumors speak of a Sly cooper 5 with a series for the coming year. I’m so excited!
So about those rumors for Sly 5 being in development...
I've been in the fandom since 2014 and let me just say this.... Haven't we heard this shit before??? Like more than once? Cool that a respectable and usually reliable leaker has "confirmed" Sly 5 is in development, but before we get hyped AF... it was 4Chan and Reddit.. lets pump the breaks on the excitement and remain cautiously optimistic until Sony and/or PlayStation give us an official confirmation that IT IS in development.
I have many thoughts in my head but here are a couple of ideas I have! I just really want Sly 5 and here’s me just dumping the thoughts in my (and my siblings!) head.
Firstly, ideal ancestors!
I know people are decisive on them, but with the ending of 4, I feel we gotta include them. So I would want Henirette, Otto Van, Slaigh, and Slytunkhamen! They play into one of the ideas I have for the game
Game concept #1: Gang of Coopers
I chose these specific Coopers for how they can play into the roles of Sly’s gang in the present! In this game, Sly would be traveling through time with the ancestors (let’s say they’re able to move with him). So as they move with us, they fulfill roles of previous party members. Slytunkhamen would be very much like Sly and would be like the ancestors from TiT, Sly with a variation. Henriette could be like Carmelita and be a marksman, or even dabble back into Dimitri in 3. Otto Van is our Bentley/Penelope obviously. And Slaigh is our muscle like Murrary! Our ancestors make up our gang, to keep the same game mechanics from previous games even if we’re separated from everyone at the moment.
Game Concept #2: Clockwerk sightings
I think Clockwerk would should be the villain for this game, I’m also thinking of this being the last game plot wise, start and end with Clockwerk. One way I see this going is as Sly manages to move from time period to time period, working his way toward the present, he gets closer and closer to a Clockwerk encounter.
Slytunkhamen, if we’re to believe this is where Clockwerk originated, we can finally see a non robotic version and get a bit of background. Maybe he goes by a different name and Sly isn’t even aware this is him.
Next is Slaigh, as Sly is departing for the next time period, there’s strange sounds outside their hideout. Slaigh says he’s tough enough to handle, and for Sly to continue on, not knowing who is really outside.
Henriette is when we finally see him as we know him. We know she canonically had an encounter with him, and Sly is around to see it. Henriette ushers him out before Clockwerk can take notice of him, and Sly spends the time traveling in a panic, has he been leaving his ancestors in the clutches of Clockwerk?
Last is Otto Van, as Sly is getting ready to move on, he lingers to maybe warn Otto to get to safety. Clockwerk does show up and Sly can’t help but aid. This backfires, I can see this being a big sky chase, and while Clockwerk has lost interest in Otto, he’s turned targets on Sly. And Sly tries to escape to the present (Otto is the best bet to make the time machine well enough to make it there) but Clockwerk follows. Think of it like Thanos in Endgame, this isn’t the Clockwerk from 1, it’s a whole new Clockwerk who doesn’t even know Sly but wants him dead all the same. The time disturbance leads Bentley and the others straight to them.
Game Concept #3: Dual World exploration
I’m not too sure how this would work long term as if Bentley had even the slightest clue of where Sly was, he’d come running. But basically, it’d work with Sly doing things in the past that will affect the environments in the future, like a Legend of Zelda game or something. That way we can still play as Bentley and Murray in this game without them actually being with us.
Game concept #4: Conner?
I don’t know how to fit Conner in but I crave more knowledge about him. And Sly getting to meet him as an adult would be painful. Maybe we’d get some background on Dr.M that 3 was lacking in. We can learn about Sly’s mom too? I dunno I just wanna know Conner’s deal
Alright let’s talk locations!
Henriette: Lake of Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
(had to piece together a tiktok for that last pic) ANYWAY, yes this is a lake, do I care? The tiktok in particular is what interested me, the water centric location seemed perfect to me. Again, yes it’s a lake not the ocean but I don’t care I wanna go to Mexico in a Sly game please. And pirates don’t have to be restrained to a boat they can dock ya know. Idk how much I’d want this to be like Sly 3 Dead Men Tell No Tales, because on one hand it was really innovative and fun but also cannon battles my detested <3
Slaigh: 15th Century Scotland
I took a variety of castles for this one, overall I’m thinking tall cliffs, perfect to paraglide off of (shit La Paradox kinda took Sly’s paraglider huh...). I also estimated Slaigh to be from the 15th century due to him on the wiki being stated between Galleth and Rioichi.
Otto Van Cooper: Manchester, England late 1800′s
This city was often looked at as dirty and overcrowded, but also freeing for many. I felt this was a city to both be open to overlook thievery but also one that can be taken advantage of by big names. I think combing the inner city with outer fields would be fun to explore (kinda like Holland in 3 and Europe in 4 but with the trains like Canada and the West).
And we already saw a glimpse of Ancient Egypt.
That’s kind of all I got right now but in this game my ideal would be expanding more on Sly building a relationship with his ancestors. (Especially Henriette you cannot tell me she isn’t his favorite ancestor did you HEAR how much he talked her up in 3? I also think the two of them being more similar than Sly would’ve thought would be super interesting to see.)
Lemme know if this was interesting to you and shout out your own ideas! I just finished playing through the series on my own (no more just watching my brother play) and I’m starving after 4′s painful ending that has haunted me since 2013.