Insomniac Games’Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apartis a nice return for the developer. While it has proven itself to be capable of a great many things in the modern era thanks to original IP likeSunset Overdriveand adaptations likeMarvel’s Spider-Man,Rift Apartbrings back a classic 3D platformer franchise in a way that showcases the power of Sony’s PlayStation 5. One of the best parts of the game is howRatchet and Clankhonors other PlayStation universes via the RYNO 8, which literally weaponizes Easter eggs. Among those cameos is another series primed for a revival:Sly Cooper.
Flashier Easter eggs in the RYNO 8’s arsenal likeHorizon Zero Dawn’s Thunderjaw will stand out to manyRift Apartplayers, but long-time PlayStation fans likely saw the return of titles such asSly CooperandJak and Daxtermuch more enticing. Developer Sucker Punch has become well-known as of late for its grittier titles with realistic art directions,InfamousandGhost of Tsushima.Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cutis also releasing August 20for PS4 and PS5, adding new content into the open-world samurai game. However, based on current trends, it might make sense for Sucker Punch to bring back its stealthy mammalian thief next.
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Ratchet and Clank are not the only early PlayStation mascot contenders to recently rejoin the collective consciousness. BothCrash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon(created by Naughty Dog and Insomniac respectively) had their original adventures bundled together in remake trilogies, and for Crash that was followed up byCrash Team Racing Nitro-FueledandCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. However, neither of these franchise revivals were handled by their creators, unlike Insomniac’sRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
Sly Coopercould also have new entries taken by different developers, likeSly Cooper 4: Thieves in Timewas made by Sanzaru Games before Facebook acquired the studio to work on Oculus content. However, the attention given to Sly and his squad of animal thieves in recent years suggests a new game could be Sucker Punch’s blockbuster return to the more cartoon-y franchise on PS5. There have long been grumblings about aSly Cooperanimated movie, references to the character appear in bothInfamousandGhost of Tsushima, and aSly Cooper Funko Pop was announced this Junealongside Sir Daniel, whose franchiseMediEvilalso made a comeback on PS4.
It’s natural for development teams to move on and want to work with new ideas. While Insomniac Games came back forRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Naughty Dog did not forCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. There’s a good chance the devs at Sucker Punch are simply more interested in doing fresher ideas likeGhost of Tsushimaand would not want to return forSly Cooper. However, there are good reasons why it could thrive in 2021.
Namely, Sucker Punch’s experience on more in-depth open worlds via games likeGhost of Tsushimacould translate well toSly Cooper. The noir-inspired world of the originalSlygames was already somewhat open by virtue of its stealth-action gameplay, but now the studio could imagine something truly impressive. There are also more modern games out there to exemplify good stealth and parkour design that Sucker Punch could examine if it wants to lean away from an overtly cartoon-y style, including Hideo Kojima’sMetal Gear Solid 5andTechland’sDying Light.
Insomniac Games helped prove there’s still interest in the classic PlayStation IPs that brought Sony the gaming credibility it enjoys today.Rift Apart’s Easter eggsfurther primed a hungry audience for news about the return of icons like Sly, Bentley, and Murray in the modern gaming landscape, and it would certainly be interesting to see how Sucker Punch might handleSly CooperafterGhost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut.
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