Insomniac Games' Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is 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 like Sunset Overdrive and adaptations like Marvel's Spider-Man, Rift Apart brings 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 how Ratchet and Clank honors 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 like Horizon Zero Dawn's Thunderjaw will stand out to many Rift Apart players, but long-time PlayStation fans likely saw the return of titles such as Sly Cooper and Jak and Daxter much more enticing. Developer Sucker Punch has become well-known as of late for its grittier titles with realistic art directions, Infamous and Ghost of Tsushima. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is also releasing August 20 for 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. Both Crash 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 by Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled and Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. However, neither of these franchise revivals were handled by their creators, unlike Insomniac's Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
Sly Cooper could also have new entries taken by different developers, like Sly Cooper 4: Thieves in Time was 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 a Sly Cooper animated movie, references to the character appear in both Infamous and Ghost of Tsushima, and a Sly Cooper Funko Pop was announced this June alongside Sir Daniel, whose franchise MediEvil also made a comeback on PS4.
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It's natural for development teams to move on and want to work with new ideas. While Insomniac Games came back for Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Naughty Dog did not for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. There's a good chance the devs at Sucker Punch are simply more interested in doing fresher ideas like Ghost of Tsushima and would not want to return for Sly 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 like Ghost of Tsushima could translate well to Sly Cooper. The noir-inspired world of the original Sly games 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's Metal Gear Solid 5 and Techland's Dying 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 eggs further 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 handle Sly Cooper after Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut.
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