Summary
- The Sly Cooper PS4 port runs too fast, causing issues noted by speedrunner Bvr_GG.
- Speed issues are not new, as similar problems were seen in Sly Collection on PS3.
The recent PlayStation 4 port of Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus is experiencing performance issues, according to a speedrunner who is well-acquainted with the game. However, unlike most performance issues, which can cause a game to stutter or lower its frame rate, this reported performance issue is making the Sly Cooper game run too fast, which is causing some unusual problems.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus kicked off the stealth action series when it debuted on PlayStation 2 in September 2002. It later received three sequels and a remastered collection of the first three games. Though the most recent game, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, was released more than 11 years ago and a Sly Cooper insider has given the bad news that no future game is in the works, the original Sly Cooper has stood the test of time, being ported to PlayStation 3 in 2010, PlayStation Vita in 2014, and most recently, PlayStation 4 and 5 on June 11, 2024.
Every Sly Cooper Game, Ranked
It's been a minute since he made an appearance, but Sly Cooper is still one of the best thieves in gaming.
While the PlayStation 5 version of the game doesn't seem to be experiencing performance issues, Sly Cooper speedrunner Bvr_GG has pointed out via Twitter his observation that the PlayStation 4 version of the game runs about ten percent faster than it should, making it feel "very different and bad." The speedrunner's words should carry some weight, as according to Speedrun.com, he has held the speedruning record for Sly 2: Band of Thieves any completion percentage since October 22, 2022, with a time of four hours, 45 minutes, and 54 seconds. Giving an example of the problems caused by the increased speed, Bvr_GG included a video of the rhythm game-like boss fight with Mz. Ruby at the end of the game's third episode, which has Sly dodging attacks by having the player press buttons corresponding to the incoming symbols on the screen. The attacks should be timed to the music, but since the music plays at a normal pace, the lack of audio sync throws off the tempo of the encounter.
Speed Issues In Sly Cooper Aren't New
While the Sly Cooper games have aged well over more than two decades, thanks to great storytelling, likable characters, and impressive level design, getting them to play at the proper speed doesn't seem to be a new development. Some fans have pointed out that speed issues have been around since The Sly Collection was released for PlayStation 3 in 2010, which was evidenced by the exact same audio sync issue in the Mz. Ruby fight.
This isn't the first issue to involve the Sly Cooper series in recent memory either. This past March, a strange bug on the PS Plus streaming service was causing the title screen for Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time to flicker on and off the screen while players were reportedly playing other games, such as Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 and the original God of War.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
- Released
- September 23, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
There's a new thief in town! Spotlights, alarms and infrared lasers. Rooftop chases, narrow escapes and dodging security guards. Grabbing priceless jewels and emptying casinos - it's like taking candy from a baby. Sly Cooper, the notorious international thief, is out to reclaim what is rightfully his. Prepare to infiltrate the most secure places in the world. He's one cunning, devious, thievius raccoonus!
- Developer(s)
- Sucker Punch
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PS Vita, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Stealth
