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Legion of Honor
Not only is the stark direction the story has taken surprising, but every mission in the episodes keep you on your toes. You never know what's going to happen next because of the frequent, seamlessly assimilated minigames, and with the growing team of thieves, you never know who're you're going to be playing as. Even if you activate a Sly-designated mission, characters come and go at the demand of the plan. It's a trademark of the series, this constant spectacular invigoration.
Nearly all the voice actors reprise their roles, slipping back into character without missing a step. Even if the reintroduction of characters may have been a business decision as I suspect, Sucker Punch still mines it, reaching depths unseen in the series. The icy armistice forged between Panda King (one of the Sly's parents' killers) and Sly (who has agreed to rescue his daughter) is especially poignant. Then equally striking is the relationship between the new techie recruit, Penelope, and Bentley, the Milhouse of the group who casts aspersions at Sly's facility to attract the fairer sex and laments over his own regressing physicality. Astonishing sophistication, especially for a game that's pretty much some furry's dream come true.
After an initial stagger, Honor Among Thieves builds and builds, with every twist and turn that Sly runs up being a stunning and sudden pleasure; indeed, the proverbial sucker punch to the senses. Like it's a statement: Why, yes, it's very good to be alive.
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