The cel-shaded look of the original is back, but looks much sharper and more refined. Colors are a little more vibrant and things run much smoother. Some of the problems I noticed in the original, namely some slowdown and areas that felt a little too dark, have been resolved. Game environments will range from Paris to Canada, and even the deepest jungles of Peru. Each has its own look that really fits into the style Sly tries to portray –- which is somewhere between a flash cartoon and a stylized Hanna-Barbera cartoon. Levels are also much larger, which complements the game’s open-ended structure. Flash-style intros accompany mission briefings and story elements – adding a fun feel to the game.
Sound is top-notch. Vocal work is great with the only real changes being that Sly sounds a little older and wisened by his experiences in the first game. All of the other voices do a great job of portraying their character’s personalities –- like Bentley being the overly nervous computer nerd and Murray trying to act like a superhero (complete with third-person references). Music is very dynamic and not only fits the level locales, but also the action currently taking place in them. When Sly is sneaking around, piano scales play with each step (just think of the sounds that play when Bugs Bunny tiptoes behind Elmer Fudd). Once action kicks in, an upbeat music track begins to play until the threat is dealt with.