"Sly Cooper" is a third person platforming video game which incorporates stealth elements; as noted by an "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine" retrospective, the game "tries to mix one-hit-kill arcade action with "Splinter Cell" sneaking". The player controls Sly Cooper, the title character, as he moves between each uniquely themed lair of the Fiendish Five and the sub-sections of those lairs, avoiding security systems and the watchful eyes of enemies. While Sly is equipped with a cane to attack his foes, he can be defeated with a single hit, and so the player is urged to use stealth maneuvers and the environment to evade or silently neutralize potential threats.