The Diamond in the Sky

Lore & Background

The Diamond in the Sky lives up to its name: the prize is stashed at a height that makes it feel almost untouchable, perched in a location that rewards vertical traversal and careful timing over brute force. In the world of Sly Cooper, heists like this are entries in the Thievius Raccoonus, the legendary book of stolen treasures that defines the crew's legacy. Each heist is a small story in itself—a target, a guard rotation, a set of gadgets to discover, and a satisfying escape.

The crew's dynamic shapes the mission. Sly reads the layout and picks his route. Bentley rigs distractions and gadgets from his backpack. Murray handles the guards that get too close with a well-timed tackle. Clover scouts ahead, marking exits and counting enemies. The Diamond in the Sky leverages all four roles, and a player who leans too heavily on one character will find the guard patterns and environmental hazards punishing.

Like other Sly Cooper heists, the mission is designed around a sense of playful tension. The guards are competent but not invincible; the environment is full of throwable objects, breakable cover, and alternate paths. The diamond itself is the anchor: everything in the level funnels the player toward it, and the final seconds of carrying it to the extraction point are where the stealth rhythm breaks and the escape sequence takes over.

In Their Own Story

The wind up here is different. It pulls at Sly's ears and tugs at the hem of his green hoodie, and the city lights below look like scattered coins. He crouches on the ledge, one paw on the railing, and watches the guards swap shifts below. Two minutes. Maybe three. Bentley's voice crackles in his ear: "Gadget's ready, boss. One shot, though. Don't waste it on the gargoyle again."

Sly grins. He doesn't waste it on the gargoyle. He throws a wrench at the ventilation grate instead, and the clatter draws both guards to the left. Murray is already in position behind the crate stack, arms crossed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Clover's voice: "Exit's clear. You've got ninety seconds."

Sly doesn't need ninety. He has forty. The diamond catches the moonlight the instant his fingers close around it, and for one brief moment the whole sky seems to tilt toward his palm. Then he's running, the wind tearing at his hoodie, and the city is just a blur of light below.

Reader's Guide

TARGET: A single diamond stashed at an elevated position. The level is built around verticality—rooftops, ledges, and narrow walkways—so expect to be moving upward and laterally rather than in a straight line.

OBSTACLES: Guards patrol fixed routes with visible sight cones. Some are stationary sentries with a wider arc. Environmental hazards (loose objects, breakable panels) can be used for distraction or to create shortcuts. Bentley's gadgets—distractors, tools—unlock additional routes that pure stealth can't access.

STORY ARC: This heist functions as a mid-arc set piece. It introduces or reinforces a gadget or mechanic you'll need later, and completing it advances the crew's progress toward the game's central conflict. It is not the final heist, but it raises the difficulty ceiling for what follows.

ALTERNATE APPROACHES: You can complete the heist with zero takedowns, or you can use Murray to clear the area in a few seconds. Both are valid. A third, more exploratory route involves finding a hidden service passage that bypasses the main guard cluster entirely—rewarded with a bonus for players who check every ledge and vent.

TIP: The diamond is not the only collectible. Gadget parts and hidden trophies are tucked into the vertical geometry. Take the long way up at least once.

Did You Know?

• Sly Cooper heists are designed so that the player can complete them with no combat at all, or with no stealth at all—the level supports both playstyles simultaneously.
• The Thievius Raccoonus, the book of heists that drives the series' narrative, is a recurring plot device across the franchise and has been the target of villains in multiple entries.
• Bentley's gadget system lets the player craft tools from parts found during exploration, meaning a thorough player gains mechanical advantages over a speedrun-focused one.
• Sucker Punch Productions, the developer behind the Sly Cooper series, is also known for the Infamous and inFAMOUS franchises, sharing a similar emphasis on player freedom and parkour-based traversal.