Sly 2 has large hub areas where most of the levels take place. Like a platformer Grand Theft Auto. For the most part, the individual levels are about doing things that will help you with your big heist in that area. You also get to play as two other characters.
The third game is pretty much the same thing, but with a lot more gimmicky levels and several new characters that you only use in a level or two (they also removed the collectables in the hub levels for some reason). It's not as good as the second game, but it's still good.
So less Crash Bandicoot, but still familiar. Certainly a lot better than the later Jak games.