It can be a tough act to follow through and compliment one of the greatest superhero video game franchises released over the last decade, and it certainly was a tall order for Rocksteady Studios to accomplish that goal following their critically acclaimed Batman Arkam trilogy of games. The studio was poised for greatness and ended things with a literal bang in Batman: Arkham Knight – closing off their version of The Dark Knight and his world by leaving his fate subject to interpretation. That game was released nearly ten years ago, and naturally many were asking what was the next DC project Rocksteady and Warner Bros. Games had in the cards for their fans to look forward to.
The answer to that question was finally given in the form of a video game following the adventures of Task Force X – “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League”. Better known to DC Comics fans as the aptly named “Suicide Squad.” Composed mostly of villains and rogues who are forced to work as a metahuman black ops unit in exchange for lighter sentences, the team is sent on very dangerous missions where success is certainly not a guarantee. If they decide to go rogue and against their orders, an explosive device implanted on their heads is all the motivation they need to get the job done with their lives intact.
Played as a third-person action-adventure game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League lets players control one of four members in Task Force X – the expert assassin and sharp marksman Deadshot, the Australian criminal and cocky boomerang wielding Captain Boomerang, the talking and highly intelligent demigod known as King Shark, and finally the beautiful yet highly psychotic former henchwoman of The Joker in Harley Quinn. The game can be played solo or through multiplayer where up to four players can join and rotate through the members of the squad. Through the campaign, players get to learn how to play as each character as well as learn their special moves and techniques – guiding them through an alien-infested Metropolis where they get to shoot, free roam, and blow things up.
Just as the title of the game states it won’t be a walk in the park though, as the Squad will have to go up against the world’s most powerful superheroes themselves in the Justice League – consisting of heavy hitters and beloved icons such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and The Flash. Thanks to an alien invasion in Metropolis by the villain Brainiac, the League have fallen under his influence via mind control and have become humanity’s worst enemy. With no other recourse or back up to call on, Amanda Waller sends in Task Force X to take out the League and Braniac once and for all… Or die trying at least. These fights are no pushovers and each experience is different, so planning how to take out your metahuman targets is key to victory.
Unlike the Batman Arkham games however, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is more about jumping around and strategizing how to take out your targets than it has to do with using stealth and fighting like you are a man in a Bat costume. That may come as a disappointment to some, as this game has more in common with Fortnite than it does with the Batman games. That does not mean that the game can’t be enjoyed though, as it has one of the most engaging stories that fans of the DC Universe can gravitate to and follow. The characterizations are on point, and the same goes for the voice acting and talent cast in this game as well. Kill the Justice League also happens to be one of the final projects that Kevin Conroy aka the voice of Batman worked on before his passing – so it’s a bitter sweet moment and feeling for fans that have followed the actor’s work since Batman: The Animated Series. The Dark Knight’s fate and portrayal in this game has been the subject of controversy too, so be sure to know what you’re walking into before deciding to play this game.
While it’s true that each member of the Squad has pretty awesome abilities like Captain Boomerang’s “Speed Force” teleport and Harley Quinn “borrowing” one of Batman’s drones to swing to her targets, there is a feeling of repetitiveness and lack of distinction between the Squad members aside from personal preference and power sets. Most of the time I find myself playing as Harley because she’s one of my favorite DC characters, while I let the AI control Deadshot, Boomerang, and King Shark and only switch to them when the situation calls for. There is a skill tree of course where you can upgrade their abilities and gain access to more powerful abilities and move sets, but it really feels monotonous and not as exciting to play as the Batman Arkham games. Players can also access or purchase content via the shop. Most of these are cosmetic upgrades or boosters that do not affect the quality of the single player campaign experience, so it’s entirely optional for the player to use and customize these features based on their own tastes.
In the end, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a descent game at best but not exactly of the same caliber Rocksteady Studios had when they made their Batman Arkham Trilogy of games. That set the gold standard and bar for how superhero games should be made, and this new spin-off/ follow-up does not add anything new to the table. The game was originally supposed to be a Superman game, but so many changes and delays led it to be the mediocre product it is now. It does not stand out as worthy successor, and that is a shame considering the huge potential and lore they and the rest of the DC Universe have in comics and other forms of media. Hopefully this will be a lesson to do better for future projects, but if you enjoy shooters and just want to have mindless fun – Task Force X is up to that task at least.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is now out for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.