Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad game has finally arrived, and despite some hiccups and concerns, manages to be more fun than many expected.
Ever since I was young, I’ve always been fascinated by the DC Comic Universe. From the thrilling TV shows like Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl, to the epic cinematic adventures of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, to the immersive worlds of video games like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Injustice: Gods Among Us, I have always found myself mesmerized by the rich and diverse characters, the intricate storylines, and the stunning visuals that make up the DC Universe.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Developed By: Rocksteady Studios, Warner Bros. Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5 (Reviewed On), Xbox Series X|S, and PC
Release Date: February 2, 2024
Whether it’s the heroic deeds of the Justice League, the dark and brooding mysteries of Gotham City, or the high-flying action of Metropolis, I can’t get enough of this incredible universe. In the past ten years, there has been a significant increase in the number of fan followers that have emerged around the portrayal of anti-heroic characters.
These fictional characters are typically depicted as having flawed or questionable morals, which can often make them more relatable to audiences. The rise of such fandoms is a testament to the growing popularity of complex and multi-dimensional characters in modern storytelling.
Today, we are here to discuss the infamous group of villains from the DC Universe – the Suicide Squad. The latest adventure of these antiheroes is a video game called Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, where the Justice League has turned into a group of super-powered villains. Can the Suicide Squad succeed in defeating the evil Justice League, or will they fail in their daunting mission? Let’s explore this game in detail…
A Dark, Humorous, Action-Packed Thriller
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League takes place five years after the events of Arkham Knight. As the title suggests, the game is centered around the Suicide Squad, who are brought together by Amanda Waller for a mission to take down the Justice League, who have been brainwashed by the one and only, Brainiac.
The four members of the Suicide Squad featured in the game are Harley Quinn, a former psychiatrist and accomplice of the Joker; Deadshot, a marksman and assassin for hire; Captain Boomerang, a thief who specializes in boomerangs; and King Shark, a humanoid shark with superhuman strength and durability.
Kill the Justice League is a game that deserves recognition for its exceptional storytelling. The game presents one of the most unique and refreshing “superhero” stories in recent gaming history. Its storyline takes you on an exciting journey that’s unlike any other DC superhero game available on the market. The game’s plot is narrated from the perspective of anti-heroes, which allows for a fresh and exciting take on the events that unfold.
Having the Suicide Squad take down alien enemies while also fighting their way to eliminate the Justice League creates a story that immediately captures the player’s attention. The creative direction taken by the game developers in introducing such a daring and exciting approach is both bold and commendable.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of Suicide Squad‘s narrative is the skillful blending of humor and darkness. The characters’ witty banter and humorous interactions are seamlessly intertwined with the intense and often harrowing events taking place around them.
The fascinating juxtaposition of heroes turning against civilization creates a unique and engaging atmosphere that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. The moments in the story are both entertaining and emotionally resonant, leaving a lasting impression on me. I was particularly struck by seeing the heroes we’ve worshiped for years were forced to turn against humanity. This made the story very dark, as it challenged our preconceived notions of what it means to be a hero.
The moment when the Justice League was taken out by the Suicide Squad was a mix of joy, sadness, and relief. It was a moment we had been dreading, knowing that it was coming, but still hoping against hope that it would never happen. When it finally did, it was both a relief and a tragedy. I was relieved to see the villains succeed in their mission, but I was also saddened by the loss of our beloved heroes. It was a bittersweet moment that will stay with me for a long time.
The graphical presentation in this game is truly remarkable and deserves special attention. The graphics have been continuously upgraded with each game release in the Batman Arkham series and since this is technically a continuation of the series I am proud to say they are better than ever. This has been one of the main attractions for fans of the series, myself included. The use of the Unreal Engine has allowed Rocksteady to take the graphical presentation to a whole new level in this game.
The visuals are simply breathtaking and leave a lasting impression on the player. The attention to detail is remarkable, with every character, object, and environment being crafted to perfection. The animations are smooth and realistic, making the gameplay feel even more immersive.
It’s clear a lot of effort has gone into creating a visually stunning game, and Rocksteady has once again exceeded expectations. This new title looks as good as, if not better than, their previous DC-based game. It’s safe to say that the graphical presentation in this game is one of the standout features and is sure to impress even the most demanding of gamers.
The More You Customize, The More Fun You Have
After witnessing the Justice League turning innocent civilians into super-powered beings and killing them in the process, the team is at a loss on how to tackle these dangerous individuals. They turn to Amanda Waller, the renowned strategist and director of Task Force X, for advice on how to combat this new threat.
With Waller’s guidance, the team begins working with a group of notorious villains who have the knowledge and skills to help them upgrade their gear and prepare for the difficult mission ahead. These individuals include Lex Luthor, Hack, Gizmo, and Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin.
In the city of Metropolis, players can team up with various villains who offer missions to complete. Each villain provides specific objectives that players need to achieve as they progress through the game. By completing these missions, players receive rewards that help them upgrade their weapons and craft unique builds inspired by Star Labs, AmerTek, LexCorp, and other entities.
These weapons and builds are diverse, ranging from melee weapons like swords and hammers to guns, grenades, vehicles, and more. Players can customize their gameplay by choosing the weapons and build that suit their play-style best.
In addition to these rewards, players can also rely on Hack to help them improve their Skill Tree Progression. Players can invest points in various skills and abilities that enhance their character’s performance in the game. Once they reach a certain level and max out their character’s skills, they unlock a Squad-based Skill Tree. This Skill Tree adds a certain percentage of skills to the player’s entire squad, making them more powerful and effective in combat.
I was taken aback by the overwhelmingly negative feedback regarding this game since the early hands-on sessions. However, I decided to give it a chance and play it myself, and I was pleasantly surprised. The game offers an impressive amount of customization options that allow players to tailor their experience to their liking. Additionally, the gameplay mechanics are expertly crafted and provide a tight and responsive feel that makes the game very engaging to play.
One of the standout features of the game is its huge skill tree system, which offers a vast array of options for players to develop their character in ways that suit their play-style. This system provides a sense of progression and achievement that keeps players invested in the game for hours on end.
As a fan of the franchise, I can honestly say that there’s nothing about this game that makes me want to avoid it. On the contrary, I find myself eagerly anticipating more content and updates to further enhance the experience.
I believe that the negative comments about this game do not do it justice, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys immersive and well-crafted gaming experiences.
One of the most appealing aspects of this game is its unique feature that allows the player to switch to any character and customize their skills based on their preferences. This feature grants a sense of freedom and control that is often lacking in other games.
Although this game is primarily designed for online co-op, it is worth noting that it can be equally enjoyable playing solo. I played the game from start to finish alone and found it to be just as engaging and entertaining as playing with others online.
A Nearly-Perfect Suicide Mission
Before I move into this last moment of my review I want to take a moment with our readers. Kevin Conroy will forever be known as the voice of Batman. I can remember watching the Batman Animated series when it first launched on TV back in 1992 and hearing his voice for the first time. From that moment on, he’s the best Batman of all time. Now, I have seen some negative comments about the way Batman is portrayed in this game, but these comments have never been more wrong.
Kevin was an exceptional worker, pouring his heart and soul into every project he undertook. In this particular game, Kevin’s portrayal of Batman took a turn from good to evil, allowing the audience to witness a side of the character that had never been explored before. And I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
The news of Kevin Conroy’s passing was a shock to everyone, but his legacy as Batman will always remain with me. His voice was truly iconic and he will always be remembered as one of the greatest Batman voice actors of all time.
The voice-acting cast in this game was amazing and they deserve all the recognition they can get. Tara Strong’s performance as Harley was truly one of a kind, while Bumper Robinson’s portrayal of Deadshot was equally impressive. Daniel Lapaine did an excellent job as Boomerang and Samoa Joe’s portrayal of King Shark was outstanding. Lastly, Debra Wilson’s voice acting as Amanda Waller truly brought the character to life.
While there were many other voice actors involved in this project, I chose to focus on these specific characters as they were the central focus of the game. The voice actors deserve a lot of praise for their amazing performances, as they brought the characters to life in a way that truly immersed the player in the game.
Rocksteady Games should be incredibly proud of their work on this game’s narrative and voice cast. Music is undoubtedly important in games, but having a voice cast that can deliver stellar performances is equally important. And the development team’s understanding of the significance of a cinematic experience in both visual and audio form is truly commendable.
During my time playing this game, I noticed a downside that significantly impacted my experience. While the voice acting was top-notch and truly exceptional, the game’s overall audio quality was subpar and did not meet the high standards set by Rocksteady, the game’s developer.
Throughout my playthrough, I encountered several audio-related issues that took me out of the game. For instance, I often experienced audio glitches that would suddenly cut off the background music entirely or make the character’s voices echo, regardless of their location. These issues were particularly jarring during cutscenes and dialogue-heavy portions of the game, where the audio is crucial for immersion.
Furthermore, I noticed that the game had random music pop-ins that were either too loud or too quiet, often mid-song, which was quite distracting. These sudden changes in volume levels could be jarring and break the flow of the game, leading to a loss of immersion.
While the voice acting was truly exceptional, the audio issues I encountered significantly impacted my overall experience with the game. It was disappointing, especially considering Rocksteady’s reputation for producing games with excellent audio quality.
The Future is Extremely Bright
Lastly, I want to mention the plethora of exhilarating free content on the horizon, including new playable characters, enthralling storylines, an array of weapons, breathtaking locations, and challenging boss battles, the future of this game is destined to be truly exceptional.
In Season 1, players will have access to a range of exciting new content, including:
– The highly-anticipated addition of The Joker as a new playable character, bringing his unique and twisted brand of humor and villainy to the game.
– A stunning new Joker-themed playable Elseworld environment that will offer a rich and immersive experience for players to explore and enjoy.
– The constantly shifting Metropolis, featuring a host of new Brainiac strongholds to overcome, will provide players with a dynamic and ever-changing battlefield that is sure to keep them engaged and on their toes.
– Two new episodes, each packed with new missions, activities, and strongholds, will give players a chance to delve even deeper into the game’s rich and complex world and to experience new challenges and adventures.
– Two new boss fights and new enemy variants will test players’ skills and abilities to their limits, and provide them with the opportunity to earn new rewards and gear.
– New DC villain-themed weapons and gear in each episode will give players a chance to customize their characters with a range of unique and powerful tools.
– Metagame updates via new episode-specific mutators and gameplay modifiers will keep the game feeling fresh and exciting, and provide players with new ways to experience the game’s core mechanics.
– New Riddler challenges will challenge players’ minds as well as their reflexes, and provide them with a chance to unlock new secrets and rewards.
– Calendar events with free cosmetics to collect will give players a chance to show off their style and flair.
– Ongoing story content, featuring new cinematics, audio logs, and more, will provide players with a deeper understanding of the game’s characters, lore, and world.
Taken together, these upcoming features will make a significant contribution to the game’s depth, replayability, and overall success, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this incredible game.
It has also been announced an offline mode of the story mode is something happening soon, so for anyone holding out because the game is online-based, be ready to jump into an amazing title once this mode becomes available.
