The next game from WB Games’ Rocksteady Studios, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, got a meaty showcase slot at last week’s State Of Play broadcast.
The February 2023 State Of Play not only showed a gameplay trailer, but also a developer commentary on what to expect from the next game in the “Arkhamverse” series.
The gameplay is a co-op hero shooter with loot mechanics. You play as one of the four members of the Suicide Squad (Harley Quinn, King Shark, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang) and each has some difference in moveset.
But the action is fascinatingly unique for an open-world action game. Characters jump and fly around so much that they essentially float mid-air while shooting all over. It’s kinetic, lots of traversing and moving around, and hectic.
The trailer also teased the appearance of Wonder Woman, who apparently hasn’t gone in the direction of the rest of the Justice League. Apparently, Braniac has mind-controlled the likes of Batman, Superman and The Flash to be evil and are now wreaking havoc in Metropolis. And that’s where the Suicide Squad comes in to go kill them.
While the action looks good, it’s all wrapped around a live service of sorts. There’s a loot system- not the first time for a game with superheroes to have one but it doesn’t make it any less disappointing. There’s a promise of post-launch content including new story missions and even new characters for free. There will be a “cosmetics-only” battle pass where you can earn costumes, emotes and other items. And, as per the FAQ page, you need an active internet connection to play the game solo.
Online co-op supports cross-play so there’s that.
Rocksteady has had a good reputation since Batman Arkham Asylum released in 2009, proving to the world that games based on an existing license can actually be good and not a cash-grab.
After Marvel’s Avengers went the way it is in trying to incorporate co-op, loot and live service aspects into a superhero game, we are sceptical about how Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will fare. The gameplay looks interesting at the very least.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will be out on May 26 for the PS5, PC and Xbox Series X|S.