What do you do when the Justice League has gone rogue after being altered by Brainiac and is massacring Metropolis? You call in the Suicide Squad to kill them. That’s the fun premise behind Rocksteady’s latest game. While it doesn’t reach the highs of its Arkham series of Batman games (particularly Asylum), this dark and funny shooter delivers a lot of fun and offers some great depictions of many DC heroes and villains.
Each of the four characters plays differently, with them mostly using stolen Justice League tech in order to be mobile throughout the open world. Harley Quinn uses Batman tech and a drone to swing around, Deadshot uses a jetpack, the loudmouth Captain Boomerang uses the Speed Force, and King Shark uses his natural jumping prowess. They all are formidable in their own way, although the combat loop is different for each. Thankfully, a solid tutorial section allows players to test each character and decide on which one they wish to main.
No matter who they choose, players will be joined by the rest as teammates (either real players or as AI, depending on what you choose). The main story missions are real highlights. The back-and-forth between the characters is hilarious and well-written (with King Shark, voiced by pro wrestler Samoa Joe, being the biggest highlight), and the major set pieces wow with the scale of the city. However, most of the side missions can be slightly annoying — such as limiting damage to critical hits — and feel a bit too templated as the game has to introduce several mission types it can consistently throw at the player so things go on endlessly in its games as a service mold. Thankfully, the core combat is really fun and refined, which makes the more by-the-numbers missions still enjoyable.
Another reason to do the side missions is to enhance your shots at killing the Justice League and bettering your gear. Not only do you get better armor and weapons, but by doing favors for your support characters, you’ll also unlock new crafting options and aids. One of the most impressive aspects of Suicide Squad is making it feel like your ragtag group of villains turned quasi-heroes are really coming together and improving over time. By the time you battle The Flash, it feels as if you’re as ready as one could possibly be and that the work you’ve done up to that point is really paying off.
It’s the boss fights that really are the best part of the game, and the battles truly feel as epic as they should be. Each battle chips away at the fallen superhero’s power. They’re tough fights, ones that require communication and strategy to pull off while not being distracted by the onslaught of powers being used. What’s rather unique is that they all end in a rather anticlimactic fashion — a slug to the head. It’s not a dignified end to the members of the Justice League, but it’s a smart call as it further underlines that these are no longer the heroes that fans knew and loved.
As the game goes on, the loop can grow a bit tiresome. More structured missions would’ve really helped the overall experience versus the more replayable ones that were chosen, although the choice makes sense for the developer. However, I found it fun switching characters and undergoing a fresh challenge (some missions even give certain characters a boost as they’re more personally motivated). This is definitely a game I’ll keep coming back to and playing with friends over time, even if I personally would’ve preferred a more single-player-based game.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League isn’t just darkly hilarious; it’s a satisfying shooter no matter which of the four characters you play. The actual fights against the Justice League are a highlight, and the gameplay loop remains satisfying thanks to the polished gameplay. There’s a lot to like here, even if the games as a service model can be offputting at first, and Rocksteady still demonstrates a wonderful understanding of DC characters.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League review. Reviewed on version 1.004.000.
