During this extended quarantine period, I’ve spent a great deal of time reflecting on my own personal career goals as well as diving into my gaming backlog occasionally from time to time. Since I was unable to finish Batman: Arkham Knight when it originally launched back in 2015, I finally took the time to complete the game so that I could properly prepare for Rocksteady’s announcement regarding their next big title. Fast-forward to Friday, August 7th when Rocksteady Studios finally confirmed that they are working on a Suicide Squad game and more details will be revealed at DC FanDome on August 22nd.
Given my excitement for both the Batman: Arkham series and the amazing body of work by this talented London based development studio, I figured now would be the perfect time to share my own thoughts on what I expect to see in this upcoming highly anticipated next-gen title.
Exceptional Storytelling
Telling engaging storylines is a craft that Rocksteady has mastered ever since they started working on the Batman: Arkham series. Continuing to fine-tune their formula for developing intriguing narratives, Arkham Knight did a fantastic job of reviving The Joker while giving him a meaningful purpose, slowly revealing the identity of the newly introduced Arkham Knight and making fans question the fate of The Caped Crusader long after the end credits finished rolling.
With Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, Rocksteady has plenty of comic book resources that they could use to create an original storyline. There’s also a wide array of characters such as Harley Quinn, Deadshot, and others that they can choose from to create their own version of the team. Knowing that The Justice League will now play the opposing team in this story, fans can definitely expect exciting matchups and perhaps backstories as to how both teams or squad members crossed paths in the first place.
Freeflow Combat System 2.0
The amazing freeflow combat system is an absolute pillar of the Arkham games and has made its mark on the industry by influencing combat mechanics in other games such as Marvel’s Spider-Man. What I especially loved about Arkham Knight was the intense group showdowns where I had the ability to switch back and forth between Batman, Catwoman, Robin, and Nightwing. The smooth approach and depth of every combo made a fun and engaging experience each and every time.
I’m definitely expecting this combat system to evolve in some kind of way with Kill The Justice League. It will be interesting to see if multiplayer will be available within the campaign too as Rocksteady has proven they can create a single-player experience and still allow players to try out other characters throughout the story mode and optional challenge maps.
Meaningful Characters
Barbara Gordon taking on the role of Oracle in Batman: Arkham Knight was one of the central plot points within the game. As players, we got the opportunity to see first hand how important she was to both Batman and her father Commissioner Gordon, which in turn made her rescue a high priority.
Amanda Waller is responsible for assembling The Suicide Squad and will more than likely play an important role in Kill The Justice League. I also expect other interesting and important characters to play a role in the storyline, but Waller’s involvement could be key to how every event ultimately plays out from start to finish.
Memorable Boss Encounters
To this very day, I’m still impressed by how fantastic the nightmare encounter sequences were with Scarecrow in Batman: Arkham Asylum. I especially loved nightmare encounter #2 where Batman walks down a long corridor and starts to hallucinate with memories of the tragic day when his parents were killed. This encounter, as well as all the enemy encounters in the Arkham series, were well done because they worked as excellent representations of each villain and the realistic tactics they would use against our hero.
Kill The Justice League certainly is poised to up the ante on this concept in every way possible. Imagine just how epic it would be to try and assassinate Superman? We are talking about a chaotic battle that could take place in the sky, on the ground, and everywhere in between. Since a large majority of fans love Justice League characters, defeating them will add an element of fun to the whole ordeal, and seeing how those characters’ strengths and weaknesses are represented could be just as intriguing in and of itself.
Connected Universe
Warner Bros. Montreal has been hard at work on a new Batman game centered around The Court of Owls. Up to this point, this title has been rumored as a soft reboot of the Arkham series and we are expected to learn more about it at DC FanDome on August 22nd.
While Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment hasn’t revealed their plans for these new games yet, part of me is hoping that all of these titles will take place within a connected universe. I definitely expect Batman to be a part of The Justice League and there could be missions within the upcoming Court of Owls game where he crosses paths with one of the Suicide Squad members. Ultimately, we will have to wait to see if these ideas are explored but in my opinion, it would certainly be a missed opportunity if they aren’t.
This concludes my piece on what I want to see in Rocksteady’s upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League video game. What would you like to see in this title? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
