Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Review
After nearly a decade since Batman: Arkham Knight, Rocksteady Studios returns with an ambitious pivot that trades the Dark Knight's methodical stealth for the chaotic gunplay of DC's most notorious villains. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League throws players into the boots of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark as they're tasked with the unthinkable: eliminating the world's greatest heroes who have fallen under Brainiac's mind control. Set in a beautifully realized Metropolis under siege, the game immediately establishes its irreverent tone through sharp dialogue and spectacular set pieces that showcase each character's unique personality and abilities. The transition from the Arkham series' intimate, grounded approach to this bombastic live-service shooter represents a bold creative gamble. Where Batman's adventures emphasized careful planning and surgical precision, Task Force X operates with explosive chaos and dark humor. The game's opening hours effectively establish the stakes as players witness Superman, Batman, and other beloved heroes transformed into ruthless antagonists, creating an emotionally complex scenario that should resonate with DC fans. Visually, Metropolis serves as a stunning playground for destruction, with towering skyscrapers, iconic landmarks, and dynamic weather systems creating an immersive urban battlefield. The character animations and voice acting bring the Squad to life with genuine personality, though the shift to a games-as-a-service model introduces elements that don't always harmonize with the core experience. Despite technical stumbles at launch and some questionable design decisions, there's an undeniable energy to the proceedings that makes it clear Rocksteady hasn't lost their ability to craft compelling superhero power fantasies.
The core gameplay loop revolves around third-person shooting with each Squad member offering distinct traversal and combat mechanics. Harley swings through the city with acrobatic flair, Deadshot soars with his jetpack for precision shooting, Captain Boomerang teleports with speedster abilities, and King Shark leaps massive distances while dealing devastating melee damage. These traversal systems feel genuinely different and encourage experimentation, though some characters feel more polished than others in execution. Combat scenarios blend gunplay with special abilities and environmental destruction, creating satisfying moments of chaos when everything clicks. The weapon customization system offers substantial depth with hundreds of guns featuring different rarities and stats, though this loot-driven approach feels somewhat at odds with the character-focused storytelling. Mission variety ranges from engaging boss encounters against corrupted heroes to repetitive objective-based tasks that highlight the game's live-service structure. While cooperative play with friends elevates the experience significantly, solo players may find the AI companions inconsistent and the grind more pronounced.
The narrative foundation is solid, presenting a genuinely intriguing premise as the Squad grapples with killing heroes they've alternately feared and respected. Voice performances from Tara Strong, Will Arnett, and the returning cast bring authentic personality to each character, with particularly strong chemistry between the four leads. The dialogue crackles with dark humor and genuine emotional moments, especially when confronting the corrupted Justice League members in climactic boss battles. However, the story suffers from pacing issues inherent to the live-service model, with meaningful plot developments often separated by extended gameplay loops focused on progression rather than narrative momentum. Key story beats feel rushed while minor objectives are artificially extended, creating an uneven flow that diminishes emotional impact. The game's handling of Batman's fate and Superman's corruption provides some genuinely shocking moments, but these highlights are sometimes overshadowed by repetitive mission structures that prioritize engagement metrics over storytelling coherence.
Visually, Suicide Squad represents some of Rocksteady's finest technical work, with Metropolis rendered in stunning detail across current-generation hardware. The city feels alive with dynamic lighting, impressive particle effects, and smooth character animations that bring the Squad's unique movement styles to life. Environmental destruction during combat encounters is particularly satisfying, with buildings crumbling and debris flying in convincing fashion. Character models are exceptional, capturing both the comic book aesthetic and realistic detail that makes each Squad member instantly recognizable and expressive. The audio design excels in creating an immersive superhero battlefield, with thunderous explosions, satisfying weapon feedback, and a dynamic score that adapts to the action. Environmental audio helps sell Metropolis as a living city under siege, while the voice acting remains consistently strong throughout. However, some audio mixing issues and repetitive combat barks can become grating during extended play sessions. The game's presentation values clearly demonstrate significant production investment, even if the underlying systems don't always live up to the impressive audiovisual polish.
Launch performance has been notably problematic across all platforms, with frequent crashes, connection issues, and progression bugs significantly impacting the experience. Server instability has plagued the always-online requirement, leading to lost progress and frustrating disconnections during crucial story moments. Frame rate inconsistencies occur during intense combat scenarios, particularly in four-player cooperative sessions where the action becomes chaotic. While post-launch patches have addressed some critical issues, the game still suffers from occasional crashes and connectivity problems that remind players of its troubled technical foundation. The always-online requirement feels particularly punitive given these stability concerns, as even solo players must contend with server-related disruptions.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League represents an ambitious but ultimately uneven effort from Rocksteady Studios. When the core gameplay systems align with cooperative play and meaningful story moments, the game delivers genuine thrills that capture the chaotic energy of Task Force X. The character work is exceptional, the presentation values are impressive, and there are enough strong moments to remind players of Rocksteady's storytelling prowess. However, the live-service framework consistently undermines these strengths with repetitive mission design, technical instability, and progression systems that prioritize engagement over enjoyment. Players seeking a traditional single-player superhero experience may find themselves disappointed, while those willing to embrace the cooperative chaos with friends will discover moments of genuine fun amid the frustration. The game feels like a missed opportunity to fully capitalize on its intriguing premise and talented development team.