Worth: $11.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Kevin Conroy, Tara Strong, Daniel Lapaine, Bumper Robinson, Joe Seanoa
Intro:
… a deeply mediocre experience, with much of what made Rocksteady’s other games work so well, seemingly removed to make the title fit better with its live service ambitions.
Ask any gamer of a certain age to name their all-time favourite superhero title, and there’s a strong chance they’ll mention one of Rocksteady Studios’ Batman: Arkham trilogy. This revered series of Dark Knight adventures (comprising Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight) was a shot in the arm for the then flagging genre and a masterclass in the integration of gameplay and storytelling.
After Knight’s release in 2015, it seemed the Arkham series had finished, but rumours started up about a continuation of the universe, something involving the Suicide Squad this time. Cut to present day and, after many delays, said game has finally been released, although perhaps not in a way anyone expected or wanted. The game is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and its launch and very existence has been controversial and noisy.
Set five years after the events of Arkham Knight, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League shifts the perspective to the titular cadre of lunatics comprising Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Deadshot and Harley Quinn. The gang have been pinged by Amanda Waller to save the sunkissed city of Metropolis – and indeed the whole world – from the evil machinations of Brainiac. The problem? Ol’ mate Brainiac has managed to mind control four of the strongest members of the Justice League: The Flash, Green Lantern, Superman and Batman. So, somewhat inexplicably, it’s up to four of the least likely villains in the DC universe to combine their skills and mercilessly gank the most iconic comic book heroes. What could possibly go wrong?
The thing about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is that the premise, while a trifle goofy, is actually a lot of fun. Like the Squad themselves, it’s anarchic, noisy and a bit stupid, and the first couple of hours set the stage for a funny, engaging time. The problem, however, is that as the story wears on, the grindy, repetitive nature of the gameplay becomes apparent and tedium sets in. See, SSKTJL is an online multiplayer Games-as-a-Service experience (like The Division or Destiny) and as such, is designed to feature simple, easily repeatable loops. Over and over again.
And again. Forever.
Now, GaaS titles aren’t always a bad thing, but in the case of Suicide Squad, it means that you’re never quite sure what the game is. The cut scenes are beautifully animated, well-voiced affairs with plenty of nuance and depth and are quickly undone by the mind-numbing repetitiveness and simplicity of the activities between them. Also, the story falls off a damn cliff in the second half with a conclusion that is abrupt and unsatisfying, and seemingly retooled to allow for a tiny, tedious endgame with the obligatory promise of more content to come.
And the boss fights, the ones with the Justice League? Just awful.
It’s not a total loss, mind you. The moment-to-moment gameplay, while achingly samey, is fun in a brainless sort of way. The traversal mechanics shine, as you jump, swing, teleport or fly across the city, and offer one of the game’s few moments of genuine originality. The presentation is slick, the audio superb, but it’s all in service of a hollow gameplay loop that feels doubly disappointing because it’s attached to a series that has done so, so much better so many times before.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League isn’t a bad game. It certainly isn’t the disastrous dumpster fire many angry Youtubers are bellowing about online. However, it is a deeply mediocre experience, with much of what made Rocksteady’s other games work so well, seemingly removed to make the title fit better with its live service ambitions. It can be fun, at times, and briefly, but it’s hard to imagine this one going the distance and joining the pantheon of successful online games. Instead, it’s likely going to end up in the same pile of disappointment as Marvel’s Avengers and Anthem and that’s a huge shame.
