A return to a world we love...with a decisively welcomed twist!
It's no secret that we here at Sci-Fi 3D are in love with the Arkham series. In fact, we’d go so far to say that Rocksteady is responsible for some of the absolute most fun and immersive gaming we’ve ever experienced. As a Batman fan, you’d be hard pressed to find a better experience than Arkham City, with its definitive version of Gotham (even though you’re regulated to just one small corner of the landscape), as well as its amazing story telling and combat system. It’s not just good for a Batman game, but it’s one of the best action/adventure titles you’ll ever come across in the genre. Even the side quests feel as-if they seamlessly integrate with the overall world, where they don’t feel like a chore, but an absolute joy to explore.
But that was then, and the question now is…does Suicide Squad provide the same level of enjoyment as its predecessors in this new era? Well, that’s a bit of a loaded question. If you’re going into this title hoping for a carbon copy of either Arkham City or Arkham Knight, you’re starting out at a slight disadvantage. Rocksteady has decided to go in a new direction, instead of repeating the same old (some might even say tired) formula. I honestly don’t know if we would have enjoyed ourselves as much, if this had been just another paint by numbers sequel. Luckly, that is not what we get here. We were excited for the new possibilities, when we heard we’d be in for an entirely new style of game set in this familiar world. Admittedly this is not the same game we once knew, but we’re definitely OK with that!
The term “looter shooter” has been thrown around quite a bit when describing Kill the Justice League, but honestly, it’s much more than that. To be fair, If that style of gameplay isn’t your bag, you may find this an unwelcomed change. But with a little time and open-mind, any Batman fan is going to find fun in this new title. We’re heading to Metropolis for this one, but because it’s made by the same team, the sensibilities of Rocksteady’s design and approach is very much the same. So it won’t be completely alien to those who have enjoyed their previous outings. The characters, the story, the feel are all things that centered us in the narrative they were trying to craft, and it was like getting reacquainted with an old friend. Perhaps not the one we knew from years ago, because in life, we all grow and change. But close enough that we still feel that kinship and connection.
We have to die…to save the world! – The Flash, Kill the Justice League
Without spoiling too much of the campaign, we can tell you that anyone who is familiar with the Suicide Squad movies (both animated or the live-action versions), are going to already have a feel for what to expect here. Brainiac (Superman’s big-bad from various iterations of games and shows/comics of the past) has come to Earth to not only conquer, but mold it into his own personal playground. What better way to do that, than turn those who have opposed him in the past into willing generals in his war on our planet. So all your favorite heroes, namely Superman, Flash and yes even Batman are among those who have been brainwashed into doing his bidding. And so, Task Force X has been mobilized to take them down in bloody fashion.
You’ll have four playable characters to choose from: King Shark, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and everyone’s favorite “don’t-call-me-a-sidekick” femme fatale Harly Quinn. Some of the more well knows actors returning to the voice over cast is Tara Strong as Harley, introducing wrestling superstar (and current AEW heavyweight champion Samoa Joe), and featuring one of the last performances of the late Kevin Conroy as the caped crusader. It should also be noted that many fans have been upset that this particular portrayal of Batman is the last we’d get from Conroy, due to the nature of how Batman is portrayed. Having said that, it was still amazing (if not a bit sad), hearing his voice one last time. And to Rocksteady’s credit, they do provide a nice eulogy in the game, memorializing the iconic actor.
One of the best things about the Arkham games, were there innovative and smooth-as-hell combat system. However, that has been evolved here in favor of a GTA-style 3rd person shooter mechanic. While this has been a bone of contention for some who were hoping for the former, we actually found it to be a refreshing change of pace. It also helps differentiate what Rocksteady is hoping to do with the series moving forward. For example, you’ll continually be grinding towards acquiring more and more powerful weapons, they made sure that each character didn’t just feel like a copy/paste model of their team mates. So yes, you’ll be beatin’ down foes with Harley’s signature baseball bat, as each playable character has just enough to make them feel unique.
We hate to keep comparing the flow of Suicide Squad to the past Arkham games, but one thing we noticed is our approach to the gameplay once we settled in. In the past, stealth was always the preferred method of taking down enemies. Creeping along rooftops, then ambushing a large number of bad guys (in order to get the jump on them). Here, with the sheer number of guns and upgrades, we found a more straight-out aggressive tactic to be the easiest way of clearing the areas of CPU controlled opponents. Instead of gadgets, you’ll be more focused on crafting or adding “perks” to increase things like damage and other useful upgrades. It’s very similar to setting up a load-out in other modern games like Call of Duty, where you have multiple slots that can be customized to your playstyle. Again, a far cry from the other Arkham games, but not an unwelcome one.
It's clear that Rocksteady is attempting to embrace the modern era of “games as a service” model moving forward, with new battle passes on the way that will bring more content to the game in the future. This isn’t intended to be a one-and-done experience, once you’ve cleared the normal story mode (with the idea that they'll always be more to grind and more to do as the lifespan of the game continues for the rest of the year and into 2025). While that won’t appeal to every gamer, there is enough here to seriously enjoy Suicide Squad for what it is. A new beginning for Rocksteady and the “Arkhamverse,” with plenty of room to grow with the franchise. We absolutely recommend picking this one up, even if you’re only a casual Bat-fan. You can’t go home again, and we think it’s a fun, new beginning!
Sci-Fi 3D Team
Cameron McFarland | Contributing Writer
