During the holiday break, I had the opportunity to pick up Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League for less than $10 on the PlayStation Store. Once the credits rolled, I had an epiphany — this game is actually fun, and everyone was wrong about it.
Despite what the internet says, my time with Rocksteady’s notorious looter-shooter was a fun third-person shooting experience I haven’t had since 2014’s Sunset Overdrive.
The internet was too harsh on Rocksteady’s latest IP after the success of their acclaimed Batman: Arkham titles. It went from players having zero trust in the looter-shooter concept to outright fabrication of lies perpetrated by right-wing rhetoric.
Suicide Squad (or SS: KTJL) is an excellent game in its own unique way. It may have missed the gold rush of looter-shooters such as Destiny 2 and Warframe, but it carved out its identity with its chaotic gameplay and iconic DC characters. As a huge Destiny 2 player, it was an oddly enjoyable experience.
Now that the game has reached the end of its life cycle, with its last update coming later this month, I think it’s a great time to pay respects to this ambitious looter-shooter that didn’t quite soar as high as expected. Here’s why everyone was wrong about SS:KTJL:
The Campaign Was Enjoyable
I had no idea everyone was having trouble coping with the fact that we weren’t playing as the Justice League. At the same time, I understand the sentiment that playing Wonder Woman, The Flash, or maybe even Superman would be exciting; playing as these mercenaries has its own unabashed charm.
While the campaign was short, it was a highlight for me. As a massive fan of the Batman: Arkham series, seeing familiar faces such as Aaron Cash, Harley Quinn, and even Batman reminded me that I long for more Arkham titles.
Taking down each of the Justice League members made for fun battles. However, due to SS: KTJL’s third-person shooter aspect, there wasn’t a strong sense of victory when defeating The Flash or Superman with guns. I admit the boss fights were the weakest part of the game. They mainly involve shooting bullets until their health bars drop to zero.
Still, I enjoyed listening to how unhinged each ‘brainwashed’ Justice League member is and contemplating how hopeless humanity would be if things went truly south.
The first cutscene with Batman haunting Task Force X from the shadows really sold it for me. If they had made it a single-player game, the sheer terror of facing the world’s greatest detective in his own murder house would have been a standout moment.
Task Force X Is Great
Amanda Waller and her band of ex-convicts may be a sad bunch, but they’re hilarious. The writing shines through with how unhinged the core members are, especially Captain Boomerang and King Shark.
Every time they spoke, I couldn’t help but anticipate their next ridiculous comment.
Each Justice League takedown was accompanied by a Task Force X member’s showcase. What really caught my attention was the final showdown between Batman and Harley Quinn.
Many fans were upset about this encounter, but did everyone forget that Harley has a PhD? Of course, she could counteract the fear toxin.
The interactions with these lowlifes gave me more reasons to enjoy the game. The cutscenes were well-crafted, and the facial expressions perfectly demonstrated modern gaming.
I think Suicide Squad has some of the best facial animations in a game ever.
Gameplay Was Satisfying
Of all the positives and negatives surrounding Suicide Squad, only a handful of players have criticized its gameplay. It’s undoubtedly the best part of the game and one of its redeeming features.
Running and gunning across a map designed for high mobility is a constant rush, especially since each Task Force X member has a unique kit that allows them to easily traverse Metropolis.
King Shark became my go-to character during the endgame. His moveset was easy to master, and his love for heavy artillery made shooting countless bullets at Brainiac’s face during every Incursion (the game’s endgame activity) incredibly satisfying.
While some players complained about the distracting UI, I never noticed it. I was too busy shooting purple alien heads.
It was the perfect game to turn my brain off and complete objectives until I got bored. It was exactly what I needed during the holiday break, and I’m glad I gave it a chance.
Everything Else Was Lackluster
Despite all the positives, its post-game launch had too many problems. For a live-service game, it simply didn’t hit the mark Rocksteady was aiming for.
Once the credits rolled, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game and even earned the Platinum Trophy. However, the endgame was where I pulled the plug.
The endgame content felt like a constant chore, requiring players to do the same tasks repeatedly with little variety. As someone who has spent over 2,000 hours in Destiny 2, I can say that SS: KTJL did its endgame activities poorly.
There was no real incentive beyond collecting more heroes (i.e., Joker, Mrs. Freeze, Lawless, and Deathstroke) and powerful guns. If this was the best Rocksteady could do for a live-service model, it was already doomed from the start.
Spoiler Alert: The Story Isn’t Finished
The story hasn’t even wrapped up yet. We still have to defeat the remaining Brainiacs and free the original Justice League members from captivity.
When I discovered that the League members we were fighting were just Brainiac clones, I gained a new understanding of the game's narrative. We're not killing the Justice League here, per se; we're taking down hundreds of Brainiac clones disguised as League members. This bold plot twist makes the story much more interesting. However, locking it behind its gritty endgame content feels cheap.
Task Force X’s main goal is restoring the original heroes from Brainiac’s grasp.
We’ve already saved Green Lantern and The Flash in the game's latest update. It’s expected that Batman and Superman will be next, with a potential plan to bring Wonder Woman back.
Unfortunately, Rocksteady’s method of saving each hero through seasonal updates was a complete letdown. The story progression was reduced to audio logs with no meaningful cutscenes.
With the final season approaching, let’s hope for a proper conclusion to the story. Perhaps a new boss fight against Brainiac would bring the narrative full circle. So far, the Brainiac variants we’ve fought throughout the year have been Justice League reskins.
Was everyone wrong about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? I had no regrets about spending 60 hours on a game I bought for less than the price of a cup of coffee.
However, I completely understand the disappointment of fans who bought this game at full price on launch.
Hopefully, Rocksteady will pick up the pieces of this fallen project and finally make something they are good at: great single-player action titles, not looter-shooters and live-service games in a saturated and volatile market.