The Suicide Squad is back with a new game that lets players take control of DC’s favorite team of supervillains. Developed by Rocksteady Studios, creators of the acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League sees Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang out to take down a mind-controlled Justice League.
It’s an exciting premise on paper, but does the gameplay match up? Reviews are mixed, with some praising the snappy combat and others feeling let down by the lack of mission variety. As a big DC fan debating whether to pick this up, I dug into the details to figure out if Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is worth buying or not.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Story
First, let’s look at the storyline. The evil alien Brainiac has come to Earth and used his mind-control powers on Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and other Justice League heroes. This makes them go on a rampage across Metropolis, so ruthless government agent Amanda Waller sends in the Squad to take them down by any means necessary.
Facing off against controlled versions of DC’s most iconic heroes is an awesome idea. Reviewers agree the story starts strong, with sharp writing bringing the unpredictable Suicide Squad members to life. Their banter with characters like Batman and clashes with the Justice League are highlights.
The plot takes some interesting twists around the halfway point too. Comic fans will enjoy nods to DC lore with surprise character appearances and endings.
However, many reviewers felt the 10-11 hour campaign was still a bit short for a Rocksteady game, ending abruptly to set up future seasons. The lack of side quests beyond basic “kill this” missions for minor villains like Poison Ivy also took away from the open world.
Fun Factor: Snappy Combat but Repetitive Missions
Gameplay-wise, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League shakes up Rocksteady’s signature punchy melee combat for shooting action. Moving at a faster pace, you get abilities like Captain Boomerang’s teleporting gauntlet to zip around arenas in a frenetic loop of shooting, reloading, and dodging attacks.
Reviewers agree this shooter combat is snappy and satisfying once you get the hang of juggling all the abilities. Chaining headshots and takedowns to rack up high combo scores offers a nice skill ceiling too. The adaptive missions where you counter Justice League heroes like The Flash also stand out for requiring smarter play.
However, missions themselves grow repetitively fast due to unimaginative design. Most objectives boil down to clearing enemies from rooftops or defending areas over and over. There isn’t much variety or any unique set pieces that showcase the open world.
Poor enemy A.I. that lets you stealthily take out entire squads also contributes to the monotony. The lack of exciting gear or surprise random events further diminishes replayability. Overall, it seems like combat carries the gameplay without much else to keep things fresh.
Open World: Gorgeous but Lifeless
Metropolis itself looks stunning, filled with rich architectural details and sun-soaked streets. But reviewers agree this eye-candy backdrop feels oddly lifeless and generic, lacking interactive elements that bring the world to life.
Pedestrians are nearly non-existent and side activities are sparse. Unlike Spider-Man or Arkham Knight, there’s minimal sense you’re defending a vibrant, lived-in city. While nice to look at, Metropolis is more of a beautiful diorama than an immersive playground.
Loot System: Satisfying Shooting Hampered by Bland Guns
Suicide Squad also follows the looter-shooter template with upgradable character builds and tons of guns to collect. However, reviewers found the arsenal disappointingly bland, filled with samey pistols, rifles, and SMGs without much creativity.
The different weapon manufacturers provide some varied stats and mods, but nothing too exotic. Especially compared to the wacky weapons of Borderlands, the gear doesn’t reflect the zany Suicide Squad vibe. Still, finding guns that complement your playstyle offers some customization fun.
Is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Worth Buying?
So what’s the final verdict? Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has robust shooting gameplay and an entertaining DC story bridging its issues. But flaws like repetitive missions, a lifeless open world, and a lack of imagination in its live-service loot undermine the experience.
Fans of Rocksteady’s strong single-player storytelling may be disappointed by the shift to a games-as-service model here. However, if you just want to shoot up Metropolis with DC villains, the core combat is engaging enough to satisfy.
