Spoilers for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
After four games explored the Batman mythos, Rocksteady has expanded the Arkham franchise immensely with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. No longer is the franchise centered solely on Gotham City’s caped crusader, but instead, it feels like a much larger DC universe. While Batman still plays a role, he now shares the spotlight with the likes of the Justice League and Suicide Squad. This new focus makes for an exciting adventure, yet it also puts the franchise in a bit of a tough spot going forward.
True to its name, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League sees players take on the role of the titular team as they head out to kill a Brainiac-controlled Justice League, which leads to an Arkham title unlike any other. However, the plot may have also put this series in a position that will be hard to get out of in future games. It might be too early to tell just where this superhero tale will end up as the post-launch content stream has not begun, but as of now, there does not seem to be a clear route forward for Rocksteady's Arkhamverse.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s Story May Have to be the Arkhamverse Finale
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Feels Like the End of a Universe
In Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, players do actually get to kill said League. There is no way to break them free from Brainiac’s brainwashing, so at Amanda Waller’s urging, the Squad heads out to kill every last one of them. After much fighting, practically all the League perishes at the hands of the main cast. Not even Wonder Woman is able to walk away from it, as Superman himself eventually strikes her down.
It would be difficult to continue a DC superhero series when all of DC’s most notable characters are dead within its world. There is no way to further explore Batman’s life, Superman is off limits now, Green Lantern will not be able to take center stage, and this version of Flash may never be seen again. The only known team that future Arkhamverse games could follow is the Suicide Squad, yet their rivals are probably not coming back anytime soon.
All of those deaths make for a pretty dramatic tale that DC fans may not soon forget. However, because of that death, there really does not seem to be a good route forward for this franchise. While Rocksteady could always explore the multiverse to bring back, it feels like the current Arkhamverse may have reached its conclusion, even if that was not the intention.
There Are Not Many Routes Rocksteady Could Take The Series Next
The multiverse is one potential way for Rocksteady to further explore this series. It could craft a game that sees the Suicide Squad bounce from dimension to dimension, as hinted at by the finale of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Instead of simply using it as the basis for post-launch content, the developers could actually let players experience a game similar in style to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. However, even if it does do that, the main Arkhamverse’s heroes will still be dead.
Some fans have been speculating that the Justice League is actually still alive at the end of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. One popular theory is that they were clones Brainiac made, some players have also suggested that maybe these were the Justice League from another universe, and others are simply hoping that a version of Brainiac healed them up for round two. There are still multiple seasons of post-launch story to look forward to, so maybe that is exactly what Rocksteady has planned.
Note: Leaks have suggested that Justice League members like the Flash will return in future seasons, so perhaps Rocksteady will resurrect its League before support on Suicide Squad concludes.
Whatever happens, the Arkhamverse's future may be contingent on one of these theories being correct. Because without that twist, it could prove extremely difficult to continue telling stories within this franchise without any pf the major heroes to follow. While the studio could always explore some of the less explored characters or stick with Task Force X, nothing really compares to the Justice League.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 59 /100 Critics Rec: 20%
- Released
- February 2, 2024
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Rocksteady Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as the Suicide Squad to take down the World’s Greatest DC Super Heroes, The Justice League. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, is a genre-defying, action-adventure third-person shooter from Rocksteady Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series.
- Franchise
- Suicide Squad
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action, Adventure, Open-World
- How Long To Beat
- 10 Hours
- Metascore
- 70
