Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is in a prime position to become one of the most talked-about games of the year for various reasons, with its pre-release press erring on the negative side as well as public opinion shifting dramatically after it was revealed it had live-service elements. Rocksteady's latest creation is unfortunately facing an uphill battle from the get-go, and while the recent Discord Q and A session did help set more realistic expectations of what the game has to offer, there is one element that equally filled some fans with hype as much as it made others further question the game's direction. With Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League having a Joker-themed DLC planned, it seems it's in the same spot as the Borderlands series.

Why Borderlands and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Share a Villain Problem

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's Joker DLC Risks Beating a Dead Horse

Although the reveal that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's endgame loop may end up revolving around the Joker is not bad news, there is a chance that Rocksteady may be beating a dead horse if the same Joker as the Batman: Arkham series is used. On the other hand, using a different Joker may seem strange considering what happened to the character in the same universe as Suicide Squad, with the Ace of Knaves being first killed by his Titan disease in Arkham City and then "revived" in Arkham Knight, eventually also appearing in Arkham Origins.

While Joker is not the ultimate face of Batman games, he is arguably the most infamous villain for the Caped Crusader to deal with, and he's also one of the most iconic DC characters overall. As such, it follows that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's post-launch releases may want to include the Joker, but this risks putting a strain on the series and the Arkhamverse as a whole that makes future titles extremely unlikely to ever grow out of the Clown Prince of Crime's shadow.

Borderlands 4 Needs a Villain Strong Enough to Live Up to Handsome Jack's Legacy

Likewise, Borderlands has been dealing with the same issue thanks to Handsome Jack. Borderlands 2's Handsome Jack is not only a fantastic villain within his series, but is widely considered one of the best villains in video games ever, which is no small feat. The problem is that, ever since Borderlands 2, the series has never really recovered from Handsome Jack's presence, to the point that he ended up featuring in every game after his starring role. This includes Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Borderlands 3, and even the spin-off series Tales From the Borderlands.

This is not necessarily a bad thing in a vacuum, but given that the series is still ongoing, it needs to either bring a new villain in Borderlands 4 capable of going head-to-head with Jack's legacy or accept that the series' big bads may not be as impactful. The same thing may happen with Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, whose reliance on the nostalgia and hype generated by the Joker may prove to be a double-edged sword. Turning back is impossible for either series right now, and while they are struggling with the success of their villains, it also shows how important some characters can be in a game's reception.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Tag Page Cover Art

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Action
Adventure
Open-World
Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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
the squad standing together
7 Images
the squad standing together
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League announces Lawless as Season 3 playable character
harley shooting at enemies
shot of metropolis under assault
Deadshot customization screen in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
King Shark customization screen in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Harley Quinn customization screen in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL


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. 

Featuring an original narrative set within an expansive open-world city of Metropolis, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League puts the four DC Super-Villains on a collision course with an invading alien force and DC Super Heroes who are now laser-focused on destroying the city they once vowed to protect. All the while, the Suicide Squad must be mindful of the lethal explosives implanted in their heads that could go off at the first sign of defiance.

Each squad member has their own unique moveset with enhanced traversal abilities to freely explore the dynamic open-world of Metropolis, along with a variety of weapons to customize, and skills to master. 

Franchise
Suicide Squad