Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has a lot of things going for it. From a seasoned developer in Rocksteady to an intriguing cast of Suicide Squad characters that will likely be made more popular by the upcoming James Gunn movie, there is good reason to be excited about the 2022 project. However, perhaps its most surprising success will be tied to the story’s premise
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, like its name suggests, sees Amanda Waller’s band of misfits tasked with killing members of DC’s most powerful faction. As shown in the game’s reveal trailer, one of the main threats that Task Force X will have to bring down is Kal-El himself, with Superman looking incredibly threatening in the teaser’s final seconds. However, Superman may be just as formidable in-game as he is during the CGI trailer, something that could create a surprising scenario where the best Superman game is actually a Suicide Squad title.
The Problem With Superman Games
Superman games have always had a core problem, and it is one that ties directly back to the character himself. From the disastrous Superman 64 to the intriguing but ultimately messy Superman Returns, developers have struggled to manage the hero’s absurd level of power. Invulnerable to everything apart from magic and Kryptonite, Kal-El’s invincibility is something that some comic fans love about him — and something that others loathe. When it comes to the realm of video games, however, Superman’s absurd level of defense is a major issue.
A double-edged sword that is nearly impossible to fix, developers have made multiple attempts at figuring out the Superman formula. If Superman takes damage from regular enemies, the experience of playing as the god-like hero is hampered. At the same time, Superman being as he is in the books throughout a video game is terribly boring, as there will be little challenge to face and the game would feel like a walk in the park. While the aforementioned Superman Returns had an interesting idea by basing the “health” mechanic around Metropolis itself and requiring a careful use of the hero’s powers, this idea ultimately creates another issue.
If players cannot use the hero’s powers freely, it seems like there is little point to playing as the character in the first place. As a recent fan-made Superman game has shown, using the hero’s heat vision to melt through enemies at will is too fun to pass up, as is the option to decimate a skyscraper with only Superman’s fists. As such, stripping the character of his power is not the way to go, and neither is making him invulnerable to all attacks. While fans have pondered the concept of how to make a Superman game work for years, including ideas like taking the Man of Steel off-world, Rocksteady may already be delivering the most satisfying version of the superhero in recent memory.
A Partial Solution
While Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s version of Superman is not playable, he seems set to deliver on the fantasy fans have dreamt up regarding a video game appearance of the character. Seemingly brainwashed by Brainiac, Superman is free to be unhinged and truly let his powers loose on the player. With the character almost always required to hold back, seeing Superman use every ability in his arsenal should be a blast to witness. With an “evil” Superman having no fears about injuring a civilian population, players can expect him to smash through buildings and structures with ease.
Apart from full destruction of the map, Supes can be treated like the Nemesis from Resident Evil 3. A constant thorn in the side of Task Force X, Superman can have several boss fights throughout the game (though this is speculation). Forcing players to run early on, fearing the character until they have the necessary tools to do battle, the full array of the hero-turned-villain’s skillset can be shown. With the limitations stripped away due to a villainous, AI-controlled version of Superman being used, he can be just as dangerous and imposing as he needs to be for a Superman game to succeed. While this is not quite the same as a game where players control Superman, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League can satisfy some of the cravings for such a project — and serve as further proof as to why such a game should finally be made.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is currently in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.