Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024) | Video Game Review

Nobody expected this from the studio that perfected the Batman Arkham formula: a co-operative looter-shooter where you gun down Superman with explosive ammunition while Harley Quinn cracks inappropriate jokes about corporate greed and heroic corruption.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League represents Rocksteady's boldest creative gamble and their most divisive release since founding the studio in 2004. This review cuts through the online controversy to examine what actually works and what falls flat in this genre shift.

After spending extensive time with the campaign and endgame content, the reality is more nuanced than either passionate defenders or angry detractors want to admit. This is neither the complete disaster some claim nor the misunderstood masterpiece others argue.

Brainiac has invaded Earth and turned the Justice League into his mind-controlled enforcers. Superman incinerates civilians with heat vision. The Flash executes innocents at super speed. Wonder Woman and Green Lantern have become instruments of planetary conquest.

Amanda Waller activates Task Force X as humanity's last desperate hope, sending Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and King Shark on an impossible mission to accomplish the unthinkable: systematically kill Earth's greatest and most beloved heroes.

The setup immediately establishes moral complexity that drives the entire experience. These aren't evil alternate universe versions of beloved characters. These are the real Justice League members, corrupted against their will, forcing players to grapple with destroying heroes they've spent decades admiring in comics and films.

Rocksteady draws from John Ostrander's original Suicide Squad comics while incorporating modern DC interpretations. The game captures Ostrander's cynical tone, where expendable criminals tackle dangerous missions that would destroy conventional heroes completely.

Amanda Waller's ruthless pragmatism feels authentic to her comic portrayal. Character designs blend classic comic aesthetics with Rocksteady's signature style. Harley Quinn maintains her irreverent personality without falling into pure comic relief territory.

Deadshot carries the emotional weight of a professional killer desperately trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter. The writing consistently respects source material while creating something distinctly interactive that feels authentically part of the DC universe.

However, the game struggles with Brainiac's characterization. Comic fans know him as a calculating collector of civilizations but here he becomes a generic invasion threat. This simplification weakens what could have been a more philosophically interesting antagonist.

The campaign delivers genuinely surprising emotional moments between explosive action sequences. Watching Harley Quinn confront her complicated history with Batman while preparing to kill Superman creates compelling character development.

Each squad member receives meaningful story arcs that explore complex themes of personal redemption, ultimate sacrifice, and what truly defines heroism when the world's greatest protectors become humanity's most dangerous enemies requiring elimination.

Pacing becomes problematic during the middle chapters. Extended grinding sections interrupt narrative momentum just when character relationships reach interesting inflection points. The story works best during intimate squad banter and worst during repetitive mission briefings that could have been streamlined significantly.

Voice acting carries much of the story's emotional weight throughout every scene. Tara Strong brings unexpected depth to Harley Quinn beyond typical manic energy. Will Arnett's Deadshot perfectly balances dry humor with genuine paternal concern.

The corrupted Justice League members retain enough of their original personality and heroic essence to make their inevitable defeats feel genuinely tragic and emotionally devastating rather than triumphant victories worth celebrating throughout the campaign.

Combat combines third-person shooting with character-specific traversal abilities. Harley swings through Metropolis on her grappling hook. King Shark leaps incredible distances. Captain Boomerang teleports using his weapons. Deadshot hovers with his jetpack. Each character feels mechanically distinct during exploration and combat.

The gunplay itself feels solid but completely unremarkable compared to genre competitors. Weapons have appropriate weight and satisfying impact, though the progression system relies too heavily on damage numbers rather than meaningful tactical differences.

Boss fights against Justice League members showcase creative mechanics and innovative design, forcing players to constantly adapt their strategies and approaches for each individual corrupted hero's unique superhuman abilities and devastating attack patterns.

Difficulty balance favors co-operative play heavily. Solo players face significantly more challenging encounters, particularly during endgame content specifically designed around four-player coordination. This design choice makes sense thematically but limits accessibility for players preferring single-player experiences.

Technical performance varies dramatically across different platforms. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X maintain stable framerates during most combat scenarios, though large-scale destruction sequences can cause noticeable drops.

PC optimization remains inconsistent, with some configurations experiencing significant stuttering during traversal sequences. Loading times between missions feel excessive, particularly when transitioning between different areas of Metropolis.

Fast travel works reliably but lacks the seamless integration players expect from modern open-world games. Visual fidelity impresses during cutscenes but suffers during actual gameplay, especially in co-operative multiplayer sessions.

The game's always-online requirement creates additional stability concerns. Server disconnections can interrupt solo play unexpectedly, forcing players to repeat progress. This technical decision undermines what could otherwise be a stable single-player experience.

The soundtrack blends orchestral superhero themes with gritty urban beats that match the squad's criminal backgrounds. Combat music adapts dynamically to action intensity, creating appropriate tension during boss encounters.

Environmental audio design brings Metropolis to life with distant explosions, panicked civilian chatter and heroic fanfares twisted into ominous warnings. Voice acting quality varies significantly between main characters and supporting cast.

The core squad members receive excellent voice direction and quality dialogue but generic mission briefings feel rushed and poorly integrated into overall experience. Sound effects pack appropriate punch during intense gunfights, though some weapon audio lacks the distinctive character that made Arkham games memorable.

Environmental destruction sounds appropriately catastrophic when battling Superman or Green Lantern. Building collapses, energy blasts and superhuman impacts create convincing audio landscapes that support the game's apocalyptic atmosphere effectively.

The campaign provides approximately 12-15 hours of story content, which feels appropriate for the narrative being told. However, the game's live-service structure means much of the advertised content launches as post-release seasons rather than day-one availability.

Endgame content consists primarily of repeating missions with higher difficulty modifiers and better loot rewards. This structure works for dedicated co-operative groups but offers limited appeal for casual players seeking narrative closure. The seasonal model promises regular updates but requires ongoing engagement.

Character customization options provide decent variety for cosmetic personalization and visual expression, though many of the most appealing and desirable options require additional real-money purchases or extensive grinding through repetitive content loops.

The co-operative multiplayer experience represents the game's strongest element when technical issues don't interfere. Coordinating attacks against corrupted Justice League members with friends creates genuinely exciting tactical scenarios. Each character's unique abilities complement others meaningfully during encounters.

Solo play suffers from design choices clearly optimized for group coordination. AI companions don't provide adequate support during challenging sequences, forcing single players to adopt more conservative strategies that slow pacing considerably.

This creates a two-tier experience quality that disadvantages players without consistent multiplayer groups. Bug frequency remains concerning months after launch. Progress can be lost during server disconnections.

Audio occasionally desynchronizes during cut-scenes. Some cosmetic unlocks fail to save properly. These technical problems don't break the core experience but create unnecessary frustration during otherwise enjoyable sessions.

Multiple difficulty options and character builds provide some replay incentive, though the limited mission variety becomes apparent during subsequent playthroughs. New Game Plus functionality exists but offers minimal additional content beyond increased challenge levels.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League succeeds as a co-operative superhero experience while failing as a worthy successor to Rocksteady's single-player legacy. The core concept works when all elements align properly but persistent technical issues and questionable design choices consistently prevent it from reaching its potential.

Perfect for fans of co-operative action games, DC Comics enthusiasts and players seeking superhero power fantasy with friends. Less appealing for single-player gamers, live-service skeptics or anyone expecting Arkham-quality storytelling depth.

The always-online requirement and seasonal content model create significant additional barriers for casual players seeking straightforward experiences. At full retail price, the game feels incomplete and overpriced for what's currently available to players.

Patient buyers waiting for sales and additional content updates will find better value, assuming Rocksteady addresses the technical problems and expands the limited mission variety that currently defines the endgame experience.

Solid co-operative gameplay and strong character work undermined by technical problems, repetitive content structure and design decisions that prioritize monetization over player experience in too many crucial areas.

Rocksteady's action-shooter Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is available digitally on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Physical editions for PS5 and Xbox Series X are also out at launch, including the Standard, Deluxe and Collector's Editions with extra content and cosmetic packs.