After several years of speculation and waiting, Rocksteady has FINALLY laid out some bait for us to chase after. Just two days ago, the developer of the very awesome Arkham series posted a curious picture via tweet. Instead of showing us another Batman game, the tweet showed a picture of Superman with his back turned. On his head was what appeared to be a sniper sight that was also a fancy new Suicide Squad logo. The caption describing it was “Target locked – #DCFanDome – August 22.” That’s right, Twitter is where everyone goes to talk about something now, but you know what? This was a tweet long overdue.
Heck, I remember when Rocksteady was reportedly working on a supposed Suicide Squad game ever since that awesome cliffhanger at the end of Arkham Origins. Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, was doing push-ups in his cell in Blackgate Penitentiary when Amanda Waller approached him for recruitment into the squad. Everyone’s first thought: Wow! We’re going to be playing as Deathstroke in a more violent version of the Arkham games!
Oh yeah, the hype was real and at the time, I viewed it as a change of pace. Look, I’m a Batman fanatic, but I’ll admit that DC just might love him a tad too much. Out of all the DC heroes, Batman has the most movies, video games, television shows, and especially the direct-to-video animated movies. Now, I won’t complain too much about getting another Arkham game after Origins because I personally loved it, but what did we expect after that? Probably another Arkham game, because Knight ended on a major cliffhanger, but don’t forget that Batman also sells. Okay, if Rocksteady did want to return to the Arkham franchise, I’d honestly jump on that train again. It’s one of my favorite gaming series out there and I do want to see how Batman’s journey continued after that curious cliffhanger.
I remember the rumors about Rocksteady pursuing a Suicide Squad were glowing and I was pumped. I also remember speculating that if it happened, Deathstroke would be the main protagonist and he would play as the anti-Batman. If you played as him in Origins, you’ll have an idea of what that’s like, but he was also severely toned down to make it more appropriate. That meant, despite him being a ruthless killer, he wouldn’t actually kill anybody. In combat, he used his staff and not his sword or his guns, and had his own version of a batarang. It felt like the training wheels were still on, but it gave us a taste of what playing as him would be like. I enjoyed it, and I really wanted more of that.
So, it was very much disappointing when I heard that Rocksteady pumped the brakes on that supposed game. I mean, if anything else, it would have expanded the Arkhamverse. DC probably can’t stop making more separate universes, but that’s how comic books work. I always love seeing multiple versions of my favorite characters and I think doing that more really shows us different sides of those characters. That being said, this picture of Superman really has caught my attention. Is Rocksteady really setting us up for a Suicide Squad vs. Justice League game? If that’s the case, then I really don’t know what to expect.
Let’s put the Justice League aside for one second and talk about just the Suicide Squad. If this upcoming game is indeed all about the squad, then please, give us Deathstroke. If you’re going to play as him, then the game must be rated M. Let him use all of his weapons and let him be the Terminator (not a pun if you’re a comic fan). Show the blood and make him soak his sword in it. He can be a great anti-hero and this game can show us more of that.
However, Deathstroke doesn’t even have to be the only playable character. In fact, what if he was a rogue member of the squad and Waller sent them to track him down? Now that would be quite the suicidal mission. If Deathstroke is going to be the antagonist, who will be the protagonist? Unlike the Arkham series, the Suicide Squad isn’t about just one hero. The hint is in the name. Rocksteady has a chance to let us play as multiple characters of the squad and the best part about it is that every member is different.
Maybe this is a stretch, but I feel like this game could be DC’s response to Marvel’s upcoming Avengers game. They’re both comic book games, but they’re both centered on a team. Why don’t we compare?
Black Widow seems to be the most human of the playable characters, meaning she’ll play like Batman. In other words, she’s all about gadgets and martial arts. If this Suicide Squad game lets us play as Harley Quinn, I have a feeling she’ll play just like that. We already got a taste of what playing her is like on the Arkham Knight dlc. She’s a superb hand-to-hand combatant and loves her baseball bat, which means she’s not afraid to bash your brains in with it. She’s also insane, so keeping that “psycho vision” would be a good idea. By now, Harley is one of the star members of the squad so being able to play as her is a must. Again, she needs to be able to go full out with the violence. It’s what she does.
Who’s another prominent member of the squad? The man who never misses, otherwise known as Deadshot, has been the squad’s main man since day one. Unlike Harley and Deathstroke, we haven’t gotten the chance to play him yet in the Arkham games. He also hasn’t been encountered as much, but when we did see him, he made his presence known. I think he’s an underrated character and since we’re talking about a Suicide Squad game, we need to have Deadshot. If Rick Flagg dies or just won’t be in it, the squad needs a leader. Deadshot is that man and to be honest, I can imagine him playing like Iron Man. Mostly ranged characters that make use of their weapons, but can also hold their own up close. Just think of it as playing as an amped up third-person shooter.
Now let’s talk about the big, green elephant in the room. Yes, it wouldn’t be an Avengers game without the Hulk. And yes, he plays exactly how you would expect him to. He’s the tank character that just plows through everything that tries to stop him. The Suicide Squad has a Hulk of their own, and no, it’s not Killer Croc. I have a bigger, more ferocious animal in mind, and his name is King Shark. As the muscle of the squad, including him as a playable character is a must. He can tear through men like paper, use his shark physiology for stealth, and his tough skin makes it hard for most weapons to penetrate and kill him. You just got to have him.
As far as Thor goes, he’s one tough character to light a candle to. I can’t think of any squad members that can rival his power, but that’s also what makes him Thor. Thor plays like that character you just want to go on god mode with and just wreck stuff. Not too many squad members have powers, but the ones that do are certainly useful. I can think of a few candidates, but personally, I’d go with Killer Frost. She has her own powers and doesn’t hold back. She can use her cold and ice manipulation abilities to just make icicles out of men and shatter them like glass. But she won’t stop there and it’s that range of her powers that we can play with if she is playable. Frost maybe smaller than Thor, but don’t underestimate her.
I can’t wait to see a teaser trailer for this game when the Fandome hits and my expectations are high. And let’s not forget about that image of Superman. If it’s going to be a Suicide Squad game where you hunt down members of the Justice League, then I’ll be speechless. That’s an ambitious route to take, but if that’s what they’re going for, I’ll break out the wallet. Overall, I just want to see the squad characters done right and I want to be able to play as most of them. Yes, that includes Captain Boomerang, because he’s just the funnest character you love to hate. They can fight Deathstroke or they can fight the Justice League, but either way, they can’t tone down the violence. Why can’t the 22nd just be tomorrow?
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