Although there's much to look forward to with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - given it's a long-awaited new entry in the Batman: Arkham franchise - there is cause for concern regarding its approach to gameplay, which Captain Boomerang typifies. The third-person shooter will return to Rocksteady's take on the DC Universe, expanding upon the acclaimed Batman: Arkham titles by focusing on new characters and locations, as players take control of Task Force X on a mission to stop an invasion from the mind-controlling Superman foe, Brainiac.
Suicide Squad: KTJL's menu leaked and revealed a setup and features expected from a live-service or GaaS title, rather than the story-driven game that could be played in single-player or co-op that the game has been marketing so far. The decision to include elements such as a Battle Pass and an in-game store has proven to be a controversial one with fans who drew comparisons to the likes of Crystal Dynamics' superhero GaaS title, Marvel's Avengers, which is finally shutting down after the title struggled for three years.
Captain Boomerang Shows Why Suicide Squad: KTJL Being A Shooter Is Weird
Despite the GaaS comparisons with Marvel's Avengers, that title seemed to offer a variety of different powers and skill sets that seemed true to its Marvel characters, from the gadget-based weapons of Iron Man, to the brute force melee attacks of Hulk. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League doesn't seem to be doing this as much, instead opting to give all four of its playable characters a type of gun, instead of their more traditional weaponry. The most obvious example of this is with Captain Boomerang, who despite his entire arsenal being themed around boomerangs in the comics and other adaptations, is seen with a gun in hand in various trailers - as well as Suicide Squad: KTJL’s leaked menu image.
Some trailers do show Boomer throwing different types of boomerangs, so it's evident that they will be a part of the character's arsenal, but given how a boomerang is already a ranged weapon this should surely negate the need to give him a gun. There is the possibility that the gun Boomerang is seen holding could fire tiny, bullet-sized boomerangs, but this doesn't address the fundamental issue of his gameplay being gun-oriented. While it may make it easier for fans to swap between Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's playable character roster when playing co-op, it could have the unfortunate consequence of making each character feel less unique.
Suicide Squad: KTJL's King Shark Misses The Villain's Biggest Appeal
When looking at a character like King Shark in Suicide Squad: KTJL, the first thing people would assume is that he will be the muscle of the team. King Shark should play more like an M-rated Hulk, ripping people apart and biting their heads off. This is indicated in some of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's trailers, with a shadow on a wall suggesting the violence happening off-screen, but it's possible that this could only play out in cutscenes or a "finishing move" animation as more footage suggests King Shark will be using larger, heavier guns such as miniguns during the game. This may look cool, but it feels wrong for the character, and once again limits gameplay.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has always been advertised as a third-person shooter, so it's unsurprising that every member of the squad will be using guns. Rocksteady's versions of characters such as Harley Quinn and Deadshot naturally would use guns, but by giving this weapon type to the whole team and leaning into loot and cosmetics, the title feels more and more like a generic GaaS effort that dilutes the appeal of two key playable characters. Rocksteady had the opportunity to offer more varied gameplay with its inclusion of Captain Boomerang and King Shark, and it's a shame that this may not be the case.
Source: DC/YouTube