After a year of waiting, Rocksteady has released a new trailer for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It's the developer's first game in six years following Batman: Arkham Knight and will be the first time since Rocksteady started the Arkham series that it has made a game without the Dark Knight in the lead role. DC has apparently given Rocksteady the keys to the DC universe through Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, as there are a plethora of heroes, villains, and nods to the overall DC universe in the new trailer.
At last year's DC FanDome, Rocksteady revealed a new Suicide Squad game, briefly teasing what it may contain. The likes of Superman are under the control of Brainiac and the Suicide Squad has been recruited to go toe to toe with DC's greatest heroes at their worst. Superman's rules have gone out the window, Metropolis is under siege, and bad guys are tasked with being the heroes. The new trailer elaborates a bit more on what's going on, reveals more of the Justice League members in the game, and teases an M rating.
Rocksteady has yet to show off raw gameplay of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but has confirmed it can be played either solo or co-op. That said, Warner Bros. released a new Suicide Squad trailer that showcases an in-engine look at the 2022 title, giving a glimpse at some of the cinematics from the game. There's a lot to digest in the three-minute trailer, so here are some key takeaways.
Click here to watch the above trailer on YouTube.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Features Arkham Callbacks
The new Suicide Squad trailer has a great callback to Batman: Arkham Asylum. Fans will remember that game opens with Batman taking Joker to Arkham in the Batmobile and the two drive past a road sign pointing toward the asylum. This trailer has a very similar shot, showing a convoy approaching the mental institution to pick up the Suicide Squad and take them to wherever it is they're going. It has already been confirmed that Suicide Squad is follows the Batman trilogy, so it's no surprise to see returning faces and locations. That said, it seems like Gotham may have abandoned its ambitions for Arkham City and just put everyone back in the asylum.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Has Nods To Characters' Debuts
It is not uncommon for superhero media to include nods to various important comic book issues through things like license plates and other background items. Given DC has a rich history that stretches back many decades, it's no surprise Rocksteady also wanted to pay tribute to some of these characters via some fun references. The Suicide Squad trailer has Easter eggs that reference the debuts for three out of four members of the Squad.
The inmate numbers on the prison uniforms of Deadshot, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang all reference the first comics these characters appeared in. Harley Quinn does not have a number because her first appearance was in Batman: The Animated Series, not a comic book. It seems unlikely these actually hint at anything regarding the story of the game since all of the plots of these books and the game are vastly different.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Hints At Brainiac's Reign
The trailer also offers a better idea of what Brainiac is up to in Suicide Squad. The character is a well-known Superman villain and although he is not specifically seen in this trailer, his ships and goons are taking control of Metropolis. It seems like the Squad will largely be fighting these disposable alien monsters throughout the game, which will likely vary in strength and size. Whether or not Brainiac will be someone the Squad fights themselves remains to be seen, but perhaps Rocksteady is laying the groundwork for a proper Justice League game where he will be the primary antagonist.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Hints At A.R.G.U.S And Hall of Justice
Since the Suicide Squad has to kill the Justice League, they'll be encountering some of DC's most famous heroes. The trailer seems to show the Squad in the Hall of Justice while a group of people are doing some sort of construction to the statues of Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, and The Flash. Perhaps they're taking the statues down following their fall from grace or the Squad will be commandeering the building for their operation. A.R.G.U.S, a group that acts as an ally to the Justice League, is also alluded to in this same shot. Whether or not the group will side with the Justice League out of their alliance or will try to help the Squad remains to be seen.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Reveals Other Evil DC Heroes
It's already well-known that Superman is a villain in Suicide Squad, but the latest trailer reveals that other DC heroes have gone bad as well. The Flash and Green Lantern are looking mighty evil in this trailer, which will likely cause no shortage of headaches for the Squad. It appears Rocksteady will be using John Stewart's incarnation of Green Lantern for the game and he'll be using his Lantern ring in all kinds of creative ways, whether that be through creating some stairs to walk down or to forge some guns.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Features Some Sort Of Batmobile
Whether or not it is actually the Batmobile is unclear, but a car with the Bat-signal strapped to its hood can be seen in the trailer. It has the weird tank-like look of the Batmobile, but since Suicide Squad and the Batman games are connected, it's possible the Squad found an old Batmobile. Batman is believed to be "dead" in this universe, or is in hiding, so it's possible the Squad found some of his old gear and is using it to their advantage.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League May Feature Lex Luthor and an M-Rating
The Squad can be seen in a Lexcorp office, a company owned by Superman's arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor. They can be seen interrogating an employee before his head explodes in a very gory fashion, something that Rocksteady had shied away from in its Batman games. The Suicide Squad typically has bombs in their heads to prevent anyone from escaping or doing something they're not meant to do and it seems like they may not be the only ones rigged to blow.
It should go without saying that this level of violence will probably result in the game getting a hard M rating. Batman: Arkham Knight was also rated M, but it seemed to be more due to the tone of the game and a few select examples of violence. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League may take a more direct approach to blood and gore.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Wonder Woman May Not Be Evil
Despite the fact that The Flash, Green Lantern, and Superman are villains in Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman may have avoided Brainiac's corruption. Although her lasso is used against Captain Boomerang at one point, she is also seen killing Brainiac's monsters and actively fighting Superman. Unless Brainiac has turned them against each other instead of forcing them to work together as an evil team, Wonder Woman may be an asset to the Squad.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Includes The Penguin
The last part of the trailer confirms The Penguin will be in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice. Penguin was featured relatively prominently in both Arkham City and Arkham Knight, but it's unclear what his role will be in this game. Amanda Waller was able to shock him, so it's possible he has a bomb in his head as well. Given he'll be appearing, it's not hard to assume other villains will also cameo in the game as well.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League releases in 2022 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.
Source: Warner Bros/YouTube