Rocksteady Studios has quite the task at hand with the upcomingSuicide Squadtitle, with somewhat of a tainted memory for the series in public opinion after the 2016 movie. However, the developer’s history with themassively successfulBatman Arkhamseriescan pave the way for a stellar new title in the DC Comics universe.
WB Games’ choice of developer does raise a few questions about the newSuicide Squad, as well as how it might connect with Rocksteady’s history withArkham. Fans have already begun to speculate exactly what the upcoming title will mean for the developer’s previous series, as well as what it might mean for therumored newBatmantitlefrom WB Games.
Banking on Previous Success
The previoussuccess of theArkhamserieshas made Rocksteady a powerhouse in AAA game development, especially when it comes to adapting properties into games. This has even led to theArkhamseries’ combat system somewhat defining the genre, with other titles likeShadow of Mordorbeing related back to these originalBatmangames. To a degree, all Rocksteady needs to do to succeed withSuicide Squadis to repeat the success ofArkham Asylum, which wouldn’t be too far off from the origins of the comic series in the first place.
Considering how well Rocksteady has also established thecharacters fromSuicide Squadin theArkhamseries as the boss fights from those games, there’s already a strong start to jump off from. In a number of ways, leaning into these previous successes could be the best decision for Rocksteady and WB Games with the next game in the DC universe. Beyond how highly rated previous games in the series have been, this could also finally be the opportunity to answer a question that has been lingering sinceArkham Knight.
Arkham Knight’s Secret Ending
Arkham Knight, as the final game in the series, has some mixed experiences to say the least, from a disappointing Deathstroke fight, to requiring players to find every Riddler trophy for the true ending. However, it’sArkham Knight’s “true ending”that might have the most controversy leveled on the entire series, and not only because of the insane requirements to unlock it. The reveal of an almost demonic Batman, one that looked like an effect of Scarecrow’s fear toxin, left the series with more questions than it answered.
If, and it’s a big “if”,Suicide Squadfollows the same universe as theArkhamseries, possibly being put together by Amanda Waller as a failsafe to replace Batman, it could finally answer these questions. That being said, it should be noted that continuing the storyline ofArkhamisn’t the only way to go, as drawing the comparison may end up leading expectations. So, while riding the success could be a powerful step forward, looking atfeatures from theSuicide Squadcomics, as well as less explored features of past games may be the way to go from here.
Controlling Multiple Characters
WhileArkhamoften focused on putting the player in control of Batman, DLC campaigns and challenge modes would often place the player in the shoes of other heroes. Most notably among these heroes that fought alongside Batman were Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood. However, players have also been able to play as Joker before, originally as aPlayStation exclusivecampaign with the original Arkham Asylum.
In the case ofSuicide Squad, Rocksteady should lean into these multiple character options, letting players control a number of different villains throughout the game. This could appear in a number of ways, from emulatingWatch Dog Legionwith the dozens of characters that players switch through, to a more team based mechanic likeMarvel’s Avengers. Regardless of how Rocksteady approaches the cast, being able to play as different characters throughout the game will be a requirement for asuccessfulSuicide Squadtitle.
Unexpectedly Excellent Multiplayer
This may not be the most popular opinion, likely because of how poorlyArkham Originsperformed when it launched, but it had an well-put together multiplayer mode. Unfortunately, while the multiplayer gang warfare available inOriginssurprisingly excelled, the title itself drastically undersold, unlike themassively successfulArkham City. As a result, almost every new feature from the game was scrapped when it was time to work onArkham Knight, fearing that if the next title resembledOrigins, it might also flop.
So, while the multiplayer was well crafted inArkham Origins, with two teams of players fighting for dominance over different sections of the city while Batman hunts both sides, it never made it past its introduction. The problem here being that the quality of the multiplayer mode wasn’t really what was at fault, it was the lack of players who had grabbed the title at launch. In this case, anew title likeSuicide Squadcould be the best place for Rocksteady to try its hand at multiplayer again, with the different villains competing against each other and redeeming at least one feature fromOrigins.
On the topic of redemption, theSuicide Squadbrand needs this new game, and it needs the careful hand of a developer like Rocksteady to guide it. While the comic series continues to grow a dedicated fanbase and a number of animated films have released to steady success, most of what the general public knows ofSuicide Squadis the 2016 movie. Some fans of the series, or even the individual characters may be divided, but the movie as a whole has been panned as a relative failure, giving the brand a bad name in the eyes of casual viewers.
Considering what Rocksteady has done forBatmanwith theArkhamseries, this could easily be the chance to undo that damage. The games within theArkhamseries defineBatmannow as much as the cheesy movies of the 90’s and the stellar Christopher Nolan trilogy do. If Rocksteady were to takeSuicide Squadin a similar direction, and redefine the brand under another stellar, action title, then it could possibly make up for the bad press of the movie.
Suicide Squadis in development by Rocksteady Studios.
MORE:Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: 5 Villains We Want To Play As (& 5 We Want To Fight)
