The Ultimate Showdown: Suicide Squad Takes on Justice League's Rogue Gallery!

Highlights

The Batman: Arkham series had memorable villains that were distinct in character and faithful to the comics, leading to satisfying side quests and boss fights.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has the potential to introduce new villains and pay tribute to the past. However, including The Riddler might evoke nostalgia but could become monotonous for players due to an extensive side quest. There is a risk of alienating players and recreating the tedious post-game grind from Arkham City and Arkham Knight if Suicide Squad focuses too much on The Riddler for collectibles. Instead, it would be a better approach to feature him as an additional boss, unrelated to collectibles.

One of the standout features of the Batman: Arkham series was its extensive lineup of iconic Batman villains. Spread across four games, Batman: Arkham presented memorable interpretations of characters from Batman's rogues gallery. Each villain had a unique personality that stayed true to the source material. Additionally, the inclusion of satisfying side quests and boss fights for these villains added to the overall experience. It is hoped that Rocksteady's upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will continue this trend. While Brainiac is set to be the main antagonist alongside his group of converted heroes, it is highly likely that the game will also feature several other villains to battle, considering its vast open-world nature. With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League exploring the entire DC universe, Rocksteady will have more opportunities to explore new villains. However, this does not rule out the possibility of the developer paying homage to its previous games by reintroducing some classic foes. One such villain that could create a divide among fans is The Riddler, who had a significant presence in the Batman: Arkham series.

Riddler's Inclusion in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Would be a Double-Edged Sword

The Riddler, one of Batman's most iconic adversaries, has been a recurring presence in every installment of the Batman: Arkham game series, with varying levels of success. In Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Riddler communicated with Batman through his radio, enticing him to solve puzzles and collect trophies, which proved to be quite fulfilling.

However, Arkham City presented a massive leap forward, bringing a staggering 440 Riddler challenges to the game. While initially enjoyable and taking advantage of the vast open-world of Arkham City, these challenges eventually became notorious for their tedium. Despite there being fewer challenges in Arkham Knight, the addition of races and the sprawling map size made it equally time-consuming as Arkham City. Nonetheless, players were at least rewarded with an entertaining boss fight upon completion.

If Riddler were to appear in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, it could be both a nostalgic and frustrating experience. Fans of the Arkham trilogy would surely feel a wave of nostalgia upon his introduction, as he was a significant part of those games. However, as the side quest involving the Riddler progresses, the initial nostalgia would fade, and players may find him more irritating than enjoyable.

Recent rumors suggest that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have a map twice as large as Gotham in Batman: Arkham Knight. This means that there would be ample space for the Riddler to hide his trophies throughout the game. If the game were to heavily rely on collectibles related to the Riddler, it could potentially discourage players from engaging in collectible-hunting altogether. This may remind players of the lengthy post-game trophy hunts in Arkham City and Arkham Knight, which could be off-putting. The ideal way to include the Riddler in Suicide Squad would be as an additional boss, unrelated to collectibles or a time-consuming grind.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be released on February 2, 2024 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.