Spoilers ahead for Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League .
Though Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League may have angered fans of the Arkhamverse and those with a distaste for live service games, there are plenty of bright spots in Rocksteady’s latest title. Brilliant traversal, quick access to contracts and endgame incursions, and a promising live service plan are among them. However, one of the most noteworthy highlights is early on in the story of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, as players are tormented by an AI-controlled version of Batman. In fact, this section is so good that it proves superhero games can thrive in the realm of asymmetrical horror.
Everything about Task Force X’s initial interaction with Batman is phenomenal, as Rocksteady allows players to fill the shoes of the NPCs they used to terrorize in the Arkham series. Bodies are dragged through vents, players are yanked into the sky, and a quick kick from Batman prevents players from escaping his trap. With a perfect setting of a pitch black museum dedicated to the Caped Crusader’s previous work, the mood is set, and it has not taken long for reactions to this moment to fill the internet. This sequence succeeds at being genuinely creepy, so much so that whether it comes in the form of a murderous Batman or another figure from the superhero genre, a co-op horror title inspired by the mission could be wonderful.
The Best Superhero Games Tend to Have One Thing in Common
The superhero genre features its share of truly great video games, and many of the best ones place extra focus on the same feature.
Batman Messing With Task Force X is The Perfect Foundation For a Horror Spin-Off
Since Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a four-player co-op game, players will end up feeling similar emotions to what is seen in multiplayer horror titles like Dead by Daylight, as Batman picks off their friends one-by-one. Sometimes they will see these attacks happen right in front of them, and other times they will see their ally’s name knocked off the scoreboard, with each death bringing more tension. Realistically, the only extra step needed to make this section into a an asymmetrical horror game would be to make Batman playable.
A Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League spin-off, or multiplayer mode added post-launch, could see one player controlling the corrupt version of Batman and hunting four survivors. Like in Dead by Daylight, these survivors could all have to complete a task while looking out for Batman, being unable to fight back against the master tactician - at least not initially, as maybe after completing their task they could regain some weapons to shoot back at the Dark Knight. Batman could have all of his usual gadgets and skills, perching on gargoyles, moving through vents, and gliding through the air. Maps could be set in key areas of Metropolis, ensuring that there is environmental variety beyond the Batman Experience area.
Alternatively, Rocksteady could capitalize on the wasted potential of an evil Superman , as his role in the main game was too small. Trying to hide in lead rooms to avoid his X-Ray Vision, stunning him with Kryptonite, and more mechanics could help make such a concept work.
Characters That a Marvel or DC Horror Game Could Be Built Around
However, Batman is not the only superhero (or supervillain) that could be the star of an asymmetrical horror game, as there are many more options that make sense:
- Moon Knight
- Blade
- Ghost Rider
- Venom
- Carnage
- Professor Pig
- Victor Zsasz
- Swamp Thing
- Scarecrow
- Solomon Grundy
For Marvel, there are a few dark heroes that could be good candidates for an asymmetrical horror game. If the unhinged version of Moon Knight from the Charlie Huston run where he branded his victims was used, it is easy to imagine him being intimidating, and the same could be said for Ghost Rider chasing players on his motorcycle. Letting four players control Vampires while another hunts them as Marvel’s Blade would be a fun perspective shift resembling the Batman one, while Symbiotes like Carnage and Venom are naturally spooky and could crawl on walls to chase their prey. As for DC, many of Batman’s foes would make great killers, with Scarecrow using fear gas to cause jumpscare hallucinations and Professor Pig being a more straightforward killer. With so many game genres covered already, it’s time for superhero titles to make the leap into one of the last bits of uncharted territory.
