Highlights
- The open-world environment in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is visually stunning and includes clever touches that enhance the experience.
- For example, there is an interesting Easter egg in the game involving Batman stalking Task Force X, similar to the creepy astronaut in Returnal.
- These extra details add to the intimidation factor of the figures involved, demonstrating the skill of the game developers when it comes to character work.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League may be coming under fire for a mixture of valid and unfair reasons, but one part of the game that it is hard to criticize is its open-world. Not only is Metropolis visually stunning, with Brainiac’s massive skull ship and its tentacles lurking overhead, but there are some clever little touches to be found as well. This ranges from a tragic Kite Man reference to a tribute to Peacemaker, though one awesome detail involving Batman feels as if it was pulled straight out of Returnal.
Whether Rocksteady actually took inspiration from Housemarque’s excellent roguelike is unclear, as despite offering some similarly fast-paced combat, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a drastically different game. Still, it is hard not to see the similarities when it comes to Batman stalking Task Force X as they battle through Metropolis, as this particular Easter egg functions a lot like Returnal’s creepy astronaut. Both games deserve praise for these extra touches, as they do a lot to make the characters involved more intimidating.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Review
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League continues Rocksteady's trend of great combat and storytelling, but it's not without controversial decisions.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League’s Batman Stalks Task Force X
As shown in the video from streamer Agent Vincent, Batman actually stalks Task Force X as players progress through Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League. While it is currently unclear how many times this occurs throughout the story, players can see Batman in the open-world during a few key moments, like after the group tests their anti-Flash gear, with the character looking menacing as he stands atop a Wonder Woman statue. If shot, he’ll disappear in a cloud of smoke, avoiding direct conflict with the Suicide Squad until his boss fight. For players interested in spotting Batman during their playthroughs, keeping an eye on rooftops and other vantage points one would expect Batman to use is the best approach, and the best time to look is whenever Amanda Waller, Lex Luthor, or another NPC is chatting with Task Force X.
To make this detail even cooler, Batman will usually report back to Brainiac with important information after he has spent some time watching the anti-heroes. Usually, his dialogue comes right after an instance where he has stalked the playable characters and left the area.
Returnal’s Astronaut Feels Like a Looming Threat
While Returnal’s mysterious story still has fans discussing whether everything is real, with various theories shared about the game over the years, fans of the game are in agreement about one thing: the astronaut that follows Selene across Atropos is extremely creepy. Not only does it show up in some key story moments, but players will occasionally be able to find the mysterious figure high up on ledges or outside the playable area looking directly at Selene, like in the video from YouTuber WhirlingMonk. While the astronaut does not appear in every biome or on every run, it is guaranteed to be a chilling discovery for players who accidentally spot it with no prior knowledge that it can appear.
Suicide Squad and Returnal’s Small Stalking Detail Makes a Big Difference
Ultimately, neither a stalking astronaut or a prowling Batman greatly change the gameplay or story of their respective titles, but both of these secrets serve a purpose. In the case of the astronaut, spotting the astronaut randomly in the game’s biomes is meant to be unsettling while simultaneously pushing players to think about why the astronaut is following Selene. As for Batman, noticing him watching Task Force X is meant to be a reminder of how he is more intimidating than ever, building off the moment in the Batman Experience where the game flips the script and lets players fill the role of his victims. Plus, it highlights how skilled Batman is as a master technician, as he is always studying his foes, even when brainwashed to serve Brainiac. Tossing these two character models into the world was a brilliant move made by Rocksteady and Housemarque, as these cool Easter eggs double as a neat bit of character work.
