We're truly living in uncertain times when it comes to industry jobs and sadly, Rocksteady appears to have been the latest victim in a round of layoffs. The studio itself recently brought us Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, which may be ??partly responsible for the layoffs.

The report comes from Eurogamer, with ?some unnamed staff members from the studio's QA team in particular noting a series of redundancies. The department is? said to have been "cut in half over the past month," though losses within the company may have affected other teams as well.

One member of staff has apparent?ly spoken out on social media about how they were laid off from Rocksteady while on paternity leave. At the time of writing, publisher Warner Bros. has yet to comment on these reports.

Kill the studios, it seems

In a classic case of cause-and-effect, it appears as though the poor sales of Suicide Squad has been c??ited as one of the reasons for the studio "restructuring." Rocksteady senior management has acknowledged that product quality will now suffer as a result, ?per Eurogamer's report.

Perhaps many won't be surprised by this revelation. Kill the Justice League was not exactly welcomed with open arms by the community. Currently, the game is showing as "Mixed" for all reviews and "Mostly Negative" for recent ones over on Steam.

However, if all this is true, it's still a sad tim??e to be working in the games industry at the moment. We've seen thousands of developers lose their jobs over the past year or so, as well as entire studios being shuttered. There doesn't appear to be light at the end of t?he tunnel for job security in gaming, at the moment.

The post Rocksteady reportedly hit by layoffs foll??owing poor Suicide Squad sales appeared first on Destructoid.

Amazon Prime Day is set for July 16 through 17, and with it, plenty of deals. There are a handful of delights planned for the video game depar?tment as well, with Prime Gaming set to offer a big freebie to its Prime subscribers.

Rocksteady Studio’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was released earlier this year in January, and it is already set to be a part of Amazon's major free giveaway. The game is one of three freebies Prime Gaming will offer its members; Chivalry 2 and Rise of the Tomb Raider are the two other rewards for Prime? members, and all three games will be free to claim via ??the Epic Games Store from July 16 at 12 a.m. PT until July 18 at 12 a.m. PT.

While it is not new for AAA titles to be part of giveaways, it does come across as somewhat surprising to see Warner Bros. already deciding to place the game in a major giveaway. The decision can help bring new players to Suicide Squad, which could be crucial for the game given its player count history and Warner B??ros' disappointment. Moreover, the Season 2 content roadmap looks packed, and the sudden surge of new play??ers and steady content might give a new lease of life to the game set in the Arkhamverse.

Prime Gaming has been on a roll since June, giving away a handful of titles so far. The following games received staggered launches, leading up to the reveal of the main Prime Day game launches, and include the likes of heavy hitters such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. These games can still be claimed on Prime ?Gaming: 

• Deceive Inc.
• Tearstone: Thieves of the Heart
• The Invisible Hand
• Call of Juarez
• Forager
• Card Shark
• Heaven Dust 2
• Soulstice
• Wall World
• Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II
• Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX
• Samurai Bringer

The post Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is one of Amazon’s Prime Day freebies appeared first on Destructoid.

Fresh off the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, it sounds like Warner Bros. is looking to reshape its gaming strategy with further pivots into live service mode?ls. That means more free-to-play and mobile titles, less one-and-done.

As first reported by GameSpot, CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games for Warner Bros. Discovery, J.B. Perrette, recently outlined the company’s plans for the future while speaking at a Morgan Stanley event. Perrette touted the success of Hogwarts Legacy before using Suicide Squad as an example of one of its?? big swing-and-misses in the AAA gaming market duri?ng a time of increased volatility. 

That volatility is something Perrette said Warner Bros. Discovery hopes to avoid further disappointments with. The CEO admitted again that Kill the Justice League did not meet WB's performance goals. He sees focusing on "core franchises" like the company's Hogwarts Legacy project as an opportunity. However, instead of singleplayer, pick-up-and-put-down experi?ences, Perette describes a more monetized future for long term revenue streams.

“Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop ?a game […] that is a live-service where people can live and work and build and play in that world in an ongoing?? basis?" Perrette said.

Ultimately, Warner Bros. ??may not be abandoning the singleplayer AAA space entirely, but mobile, free-to-play, and live-service games are currently its primary focus. 

That’s not exactly thrilling news for gamers who are getting sick of the live-service trend. Suicide Squad itself is a live-service game, and it stands as a sh??ining example that the model isn’t guaranteed to succeed. We’re light on details about the games Warner Bros. currently has in development, so it’s hard to say how soon this strategic shift will impact the publisher's projects.WB already confirmed the upcoming Wonder Woman game won’t be live-service, but the fate of the multiplayer Harry Potter Quidditch game is still up in the air. In his talk, Perrette noted that the company likely wo??n’t see returns from this new strategy for a couple of years, so we might not see a glut of new Warner Bros. mobile games until 2025 or 2026. 

The post Warner Bros. eyes the live service model for future games and plans for ‘volatile’ market appeared first on Destructoid.

The hits keep coming and they don't stop coming for Rocksteady as its parent company, Warner Bros. Games, is disappointed in the performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Like a poorly made? macaroni picture, it looks li??ke this one isn't going up on the fridge.

Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels spoke on the 4th Quarter 2023 Earnings Webcast regarding Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

"This year, Suicide Squad, one of our key videogame releases in 2024, has fall??en short of our expectations since its? release earlier in the quarter, setting our games business up for a tough year-over-year comp in Q1."

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been on a decline since release with many players, myself included, being unable to play the supervillain looter shooter due to constant crashing and a bug-riddled multiplayer. A patch was released on February 21, 2024, with the intention of alleviating some of these problems, but instead, it has introduced more issues.

Maybe Warner Bros. should have put Peacemaker in this game instead of Mortal Kombat

According to Steam Charts, the player count on Steam has been in a steady decline since its release with a peak of 13,459 on February 3, 2024, and a current player count of 770 at the time of this writing. While we have no accurate way to measure the player base on consoles, the data we do have paints a grim picture.

The February 23, 2024, Developer Update addresses several of th?e issues regarding multiplayer and a few other miscellaneous items. Speaking as someone who was unexpectedly sucked into this game and went from being on the fence to really wanting it to succeed, it's frustrating to see the current state of the game.

Since I'm effectively locked out of multiplayer, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been collecting dust in my collection. Here's hoping that Rocksteady can cou?rse-correct before Warner Bros. decides to yank the plug.

The post Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League fell short of Warner Bros.’ expectations appeared first on Destructoid.

Upon first impressions, I argued that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a monotonous, uninspired ordeal. The introduction to Metropolis drags along, only to feel worse thanks to messy presentation and unintuitive mechanics, though I admit the latter may be a product of my own faults. Those early thoughts still stand, as Kill the Justice League doesn’t offer an enticing first few hours. Eventually, some of those pieces improve. Others?, not so much.  

My initial assessment pinned Kill the Justice League as a generic third-person shooter lacking much to differentiate it from the slew of similar games in the genre. More time certainly curbed the bad taste, but the charms here d??on’t outweigh the lack of thrills in another tortured DC setting. It's dull gameplay and repetitive missions throughout, with environments, enemies, and gameplay systems failing to capitalize on interesting designs and cheeky dialogue.

Rocksteady’s latest is back-loaded, and all the good stuff comes several hours into the game. With that said, the live service pivot in the Batman: Arkham series never recovers from such a shaky, unsatisfying onboarding. The dry shooting mechanics are impossible to gloss over, and when the game tries to mix the formula up, it slips right back into monotonous routines. Occasionally, there’s a sense that Kill the Justice League wants to break u??p that formula, but it’s a bea??t the action-adventure shooter never quite nails.

Hidden beneath it all, I continued to get the feeling there were bits of something splendid with a hook vying for my attention, but I couldn't shake the weight of its live service anchors or lack of variety. Ultimately, I have no choice but to conclude that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is the epitome of average.

Same song and dance

Kill the Justice League has Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark as an unexpec?ted quartet forced to work together after remote controlled bombs are placed in their heads, driving them to obey the demands of Amanda Waller. Well, obey unless they want their heads to explode. 

Their target is the Justice League, as?? almost all the members have been brainwashed. To stop the ?threat from Brainiac and the brainwashed superheroes, the quartet must go on what would be a suicide mission for most and attempt to defeat the Justice League. They aren’t tackling the issue alone, however, as they recruit folks like Penguin to aid in their endeavors. 

The rhythm of the game has you recruiting, acquiring weapons, and completing the missions until your final showdown with the enthralled heroes. It’s ?fairly linear, though you can complete side missions to pad out total playtime, but that variance never raised the bar.

In the early hours of Kill the Justice League,? you’re introduced to basic?? foes with purple armor. They come in hordes, each one identical to the last, and killing them is no fun and no different from most other average third-person over-the-shoulder games available now instead.

As the later and, finally, late game trudges on, a greater variety of enemies rise to meet your challenge, but they’re either annoyingly specific or bland; there's no sw??eet spot in the fight. Snipers force you to pack a rifle of your own, while some beefier guys hit the scene with frustratingly-picky mechanics. When I encountered Metropolis enemies wielding abilities that freeze, I constantly had to tap into what seemed like a painfully limited grenade sup?ply.

Suicide Squad does try to add variety to the situations you’re introduced to in each of the missions, sometimes by adding terminals for you to destroy, or having a large cannon for you to try and disable, but you’ll still be battling the same enemies. It gets old fast, and if you’re looking for something that is going to introduce you to new gameplay in this genre, or even shines as the best of the basics, Suicide Squad isn’t it.

Part of the problem is that the first two chapters feel like tutorials, and the real action begins in the third ??chapter. Considering the game’s total l??ength, far too much time is spent teaching players the basics, and not enough time is spent offering missions actually utilizing the squad's varied skills. There are all of these neat tools just lying about, thanks to seemingly limited use cases.

Again and again

There are a few times when Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League does try to switch things up. One mission has the squad escaping a Bat Museum. You’re not dealing with one-note enemies any longer, but instead are navigating a labyrinthine building with poor vision and tons of booby traps. Unfortunately, these moments are few?? and far between, and I wish there w??ere more of them.

You can choose between any of the four members of Task Force X to play as, and the dialog between the charact??ers is one of the best parts of the game. ?As I pointed out during my first impressions, we’re given an excellent and hilarious rendition of Harley Quinn, and the humor is upped by Captain Boomerang. Deadshot is more of a silent guy, and King Shark, being a literal fish out of the water, introduced moments that made me chuckle. 

The game can also be praised for how the different characters allow for variations in gameplay. For example, when playing as King Shark, you’re far more likely to rely on melee, while Captain Boomerang is more of a sniper kind of guy. Kill the Justice League gets it right on this front, as the characters genui??nely feel different when it comes to movement and attacking. 

Harley is quick and nimble, making her the perfect squad member for dodging attacks. King Shark, on the other hand, feels weighty and powerful, allowing you to feel more confident leaping into a sea of enemies. Suicide Squad manages to make having four playable characters justified through these differenc??es, and it’s one of the more memorable aspects of the game. 

Characters feel even more different, and their strong points are improved when you s??pend Talents in the skill trees. The only problem is that it takes hours before the skill tree is even unlocked. Once again, we’re dealing with the problem of a slow start. It feels like the single-player campaign is just practice for the online multiplayer aspects, which should probably be discussed next. 

Unplayable at times

Suicide Squad implements live services, and it permeates everything. I’ve tried playing alongside others in Metropolis more than I usually would in public and though I??? didn’t enjoy it, that typically wouldn’t be something I’d penalize a game for. 

The problem that arises is that not everyone is interested in online play, yet a connection to Warner Bros. services is necessary to play at all. There are times when Suicide Squad will not connect to the se??rver. This shouldn’t be a problem for a potentially single-player game, which, I believe, should not require the net constantly, at least not after whatever verification it might use only once, or to update.

The problem is that single-player folks will sometimes find themselves locked out of the game if it cannot connect to the WB services. It only happened to me twice, but the second time it happened for ages. This is ultimately a massive flaw in the game, as it does a disservice to single-player folks not interested in the online side of things. Rocksteady has stated there are plans to offer an offline mode, but there's no solid ETA on the exact timing.

It’s not th??e first game to do it, and it won’t be the last, but it is unfathomably frustrating when it happens. ?Multiplayer games are cool, and of course they require an internet connection. However, if there’s a single-player campaign that’s a significant part of the title, I believe we shouldn’t be running into this problem.

Relentlessly ordinary

Suicide Squad reminds me of Forspoken in that both games aren’t terrible, but they’re not great games, either. They sit in that loathed middle spot of just being alright. Encounters meander into each other, with few making use of the squad's potential, the environment is just a forgettable background, and the gameplay feels generally uninspired by the world of superheroes and villains g??uiding it.

As I stated previously, there is something splendid under it all. The Suicide Squad sports a cast of distinct kits and charming designs, but it’s all awash in a world they can't play in. The writing is good, excellent even, but it’s stuck in a game plagued by live ??service annoyances. It’s a title that’s not offensive enough to hate, but it brings nothing new to the table and has a slow start. 

It would have been a better game with a higher score had it introduced more variety with its enemies, was less monotonous when it comes to missions, and handled its live ser??vices a little more smartly. Alas, we’re left w?ith a title that teeters on the edge of being good but never quite gets there. 

Kill the Justice League is the epitome o??f, “it gets good X hours in.�It’ll suck at first, then it’ll show you it’s capab?le of at least some moments of awesomeness. Fans of the DC universe may find a little more value in it, especially if you value narrative over gameplay, but Rocksteady's latest is simply okay - nothing more or less.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League appeared first on Destructoid.

In theory, a game based around the Suicide Squad should be great, as you’d get to see DC’s world differently. That is not what Rocksteady’s latest game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, has been. 

I am struggling through a string?? of frustrating moments that feel repetitive and dated. I'm about three to four hours into the game, and I think I've seen everything it has to offer already. 

I may be disastrously wrong, of course, an?d things could do a full 180-degree turn 5 hours in. Nevertheless, if this is the nature of the whole title, I cannot recommend it.

Table for four, please

Does it matter who you're playing as during the game's early hours? Yes, a little bit. The characters have unique personalities and content. Quin??n is a good example. 

She ??can protect herself with shields, but I found it borderline impossible to acquire them. Here’s the problem I was facing: During the tutorial for her part, you're suppose??d to shoot foes (who are almost all identical) and collect three shields in the process. 

To do this, it took me several minutes to figur??e it out, and this is with a video tutorial demonstrating that I'm supposed to aim for the legs. I despised? the whole ordeal by the end of it.

Th??is could be a complaint that's ??more a case of my own lack of understanding, which again points to the game’s unintuitiveness. 

Quinn isn’t the only time ??I found myself on the unintuitive side of things, including whether it was heading to an enemy-laden exfiltration spot or robbing a museum. I should add I kept the HUD on and used accessibility options to sp??eed up the whole ordeal.

I thought long and hard about whether to i??nclude this portion, as I don’t want to speak ill of the game when it could be me who is at fault. But it happened, and that's the truth. If that makes me a bad video game player, then so be it, but without a HUD and some accessibility help, I'm completely lost. 

If you're curious about who to ??play as, then try Captain Boomerang. He's fast, nimble, and gets you into the perfect spot for melee action. On that note...

All you need to know about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s primary enemies is purple suits, robotic voices, lasers, and crazy shooting. This is about as complex as they get, and almost every every mission, at least in the first half of the game, has you taking these guys out or avoiding them by staying high on rooftops.&nbs??p;

It’s the definition of monotony, enough to put you to sleep during a nighttime gameplay session. With some of the game spoiled for me, I’ve been told things will get better later. I can’t wait for that because I’ve dropped games for less. The shooting isn’t ba?d; it’s just not good either. 

Take a recent AAA title, and you’ll notice the realism and sense of impact. There are fewer enemies, but they are harder to deal with. Suicide Squad takes the opposite direction and hits you with swarms of foes that might as well be clones of each other??.

Additionally, the guns lack the “meatinesss�of modern titles, turning enemy encounters into a bout of pea-shooting. There is no intelligence or strategy needed; just use your gun like roach spray on everything around you, and?? those that live get meleed to death.

Bugs and UI

There are some bugs, but I'd be lying to say any of them were ga??me-breaking. During early access, I encountered a little ??freezing here and there on the Xbox Series X. The visual design is more annoying than any of the bugs. When a new mechanic or move is introduced, you get a text about it appearing as part of your hub. 

You can switch it off, which I suspect most will do after the first few hours, but why is it there in the first place? Games have b?ecome so innovative in revealing gameplay mechanics that seeing this dated style in a modern title seems odd.

Plenty of titles simply explain in words what to do, but the number is shrinking on the AAA side, which just adds to the dated feeling of this title. It even features short videos in case you still don't understand. Thi?s isn’t awful, but it can be overbearing.

Again, I am the one ?who left this on, but that's because the game is poorly designed to operate without these helpers. 

Traversal for all characters feels clunky and unnecessarily complicated. If I'm playing as Captain Boomerang, I just want to bounce from building A to B. In, I can only do small jumps until I run out of energy to do more, causing him to tumble to the ground. This may change now that I’ve un?locked the skill trees, but that’s after hours of clunky traversal. 

It leaves characters feeling weak and limited when they can't even jump buildings, and I don't suspect that was what Rocksteady was going for. ??The worst is Quinn, who swings from her Batwing and has to gra??b on again somehow after her bar repletes.

If anything improves? as the skill trees open up, please let it ??be traversal.

Applause for the writers

Despite my gameplay complaints, I love Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s Harley Quinn! She's hilarious, crazy, and unpredictable, just like you'd expect her to be. Her essence is perfectly captured, which should be good news fo??r fans of the character. I want more of this Quinn rendition, just in a?? better game.

Overall, we’re presented with a well-written story that manages even racial humor tactfully, but with the generic gameplay, many will never experience it. I don't blame you if y??ou avoid t?his title, but do yourself a favor and watch the cutscenes online. You may find yourself laughing more times than you expect.

A polished turd

You'll notice I never downplayed the game's visuals or audio, though I’ve faulted the rest of the elements. That's because they fit right in with the titles of its genre. It's a good-looking game with epic musical highs that can make a scene feel better than it actually ?plays.

But that's not enough to make a good game. You need good content, which is where Kill the Justice League fails. It can't get away with that level of repetitiveness, nor can it provide mediocre third-person shooting withou??t being called out on it.

If you want to know what generic feels like, grab this game. You can also have a go if you're looking for good writing and don't care about gameplay. Other than that, stay away. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League doesn't have the charm of being an offensively terrible game, but it's not good ei??ther.

The post Review ??in Progress: Suicide Squad: K??ill the Justice League appeared first on Destructoid.

The February 2024 games list is an exciting explosion of JRPG act?ion and superhero fare. We'll also ??be surviving in a car from place to place in a much-anticipated indie.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink (PS4, PS5, PC)

Publisher: Cygames
Developer: Cygames
Price: $59.99
Release Date: February 1
Trailer

Granblue Fantasy: Relink kicks off February 2024 with an anticipated action-RPG. With a stunning watercolor-like look, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is based on the popular mobile game series, which also spawned an anime and a fighting game. The game features four-player co-op as you explore this stunning world.

According to the Steam listing, we'll be able to "choose from a diverse roster of skyfarers, each with their own unique weapons, skills, and combat styles." This action RPG plunges onto PlayStation and PC systems on February 1.

Persona 3 Reload (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC)

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Atlus 
Price: $69.99
Release Date: February 2
Trailer

Another RPG arrives later on February 2 just after Persona 3 Reload. It's a complete remake of the PS2 classic, featuring an all-new UI, gorgeous graphical upgrade, and voice cast. Both the classic and the PSP reinterpretation have their pros and cons, but the Reload ve???rsion seems to be the best way to play, despite lacking the female protagonist from the portable entry.

Like Persona 5, you'll be taking on tasks around the town, hanging out with friends, and pursuing an evil force in Tartarus. "I really didn’t feel like an hour had passed by," said Timothy Monbleau in his Destructoid preview. "I felt so caught up in Persona 3 Reload’s gamep??lay that I honestly thought I had twenty more minutes.?" That's always a good sign.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC)

Publisher: Warner Bros. Games
Developer: Rocksteady
Price: $69.99
Release Date: February 2
Trailer

Publisher Warner Bros. Games arguably fumbled the release of Gotham Knights, and fans of Batman: Arkham City developer Rocksteady hope that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League succee?ds. It may not be a single-player game, but the story seems compelling. You play as the Suicide Squad, attempting to kill the Justice League, who have been turned evil by prominent DC villain Brainiac.

Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark each have their own abilities to add to the mix??. It's predominantly a third-person shooter as?? you explore the smashed-up city of Metropolis.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been the subject of scrutiny. First, the game was in development for quite a while, and has been delayed several times. Second, its live service model has left some scratching their heads. Lastly, the game has already had launch issues for the 72-hour early access players??, with saves acting as complete before t?hey even begin the campaign.

Despite that, if the combat isn't repetitive and the story is intriguing enough, maybe Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could still work out on February 2. Be wary of spoilers, however.

Pacific Drive (PS5, PC)

Publisher: Kepler Interactive
Developer: Ironwood Studios
Price: $29.99 (10% off for first week)
Release Date: February 22
Trailer

A surprise gem of the February 2024 games list could be Pacific Drive. In a stormy, post-apocalyptic world, you're journeying through a scary landscape with many obstacles along the way. To help you and your car on this adventure, you'll be picking up resources and crafting objects for the car. The problem is that the most valu??able?? resources are found in the more dangerous areas of the map, adding a risk-reward system.

"Every time you venture out, new trials await: bizarre weather, unforgiving landscapes, and experimental remnants," says the official Steam listing. You can take on this task when Pacific Drive launches on February 22.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PS5)

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Price: $69.99
Release Date: February 29
Trailer

Cloud's next adventure takes him into a stunning open world in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. As the second part of a trilogy, our heroes venture towards Sephiroth as he's become a dangerous threat to the world. We'll b?e learning more about all of the party members as the storyline features many twists and turns along the way.

You might want to hold off on a full replay of Remake before Rebirth, however. "Overall, it mostly felt like more Final Fantasy 7 Remake with a few additions I could take or leave," explained Timothy Monbleau in Destructoid's preview. "I honestly wouldn’t recommend replaying Remake leading up to Rebirth, since I think you’d burn yourself out with how similar they are." It launches on February? 29.

Honorable mentions

February 2024 is an immensely packed month of games. Some of the omissions may have surprised you. Here are the honorable mentions you might wa??nt to check out.

• Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC) - February 2
• Foamstars (PS4, PS5 - will be available for free with PlayStation Plus day one) - February 6
• Helldivers 2 (PS5, PC) - February 8
• Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC)
• Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior (PC) - February 13
• News Tower (PC) - February 13
• Ultros (PS4, PS5, PC) - February 13
• Tomb Raider I-III Remastered (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC) - February 14
• PlateUp! (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch) - February 15
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Switch) - February 16
• Skull and Bones (PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC) - February 16
• The Thaumaturge (PC) - February 20
• Nightingale (PC) - February 22
• Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake (PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC) - February 28
• Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Switch, PC) - February 28

The post Here are the most anticipated games of February 202?4 appeared first on Destructoid.

Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League launches February 2, but players with the Deluxe Edition received a 72-hour early access period with their purchase. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out so well, as a bug marked the Kill The Justice League story as completed upon logging in.

While I'd claim a spot in the speedrun hall of fame over thi?s, it's not gr?eat for the people who paid extra for the Deluxe Edition. Almost an hour into its launch, Rocksteady sent game servers offline for maintenance to resolve the issue. The good news is that, four hours later, Rocksteady seems to have identified the error.

Rocksteady says it is actively working on resolving the issue. Even though the situation may be resolved soon, many have complained about how the game should have focused on supporting an offline mode that worked like its past Arkham series. Rocksteady's live service has left plenty of players reminiscing for those times, as responses on Twitter range from frustrations over the studio's model for Suicide Squad to comparisons with those more fondly remembered games.??

Burning down the house

The road here wasn't exactly a surprise. Other outlets, like IGN, have been unable to go hands-on with a review code, and we couldn't tell you how Suicide Squad is?? shaping up because we don't have access??, either.

A game can survive launch hiccups, and performance woes or server stability are common issues folks may have some grace with, but this specific b??ug is a bizarre issue that's funnier than actually catastrophic, though maybe less so for folks hoping to jump in today. I honestly?? hope that this is one of those games that ends up either surprising people or one that ends up finding its footing after a short while.

We'll see if Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League manages to end up better than the Suicide Squad movie with Jared Leto on February 2 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Perhaps it'll also make the next Awesome Games Done Quick.

The post Suicide Squad goes live, then comes right back down after bizarre, ??story-completing bug appeared first on Destructoid.

As if there wasn't enough reason to be skeptical about Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, it appears controversial DRM Denuvo has been added to the PC version of the live service game just days before launch. The Steam Page for Suicide Squad was updated just yesterday to incl??ude the following ??warning message: Incorporates 3rd-party DRM: Denuvo Anti-Tamper.

Tough Nut to Crack

While historically Denuvo DRM has done a decent job of serving its purpose: preventing the game from being cracked and able to spread via piracy, it comes at a cost to those who legally pur?chase games with it included. In order for? the DRM to properly work, every installation must include the Denuvo Anti-Tamper.

Unfortunately, Denuvo often leads to performance issues restricted to PC versions of games. Recently released Tekken 8 made sure not to include Denuvo after Tekken 7 launched on PC ?with horrid performance issues due to Denuvo.

Over on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Steam Discussion Boards, players are already voicing their displeasure over the recent addition of Denuvo.

Nothing new for Warner Bros. Games

Honestly, I can't remember the last title published by Warner Bros. Games that didn't include Denuvo. Mortal Kombat launched with it, as did Hogwarts Legacy. By that metric alone, it's not necessarily unexpected that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League ??will launch with Denuvo integrated. I think what's more disappointing is that it was seemingly a??dded last minute, with no indication of its inclusion until just a couple of days before launch.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League launches on February 2 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players who buy the $100 edition can get Early Access today, though servers may be down unexpectedly.

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So we haven't done one of our "where is our review" posts in a while, because frankly, we generally get copies of AAA games on time. Although there have been bumps in the road every so often, most gaming publishers want people to try out their games early, from the press to content ??creators, to any number of other folks?? in this modern media landscape.

So why does no one seem to have Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? I don't really need to spell it out, but just in case: consider waiting o??n reviews for this ??one (from whoever you get your opinions from).

The lack of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League codes is not only worrying, but strange

In the weeks leading up to the game's February 2, 2024 release date (hey, that's soon!), we've heard more and more about how press outlets are not getting code. We typically have issues with sorting WB due to our historical criticism of the publisher's handling of...well, you name it...but it seems like every other major outlet also does not have a?ccess to the game in any capacity.

IGN's Destin Legarie even s??hared his frustrations this?? past weekend, noting that his negative preview (you and practically everyone else's!) could have led to a lack of access, but it goes deeper than that. Legarie contends that the game's sponsored stream over at IGN had major quality control issues (like characters straight-up not showing up in cutscenes), and alleges that community managers (CMs) deleted comments critical of the game. Many of my peers are in the same boat, and no one I personally know has had access to the game prior to the early access launch. We went through a similar process with Gotham Knights.

Well, the worrying was warranted!

So I've described the confusion leading up to launch, but said launch isn't going swimmingly either. The official Suicide Squad game social accounts have shared that "a number of players are currently experiencing an issue" where "full story completion" is granted after logging in. Great start! An emergency maintenance period is already underway, and folks are reporting that even the offline version of the game is impacted.

While we're perfectly content waiting this out and playing the game alo?ngside everyone else, it just goes to show the importance of early access. It allows folks to be the canary in the coal mine, providing a watchdog-esque role so people don't buy a $60 (or more) broken pile of code, with context for questions such as "Is there offline play?" and the like.

Naturally, WB will get the game back in a workable state (to avoid a lawsuit at the very least), but how workable will i??t end up being? Stay tuned!

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Though it hasn't made its way onto Destructoid's list of most hotly anticipated title??s of 2024, Rocksteady Studios' Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League sure as heck is coming. Due to release on February 2, Suicide Squad is also getting a ?suite of ?post-launch content, in true live-service fashion.

The very first batch of this content has only just been revealed, in fact, giving players a taste of what's to come over the next couple of months. It should come as no surprise that much of what's been revealed is classic live-service fare. Notably, not only was Rocksteady quite unshy about the game's live-service leanings for some time now, but the whole thing got leaked no??t too long ago, adding even more fuel to the proverbial fire?.

Confirmed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Season 1 content

The good news, of course, is that Rocksteady seems intent on adding a wealth of post-launch content to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It'll take a bit of time until the critics agree on whether the game warrants even pursuing this seasonal content based on its whelming gameplay reveal. Before that's all settled,?? those who are keen on jumping into Brainiac-infested Metropolis can also look forward to new characters, weapons, acti??vities, and other such goodies.

More specifically, Rocksteady has promised that all of the following content would be released as part of Suicide Squad's first post-launch seasonal release:

• New playable character: The Joker
• New boss fights and enemy variants
• New (Joker-themed) playable environments
• DC Villain-themed weapons and gear
• 2 additional "Episodes"
• Bonus activities and Riddler-themed content

With the game coming out early in February, the fact that Season 1 is coming out in March is promising at face value. Content should be pouring into the title at a rapid pace if Rocksteady intends to keep things as brisk as they will be immediately after release, and there are at least?? three more seasons due for release over the course of the year.

Seasons 2 to 4 sh?ould, therefore, feature the ??following content:

• 3 new playable characters
• 3 new playable environments
• New activities, events, gear sets, and weaponry
• Unlisted mid-season updates

It is all fairly standard fare for a modern live-service offering, however, so those who might've hoped for a bit more out-there pizazz from Rocksteady may end up being slightly disappointed. That being what it is, it's going to be interesting to see how the Joker returns following his death in Batman: Arkham City, and whether R?ocksteady can pull off such a monumental reveal.

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After a steady stream of leaks following the game's “closed alpha tech test�/a> in late November, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League developer Rocksteady has issued an official statement urging players to “avoid spoilers where they can.�/p>

Rocksteady addressed the situation via their Twitter account, writing that “it is very disappointing to see details being shared�and asking players to avoid them ??until the game officially releases on February 2. Check out the full statement down below:

Even though the alpha test that ran from November 30 to December 3 only featured a small part of the campaign to test online infrastructure, some plot details found their way online. Several details, including several well-known characters from the DC ensemble who’re making an appearance in the game and more, have reportedly been leaked online.

This isn't the first time details about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have surfaced on the internet against the dev's wishes. An earlier leak this year involved the game's online features and battle pass.? Suffice it to say, that didn't garner ?a whole lot of positive reception for Rocksteady.

Warner Bros. is issuing copyright strikes to pull the images that are circulating, but if you want to avoid spoilers absolutely, you may need to mute the social media pages related to this game, or the Suicide Squad and Justice League in general, fo??r the time being.

In fact, I?’d avoid reading the replies to that Rocksteady tweet too. I certainly regret not doing so now.

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Despite its gameplay debut going over as well as Snorlax clearing a high jump, WB Games' and Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League moves on �shattered femurs notwithstanding. And you may be able to try Suicide Squad later this month during a closed alpha playtest you can sign up for now.

The closed Suicide Squad playtest cracks off next week. WB Games sent out the invite earlier today, allowing some a chance to sign up ahead of time. The test starts on November 30 at 6 am PT and ends on December 4 at midnight PT. Warner Bros. states in the invite that the Suicide Squad playtest is comprised of a "smaller,?? specific section of the campaign" and "will not be?? representative of the full/final experience."

Who can join the Suicide Squad playtest?

According to the invite, the technical test is opening for a "limited audience." You can sign up and pick a platform, which includes PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam). But you'll need to sign an NDA to participate, which re??stricts you from sharing images or screenshots, video, or any impressions. As typical with closed tests, there'll be a watermark superimposed on your gamepla?y that's meant to shy folks away from sharing anything.

The test is, of course, preparing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League for its big launch next year. Rocksteady's next action game was meant to land this last May. It got hit by a massive delay, pushing it to Februar??y 2, 2024 (so far). The delay notice came out not long after its gameplay trailer reveal during Sony's State of Play. It wasn't fully known if the unenthused reactions caused the delay, but it seemed folks were more cautious over the apparent live-service features of the game.

Either way, so?me players will be able to check? out the game for the first time in just over a week. Hopefully, the delay will bear some fruit. Personally, I am somewhat interested in trying out the game and seeing what I can do as Captain Boomerang armed with his iconic shotgun.

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From vampires to Ganondorf

The May 2023 video games lineup is heating up as we dive (literally) straight back into the land of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and stake vampires in Redfall. 

The games keep on rolling in May after an impressive April with Minecraft Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Dead Island 2. Now, we prepare for stealth ramps, ?open-world titles, and an adventure into Metropolis. Here's what to expect in May.

Darkest Dungeon II (PC)

[caption id="attachment_373325" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Red Hook Studios[/caption]

Publisher: Red Hook Studios
Developer: Red Hook Studios
Price: $19.99
Release Date: May 8
Trailer

The highly anticipated indie roguelike follow-up Darkest Dungeon II will finally release out of Early Access on May 8. The sequel seems to be a? step up in every way possible from the original. The art style has been improved with upgraded visuals and special FX. The new token system gives your character spec?ial perks and abilities, and your characters can get to know each other at the inn while reducing their stress.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Switch)

[caption id="attachment_373326" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Price: $69.99
Release Date: May 12
Trailer

Breath of the Wild amazed us when it was first released on Switch (and the Wii U). The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom seems to be even grander as Link explores the skies above and reverses time to solve puzzles. One of the common complaints is how the weapons degrade quickly; thankfully, you can now fuse items together creating all new swords, hammers, and tools. It looks expansive, and Tears of the Kingdom even lets you create your own vehicles that soar in the air and drive around the open world. This mysterious but exciting experience will be released on May 12. 

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_373340" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Daedalic Entertainment[/caption]

Publisher: Daedelic Entertainment and Nacon
Developer: Daedelic Entertainment
Price: $59.99
Release Date: May 25
Trailer

The most precious game in the May 2023 video games lineup is The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. You'll be playing the unlikely titular protagonist as he tries to find his wonderful Ring of Power. Just like the character in the movie, he has a split personality between the violent Gollum and shy Smeagol. You'll be making decisions along the way that will determine the former hobbit's identity throughout the story; but the game will be mostly stealth-driven as you kill your way or pass through Middle-Earth's deadly creatures. You'll be looking for Gollum's precious on May 25. The Switch is getting the game later in 2023.

Redfall (Xbox Series X/S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_373344" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Xbox[/caption]

Publisher: Xbox
Developer: Arkane Austin
Price: $69.99
Release Date: May 2
Trailer

After I realized that Redfall is a Far Cry-like experience with horror elements, I was in. With three other players, you'll be exploring Redfall, Massachusetts, a town that's waging war against droves of vampires. Many haven't survived but it's up to you to protect the remaining citizens. Xbox says the game has "a deep story campaign as you unravel the mystery behind the vampires' appearance." Developed by Dishonored's Arkane Austin, this game features stealth, all manner of different hero load outs, and cool weaponry to find in the wild. In addition, Xbox promises there will be "unique upgrades and abilities to suit your playstyle." The action begins on May 2. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

[caption id="attachment_373351" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via WB Games[/caption]

Publisher: WB Games
Developer: Rocksteady
Price: $69.99
Release Date: May 26
Trailer

As of the time of writing, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is still launching on May 26. As the title suggests, you're playing as the ragtag group of characters such as Harley Quinn and Captain Boomerang against the Justice League's Superman, Batman, and The Flash. It sounds ridiculous, but somehow Batman Arkham Asylum developer Rocksteady has a somewhat promising story on ??its hands if the trailers are to be believed so far.

To the chagrin of many of Rocksteady's fans, however, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a seemingly dull third-person shooter with a live service angle to it rather than the solid single-player experience of the Batman Arkham serie?s. Hopefully, it can blow our expectations out of the water...or not.

[Update: Suicide Squad was been delayed until 2024 mere days after this ?article was published. What timing!]

Honorable Mentions

[caption id="attachment_373359" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Focus Entertainment[/caption]

The May 2023 video games lineup is also host to a bunch of promising indies a??nd other triple-A titles including:

• Amnesia: The Bunker (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PC) - May 16
• Dokopon Kingdom: Connect (Switch) - May 9
• Hello Neighbor: Search & Rescue (PSVR 2) - May 25
• Miasma Chronicles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) - May 23
• Lego 2K Drive (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) - May 19
• Soul Delivery (PC) - May 21
• Super Dungeon Maker (PC, Switch) - May 3
• System Shock (PC) - May 30
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) - May 23

The post Most anticipated game releases – May 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The squad is taking more time for launch

DC's band of misfits is moving back its release date. A new report from Bloomberg says Warner Bros. has delayed t??he video game, pushing it from May out to sometime later this year.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was originally planned for 2022, until a delay pushed Rocksteady's new DC project into 2023. No official confirmatio??n has happened yet for this delay, and a representative for Warner Bros. did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment. No new date was made clear, either.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-iZP0Zzhd0

The Suicide Squad game was the focus of a recent Sony State of Play livestream, which showed off some of its story and gameplay, as well as its quite Destiny-like live-service elements. Those aspects were not all warmly received, however. Now, Rocksteady appears to be takin?g some extra time.

Service squad

No overt reason was mentioned for the delay in Bloomberg's report, though it will have to be officially ??announced soon. The release date, or rather former date, is on May 26 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

Given the backlash, as well as the fumbles of Gotham Knights, a fellow DC game with live-service elements, I'm now curious to see what the road ahead for Suicide Squad is. While I'm not particularly keen on build-crafting my Captain Boomerang loadout the way I would in Destiny, I'd also wonder what could be addressed at this point in?? development. We'll have to just wait and see what the official Warner Bros. response and reasoning for this delay will be.

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What's your Gear Score, Gamers?

Rocksteady is a fantastic developer, make no bones about it, and I'll gladly argue that we might never get a comic-book adaptation in gaming to rival the immersions, emotion, and raw, genre-defining impact of the amazing Batman: Arkham trilogy �But last night's gameplay overview of the studio's long, long in development Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League ??left me and others in the gaming?? community less than enthused.

Spotlit as the centerpiece of the Sony State of Play presentation Suicide Squad received a brand new trailer, as well as a more in-depth gameplay overview, showing off the characters, mechanics, and hook of the "Good-to-be-Bad" comic book adventure. Unfortunately, while the title undoubtedly featured some great visuals, cool character designs, and a neatly constructed world, it also appears drowned in by-the-book, focus-tested, corporate-approved Video Game Features typical of the much-maligned "Games as a Service" model. A model readily enth??used b??y publisher Warner Bros. Games.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=??y-iZP0Zzhd0&;ab_cha??nnel=SuicideSquad%3AKillTheJusticeLeague

Suicide Squad is a very specific brand. It is a brand based around anarchic anti-heroes and straight-up scumbags. We aren't talking top-tier precision commandos, we're talking the last hurrah. Idiots with guns, amoral losers sent to take care of?? the work that nobody else wants to do. As?? such, lumbering them with the most conservative model in gaming is the antithesis of the very vibe the franchise embodies.

Captain Boomerang and his iconic *checks notes* assault rifle, Harley Quinn famously ensuring that she is wearing the jacket that provids a 0.6% increase in Grenade Drop Potential. There's something just so insidiously corporate about a screen that features "Social" "Store" and "Battle Pass" tabs all on the same banner, propped up by a woeful mish-mash of numbers, "Common-Epic" gear status, unlockable mod slots, and menus within menus within menus, all summarised by Suicide Squad's eye-rolling moniker of "Gear Score".

Yo, bro, what's your Gear Score?

Of course, I'll readily admit that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And I'll gladly check out Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League on release. After all, Rocksteady has more than proven its pedigree with a history of fantastic games. I have no doubt that this release will look fantastic and play well. But there's something so rote, so tepid, just so bland about getting bogged down with the numbers. And while many video games have previously followed the gear-laden, GaaS model to mostly mixed results, it's not a model that gels with the Suicide Squad �Hell, it similarly failed to gel with The Avengers, and we know how that story turned out.

We're right to have faith in Rocksteady as the designers of a gameplay experience, but I'm not entirely convinced that we should necessarily have similar faith in their masters. This is a publisher that did its damndest to make "gear" and multi-currencies a key element of a one-on-one fighter, and thus, I can't picture a single suit that is looking at Suicide Squad and thinking, "Hmm... we're really getting away from the spirit of these characters". It was also recently revealed that Suicide Squad has an Always-Online policy, even for single-player mode, a ??methodology that simply refuses to hit the brick?s.

I rarely comment so harshly on a game before its launch. Barely ever. And, as always, I'm more than happy to be proven wrong, and will gladly eat my words if so. But, like many video game fans, I'm just tired, nay, exhausted at these thin efforts to disguise cash registers as Cool Dude Video Games. With certain brands and IPs, it can be a little easier to keep the more money-hungry elements tucked away in the shadows, but when applied to something supposedly as anti-establishment as Suicide Squad, it hits you ??square on the dome like a comically oversized mallet.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches May 26 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

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VR, fighting, adventuring, and some superhero co-op

Sony has just wrapped its first State of Play for 2023, showing off what's in store for the PlayStation 5 and its newly released PlayStation V??R2 headset. There were some usual suspects, but also a decent number of pleasant surprises.

From the release date and console debut of Baldur's Gate 3 to that wild, wacky-looking new Enhance game, there were definitely a few reveals that caught us off guard. Other parts of the State of Play were a little more what you'd expect, but even then, I'm not going to turn my nose up at more Street Fighter 6 footage, especially with bot?h ??Zangief and Cammy looking fantastic in the new entry.

Here's all the news to know from today's show.

Everything shown in the February 2023 State of Play

• Virtual reality took the stage first with The Foglands, a shooting gallery-style game with some card elements in play. It's definitely got a bit of a look to it. This was followed by survival game Green Hell VR, first-person shooter Synapse, and Asimov-adaptation Journey to the Foundation.
• It's a decent block for folks who just picked up a new VR2 headset and are looking to some new games to play, but I'd like to draw special attention to Before Your Eyes, a captivating game that was playable through webcams already, and will likely be even more emotional and special in a VR2 headset. That arrives on March 10.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9OhfCk51Mo

• Destiny 2 gets a trailer for its imminent Lightfall expansion, showcasing all the weird space-magic happenings set to take place in Neomuna. I'm once again drawn into the Destiny 2 expansion hype, I'm afraid.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmAqQDRoI0Q

• There are some indie gems lying in wait every year, and I have a feeling Tchia is one of them. This action-adventure game lets you shift into animals and explore a beautiful world, inspired by real-life New Caledonia. I love the art style and mechanics, and it just genuinely seems like a pleasant experience. Subscribers to PlayStation Plus' higher tiers also get a bonus, as Tchia takes the Stray route of launching Day 1 on PS Plus Extra and Premium. Tchia is out on March 21, 2023.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbuZbzO5ghU

• Humanity is difficult to describe, and I mean that for both the game and, you know, all of us. This new game from Enhance has you taking on the form of a glowing Shiba Inu, leading flocks of humankind through strange levels. I could try to describe it more, but why not try it yourself? A limited-time demo is available today. The full game arrives in May.
• Dino-teen drama machine Goodbye Volcano High returns to State of Play, and still looks to bear all the narrative emotion amid an impending meteor impact. Even as someone not too wild about the designs, I'm incredibly impressed by the animation work and storytelling devices being used here. Narrative fans might want to keep an eye on this one when it launches on June 15.
• Confession: I have only ever seen one episode of Naruto, the first one. Didn't do a ton for me. But I do love some Ultimate Ninja Storm, so I was very excited to see Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections appear during the State of Play today. It's set to combine pivotal moments from the first four Storm games, and have new playable characters alongside the 124 ninjas from the past. That is a lot of ninjas.
• Here's a surprise: Baldur's Gate 3 is coming to PlayStation 5, day-and-date with the PC and Mac launch. So not only do we get a release date of August 31 for Larian's take on the Baldur's Gate series, we also get a console version with confirmed cross-progression, and JK Simmons voicing one of the big antagonists. Rad!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-KF9iueE0

• AIrship Syndicate's Wayfinder shows off some of its action co-op gameplay, detailing how players can team up to take on enemies in dangerous areas. A friend remarked to me that this reminds them of Dauntless, and they're not totally off-base. A beta is going live on Feb. 28 for those who want to check it out.
• Street Fighter 6 takes the stage to spotlight three characters. Zangief's looking even more muscle-bound and powerful than ever, newcomer Lily has the spirits on her side, and Cammy is back to break some backs. The next Street Fighter keeps looking great, and June 2 feels just too far away.
• Also here from Capcom is Resident Evil 4 Remake, showing off more gameplay footage. Leon's refreshed journey is just a month away at this point, but Capcom confirms there's a "special demo" on the way for those who can't wait.
• Lastly, we close the show with some detailed gameplay footage and discussion of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. There's a good glimpse of the co-op action these four anti-heroes will get up to, and Rocksteady's still locked in for its release date of May 26. The big surprise arrives at the end as Wonder Woman herself decks the Brainiac-controlled Flash and demands answers. Turns out we will, actually, have to Kill the Justice League.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBczhEOp-m0

That's all for today's third-party-centric Sony State of Play. Let us know what you thoug?ht of the show in the comments!

The post Everything shown off at Sony’s first State of Play for 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The Live Service Squad

It looks like Warner Bros. and Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League may have some live service features tied into it. A new leak, with details corroborated by VGC, shows mentions of live service features that include a battle pas?s.

The leaked image circulated out from 4chan and Reddit and was soon picked up by news outlet VGC. According to a source VGC spoke to, the image comes from a recent test build and shows menus planned for Rocksteady's next game. Among these elements are a battle pass, store, and currencies, which would imply some live ?service features could be in the game.

VGC reports that a development source has said a battle pass is planned, but it would be focused on cosmetic content. The currencies shown also reportedly pertain to XP and skill trees for characters. These characters won't start off weak, according to VGC's source, but will "start off great and can get ridiculous, like Arkham Knight's Batman."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB48qOGxNlg

A suicide mission

We haven't seen much Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay yet that could further back this up or not. Most recently, we saw a cinematic tease of the upcoming anti-hero brawler at The Game Awards 2022. Alongside a release date confirmation for May 26, 2023, Rocksteady also confirmed that Kevin Conroy would be the voice of Batman as well. The voice actor, who played Batman in both the Arkham games series and many animated adaptations, including Batman: The Animated Series, died last year.

This is Rocksteady's first game since 2015's Arkham Knight, so fans are likely curious about how these systems pan out. If these shots are from an internal test version, things could potentially shift. Hopefully we'll learn more about what's in store for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League sometime between now and its May release date.

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Kevin Conroy's Batman will be in the new Rocksteady game

Rocksteady has locked in a release date for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Alongside seeing the ?DC anti-he??ro squad finally debut, we'll also get to hear Kevin Conroy's voice as Batman once again.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will debut on May 26, 2023 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. We got a new trailer for it at tonight's Game Awards 2022, spotlight the squad dealing with what looks ?like the aftermath of their rumble with The Flash.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdrBPWNns84

As it soon becomes apparent, the Caped Crusade?r is hot on their heels. And he also seems to have dropped the "not killing anyo?ne" thing, too.

Confirmed during tonight's Game Awards, the late Kevin Conroy will still be the voice of Batman in the coming Rocksteady game. Conroy lent his voice to many iterations of Batman over the years, including voice acting for Rocksteady's Arkham series. And in Suicide Squad, we'll get?? one more portrayal. The Game Awards trailer closed with a tribute to the actor.

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DC Extended Universe to cover all mediums

James Gunn, director of big-screen comic-book epics such as Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, has suggested that upcoming video games set within the DC Comics universe are to ?be included in the overall lore of the DC Universe at large.

Gunn, who was recently assigned the role of co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios, made the comments in a recent Twitter exchange, confirming plans to have DC Studios' future projects �be they cinematic, animated, televisual, or in the medium of gaming �essentially inhabit the same universe?. This broadens the scope for character arcs far beyond that of almost any "cinematic universe" to date.

While the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, it's difficult not to see the potential for chaos in these plans. The idea that, for example, Rocksteady's oft-delayed title Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League might lay arcs for characters in upcoming films, or TV shows, (or vice versa). Gunn's comments also come after the initial efforts for a fully connected DC extended universe have essentially resulted in a plethora of mediocre to terrible movies �with the better efforts, such as Matt Reeves' The Batman, being dis??tinctly disconnected from DC Comics cinematic canon at large.

DC Comics has struggled in its efforts to present a coherent and reliable connected universe when it was only focused on one arcing medium, (cinema), the idea of trying to build a similar project via multiple mediums seems to be something of a he?rculean task. Still, the new co-CEO clearly sees potential in the concept, so we'll just have to wait and see what the future brings for Batman, Joker, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman.

But not Batgirl. Apparently.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches in 2023 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

The post James Gunn: DC Comics?? video games to become part of DC extended universe appeared first on Destructoid.

Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker are moving on to a new adventure

Rocksteady co-founders Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker are leaving the company. The pair announced they will depart Rock?steady at the end of 2022.

In a letter detailing the shift, Rocksteady confirms that founding member ?and longtime director of production Nathan Burlow will take over as studio director. Darius Sadeghian will take over the role of Studio Product Director.

"With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League nearly finished, they have both decided to leave Rocksteady at the end of 2022 and will begin a new adventure in gaming," reads today's sta?tement. "We have the utmost respect and gratitude for Jamie and Sefton and wish them all the best in their new endeavor, and like many fans, we look forward to what they do next."

No word yet on what? the duo will go on t?o do. Today's letter says the two will be moving on to a "new adventure" in gaming. Hill and Walker wished Burlow and Sadeghian the best in taking the reins of Rocksteady.

"Now with Suicide Squad in safe han??ds, and the team here stronger than ever, it's time to hand over the reins, and for us to start a new adventure together in games," wrote Hill and Walker.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRKZ1ewc9f0

Keep steady

The duo of Walker and Hill has been ??behind Rocksteady since it was formed in 2004. The t?wo had previously worked together at Argonaut Games.

The team would go on to kickstart the Batman: Arkham series of games. The Arkham series grew, exp??anding out to other studios, and has become pretty pivotal for the modern superhero genre.

Rocksteady is currently working on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which was pushed out of this year and into spring 2023.

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Good things come to those who wait

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an upcoming title from Rocksteady that has DC fans buzzing, but unfortunately it's been delayed from its?? 2022 release date to spring of next year. The studio's founder Sefton Hill took to Twitter to announce the news, as well as to say that "a delay is frustrating," bu??t that that time is important in ensuring they release the best product in the end.

The game was first announced as part of the DC FanDome in October of last year, and since then we've gotten both a story and a gameplay trailer to give us a?? better look into the uproarious romp this game is likely to be. We did get a hint that Suicide Squad would get delayed a few months back as well, after the game was mysteriously absent from a report that high??lighted the company's upcoming slate of releases at the ?start of the year.

According to that same report, Gotham Knights is still on schedule for its release d?ate?? as of now.

//twitter.co??m/Seftonhill/status/1506632960858021902

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be set in the fictional city of Metropolis, which is best known as Superman's home city in t??he DC canon. It is also set in the same universe as Rocksteady's Arkham ??series, which includes three previous Batman-centric titles. Gotham Knights, on the other hand, is taking place in Gotham, but will be in a different universe entirely. Classic comic book ??stuff, am I right?

Delays in game releases have become increasingly common over the past few years due to the strai?n that the pandemic has put ?on development. Fans who were looking forward to Suicide Squad may be disappointed, but while the d?elay only adds a few more months of waiting, it's likely that it could have a huge impact on the?? final experience of playing the game.

The post Suicide Sq?uad: Kill the Justice League is officially delayed to Spring 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The crew may be putting their plans on hold until next year

It looks like one of the big DC games set for this year has been pushed into next. A new report from Bloomberg says Warner Media has quietly delayed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League into 2023.

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reports this, according t?o people familiar with development. ??The outlet didn't receive a response to its requests for comment.

The Suicide Squad game was slated to arrive this year alongside several other big Warner Media games, including Hogwarts Legacy and fellow DC Comics game Gotham Knights. Both were highlighted as part of this year's schedule in a recent earnings call. But Suicide Squad was conspicuously absent.

It's been quite a while since Rocksteady's Arkham Knight, but Suicide Squad falling into 2023 isn't wholly surprising. Other games under the Warner umbrella have taken some extra time for polish.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RyZMzcIB0

We did get a new look at gameplay of Suicide Squad recently, and it looked pretty promising. The story looks to follow Captain Boomerang, ?King Shark, Deadshot, and Harley Quinn as they're sent out to take on the i??mpossible: kill the Justice League. It looks like the main idea is to have you jumping between different characters to fight against some of the most powerful heroes around. Which, well, the odds don't look so great for the motley crew of anti-heroes.

We'll keep an eye out for confirmation of the date shift. But with 2022 already looking pretty? packed for big games, one blockbuster slipping into next year seems just fine.

The post Suici??de?? Squad: Kill the Justice League reportedly delayed to 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's what they do...

It's been a very, very long time coming, but last night's Game Awards finally featured debut gameplay footage of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the new DC Comics adventure coming from studio Rocksteady, previously responsible for the Batman: Arkham series, one of, if not the finest comic book video game fr??anchise ever made.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RyZMzcIB0

The trailer sees our motley crew of Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Deadshot, and, of course, the irrepressible Harley Quinn laying waste to armies of enemies amidst a frankly stunning-looking cityscape. The trailer emphasizes Suicide Squad's heavy multiplayer s??lant, which will require players to capitalize on each team member's unique skills and abilities while on an insane mission to take down that body of all that is right and true: The Justice League. Yep, it looks like America's Greatest Heroes have turned evil (yes, again), and it will be up to our band of ragamuffin scumbags to save the day... and their own necks.

Honestly, I wasn't sold on this title at all, but this "gameplay" looks really promising to me. I dig the smoothness and fluidity of the motion, the spectacular carnage, the huge open fighting arenas, and I even ??didn't mind the comedy too much �always the hardest thing to pull of??f where the DC universe is concerned.

I won't deny that the heavy multiplayer element is a bit of a hurdle, and we're yet to see whether Warner Bros. will pack this title up the wazoo with Games-as-a-Service BS ala Square Enix's much-maligned Marvel's Avengers, but this new footage has turned me around on t??he game, and I move fro??m trepidatious to, let's say, positively cautious. Hope we get to see more real soon.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2022

The post Suicide Squad’s first gameplay footage looks very promising appeared first on Destructoid.

Still waiting on that gameplay footage

DC FanDome is a celebration of all things DC, where some of the biggest stars in the world stand in front of a green screen as they talk about the things that are most important to comic book fans. Like, the color of The Flash's boots, I guess. It's also the place to see trailers and footage for upcoming movies, television shows, and games, such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. We got our first glimpse at the upcoming maybe-a-games-as-a-service title at last year's FanDome and this year, the developers dropped a new trailer for it w?ith just as much gameplay footage as we saw in the last on??e.

That is to say, absolut?ely none??. But what is here is pointing at a huge adventure to kill the heroes we grew up idolizing, something that seems really seems on point for 2021.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9vFB65-U_c

Even with the lack of gameplay footage in the Suicide Squad DC FanDome trailer above, I still have complete faith in the project. After all, Rocksteady is working on it and its library of titles is not something to be ignored. Given this year's lackluster reception of The Suicide Squad, it ??might be easy to start doomsaying about its potentia??l. But I think the gaming audience is a better target for this band of anti-heroes than a pandemic-weary movie audience.

As we learned last year, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will feature Harley Quinn, King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot on a mission to kill the Justice League. In the story trailer above, we get our first look at some?? of the heroes we'll be taking down, inc??luding The Flash and John Stewart's Green Lantern. You'll be able to team up with three other players to make your way through the game, but you can also go through it solo with AI companions. The entire story will be playable in online co-op.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will launch in 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xb?ox Serie??s S, and PC.

The post Check out the cinematic-heavy Suicide Squad: Ki??ll the Justice League trailer from DC FanDome appeared first on Destructoid.

DC FanDome begins Oct. 16 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific

Given Rocksteady's track record with the fondly remembered Batman: Arkham series, I should be down for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League without caveats, but I'll need more conv??incing before it even approaches no-brainer territory. For now, here's a screenshot.

The news-filled DC FanDome 2021 event starts tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Pacific, and to get us in the Superman-stopping (or at least slowing down) mood, Rocksteady's Sefton Hill tweeted out an image of the upcoming Suicide Squad game for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

It feels like such a long time coming ??�are we getting gameplay this we?ekend?

//twitter.com/Seftonhill/status/14489975687??93427??998

Yep, that's Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Harley Quinn all right. All four cha??racters are pl?ayable �if you're alone, you'll have AI assistance, otherwise, you can team up with three other players in "open-world Metropolis." There's so much left to learn.

Even if this isn't my preferred cast of characters for a comic-based video game, especially when we're talking about Rocksteady's once-in-a-blue-moon output, I think I can be convinced, and I have no doubts about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League probably looking cool and fun and polished. For me, it really just comes down to the "genre-bending action-adventure shooter" foundation and how that resonates w?ith solo play compared to co-op.

It's not the end-all-be-all �or at least I don't think it'll be once the dust settles �but fans are still concerned about potential live-service-game woes, and real or not, those unfilled blanks are impacting the perception of this game. We've been burned before!

Hopefully tomorrow's DC FanDome showing will be illuminating and we're left feeling confident about the Suicide Squad game. (Reminder, it's not coming to PS4 or Xbox One; it's next-gen and PC only.) The launch is still penciled in for 2022, so we might get a release date or window, and worst case, there's going to be a new trailer for The Batman.

The post A last-minute Suicide Squad: Kill the Justi?ce League screenshot before DC FanDo?me appeared first on Destructoid.