Seeing @ArkhamVideos go unfiltered and give their thoughts on this is appreciated, no one else’s voice in the Arkham community holds as much weight as them.
Just a final personal thought now that the game has officially been laid to rest:
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League isn’t what people wanted - I get it, and I’m right there with you. There’s so much that could’ve been done differently, especially with the story. To this day I can’t wrap my head around the decision to kill off Batman just like that for shock value, without giving any hints or cliffhangers to keep players intrigued (according to reports a few months back, the writers were dead set on avoiding any kind of tease, which still feels like such a weird call to me).
And then there’s the live service model - it just didn’t work. They were trying to chase trends instead of playing to their strengths, and it ended up holding back the potential of both the studio and the game. You can feel their incredible craftsmanship clashing with the compromises of the live service model, and it sadly hurt the game.
That said, you can’t deny that Rocksteady’s technical talent and artistry are still unmatched. Metropolis is easily the best version of the city we’ve ever seen in any media with its gorgeous retro-futuristic style and crazy amount of DC references that are a dream for lore fans - same for the Elseworlds. The cutscenes and the lighting are absolutely breathtaking (and I really wish we’d gotten a proper intro cutscene for Deathstroke or an actual ending cutscene). Traversal mechanics are an absolute blast, with what I think are some of the most impressive character designs I’ve ever seen, especially the League.
What I’m saying is, despite everything Rocksteady’s talent is undeniable. They’re a technical powerhouse, and it shows in every frame of the game.
It is what it is, but I hope we get more from them - whether it’s in the Arkhamverse, a reboot, a cyberpunk world (that would be schway), or something entirely new. They’re way too good not to have another shot.
Now fight me.